The nightmarish folk horror of Ari Aster is returning to Alamo Drafthouse as the theater is partnering with A24 to screen the director's cut of his 2019 masterpiece Midsommar. With the director's third feature film Beau Is Afraid on the way later in April, the screening will not only revisit the award-winning Scandinavian film as Aster intended but also invite fans to join him for a live conversation in Downtown Brooklyn about the film on April 1. Viewers at any screening of the film will also be able to get an exclusive sneak peek at Beau Is Afraid and will be able to watch along with a stream of the Q&A of Aster going out to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
Midsommar is Aster's follow-up to his Toni Collette-led 2018 smash hit Hereditary, and it takes another strong female lead in Florence Pugh on a "work trip" through hell. After losing her sister to suicide, Dani is invited by her deadbeat boyfriend on an outing to Sweden with his friends for the seemingly-delightful midsummer festival. What starts as a wonderful retreat from the horrors in her life turns into a descent into madness at the hands of a pagan cult called the Hårga. Between the powerful performance by Pugh and Aster's careful hand behind the camera, it helped solidify Aster as a top horror director to watch and is considered one of A24's best horror features to date.
Like his two previous features, Beau Is Afraid seems to be another complicated beast. It mixes comedy and surreal horror, following Joaquin Phoenix as an anxiety-ridden man exploring his deepest fears on a wild journey from his home after the death of his mother. The trailer wasn't particularly helpful in detailing the plot either, leaning into the bizarre and terrifying nature of his sojourn that straddles the line between Aster's deeply unsettling previous work and an indie travel film. Perhaps the sneak peek courtesy of Alamo will give some in-context insight into what the director is bringing to audiences this time around.
In addition to a de-aged Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid features a starry group with Parker Posey, Nathan Lane, Richard Kind, Amy Ryan, Patty LuPone, and Zoe Lister-Jones. Kylie Rogers, who also appears in the film, emphasized the weirdness of Aster's latest feature and the nervousness she felt performing next to Phoenix.
Alamo Drafthouse Is Thrilled to Share Aster's Work Once Again
Alamo Drafthouse co-founder Tim League is also eagerly awaiting the arrival of Beau Is Afraid and is more than happy to welcome Aster back to the theater. He shared an official statement for the screening, saying:
"Ari Aster is one of our favorite filmmakers working today. His films are inventive, daring, and shocking in ways that stick with you, basically the kind of films we love most. We’re just as excited as our guests to get a sneak peek of Beau Is Afraid, and revisiting Midsommar while we do it is just the bloody, cult horror cherry on top.
See the Midsommar director's cut in Alamo Drafthouse theaters on April 1 along with the exclusive sneak peek at Beau Is Afraid ahead of its release on April 21. Food and drinks will also be available at the event sponsored by MW and A24. Read more information and grab your tickets on the official website. Before Aster's latest reaches theaters, check out Collider's previous interview with Kylie Rogers regarding the film and her time in Yellowstone below.