Festival was launched in 2005 on 100th anniversary of Slovenian cinematography in Ljutomer, where first Slovenian motion pictures were made by Dr. Karol Grossmann. Since its very beginnings, the first international festival dedicated to genre cinema in the region, featured a selection of unconventional movies and numerous film guests. With the regular addition of local specialty - wine, Grossmann Festival soon became one of the most interesting film events in this part of Europe and one of the biggest cultural events in Slovenia.
We focus on fantastic, frightening, fierce and transgressive movies that reach beyond ordinary genre conventions. Our aim is to return danger and boldness into modern-day cinema, which in its mediocrity, political correctness and desperate desire for mass appeal loses more and more of its former reputation, influence, creativity and consequently its audience. Among these efforts we present cult films and its authors and seek cult films-to-be in modern cinema.
Grossmann festival is dedicated to this not so loud, but much more dangerous and funny side of cinema, that pulls no punches, wallows in excess, political incorrectness that goes all the way and beyond. But, in order to fully understand it, one must take time, enjoy the adrenaline ride and equip their most extreme sense of humor. And this can be so much easier with a glass of good wine...
Among our numerous guests in previous years, the spoils of our festival were enjoyed by such legends as Christopher Lee, Roger Corman, Franco Nero, Ruggero Deodato, Menahem Golan, Jan Harlan, Brian Yuzna, Enzo G. Castellari, Udo Kier, Jose Mojica Marins, Lloyd Kaufman, Uwe Boll, Jörg Buttgereit, Sergio Stiveletti, Slobodan Sijan, Goran Markovic, Djordje Kadijevic…
Each year our accompanying program also features numerous wine tastings, art exhibitions, live concerts, workshops, panels, book presentations, Subculture Market and traditional monster parties. And of course FREE CAMPING for all our visitors!
Since 2010, Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival is an adherent member of the EUROPEAN FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVALS FEDERATION (http://www.melies.org). In 2013 US-based MovieMaker Magazine has listed Grossmann Festival among the “TOP 5 COOLEST HORROR/SCI-FI FILM FESTIVALS IN THE WORLD” and in 2018 the same magazine listed Grossmann among "30 Bloody Best Genre Fests in the World"!
