By Joe Metro
“So no music?”
“Well, there’s music, but —”
“Right, but it’s not how I’m used to it. Music in movies isn’t the same as live music on stage. Hm, I’m not sure how I feel about it. Can you go over it with me one more time?”
That’s right, folks! As I explained to my roommate, Velour Live Music Gallery will once again host FilmQuest, the fantastical film festival that has found its home in Utah. The festival showcases 16 feature films and 256 short films in plenty of categories, as well as a handful of student films, some animated films, and music videos. The festival boasts films from 37 countries, with over 65 sending in submissions. This is a truly grand feat that shattered the 2024 record.
But what exactly is FilmQuest, and why should you care? For starters, as previously mentioned, Velour Live Music Gallery hosts this event each year for a solid week and a half. This year’s event runs from Thursday, October 23, to Saturday, November 1. Their mission statement provides a great view of who they are and what they stand for: “It is our intention that FilmQuest helps lay a foundation for new and upcoming filmmakers, furthers the careers of more established professionals, inspires its patrons, and is a welcoming home for filmmakers for years to come.”
FilmQuest showcases a variety of genres, but it primarily focuses on the “Fantastic.” At FilmQuest, you’ll find that a majority of the submissions are sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. The third-party jurors reviewed all the submissions (2,230 films and screenplays submitted in 2025) and selected the nominees that FilmQuest has chosen for this year. Each nominee is vying for the coveted foot-long (not a sub) Cthulhu Trophy.
Utah’s favorite Jon Heder and director Jacob Lees Johnson will debut Johnson’s first feature-length film, I See The Demon, at this year’s FilmQuest. It follows a woman named Lucy as she returns home after seeing a strange object floating in the sky. When she returns, she finds a surprise party with all of her favorite people. The problem? Lucy cannot remember the events of the day as odd events continue to happen, and Lucy is the only one who seems to notice them. All the while, her friends and family tell her to simply relax, enjoy the day, not worry about anything, and they’ll take care of her. Check out the screening of this sci-fi horror thriller during FilmQuest!
These ten or so days are lining up to be as spectacular as FilmQuest is apt to be. Numerous local Utah and Provo businesses and organizations are involved with this festival, so be sure to enjoy some movies, and follow the festival on Instagram to stay up to date. Get your scare on just in time for Halloween. Check out Velour and other spots in Provo during that week and a half. Lastly, as always, my friends: support local art, support Provo, support Utah.