In 2012, the same year Adam Roberts took over operations of Screenland Armour Theatre, he met Tim Canton. The two quickly connected over something Kansas City was missing. They’d long admired the genre festivals they traveled to and followed from afar. Austin had Fantastic Fest. Canada had Fantasia. Spain had Sitges. Kansas City had a strong film community, but what it didn’t have was a dedicated home for horror, thriller, sci fi, and action films. “We both romanticized the genre festivals that we did not have in Kansas City,” Roberts says. “It was a natural fit and part of the brand that I was establishing at the theatre.”
The idea was straightforward. Build the kind of festival they wished existed. Create a space for the films they loved. Trust that Kansas Citians would respond.
They did.
The answer to that early question took shape inside one of the city’s most historic theaters. Screenland Armour, whose history stretches back to the end of the silent era, has long balanced film nostalgia with a willingness to embrace what is new. When Roberts took over, he partnered with Downright Creepy’s Tim Canton to turn their shared vision into something tangible. In 2013, Panic Fest officially launched.
From the beginning, it was more than a collection of screenings. Panic Fest debuted as a multi-day celebration of horror, thriller, sci-fi, and dark genre filmmaking. What started as a scrappy regional gathering, quickly proved there was an audience ready for it. “I think that first year we found so many people coming to our festival just to celebrate genre films,” Roberts says. The gap they identified was real.
The shift became more apparent over time. “It really began to click in 2019 when filmmakers from around the globe began traveling in and audiences continued to build,” Roberts explains. “The community wasn’t built in one year but over the last decade has really clicked.” What began as a passion project evolved into a recognized stop on the genre festival circuit, drawing filmmakers, critics, and distributors to Kansas City.
As the festival continued to grow, its mission became more evident. “Our mission has shifted more toward finding new voices and giving them a platform alongside select studio screenings that already have a brighter spotlight,” Roberts says. That balance remains central to their programming. Established studio titles may draw audiences in, but emerging filmmakers are given equal space to connect with viewers. “This really brings more audiences to see the films and meet their makers.”
Crucially, the festival’s programming is guided first and foremost by quality. “You can make a film for $1,000 that gets into the festival if the quality standards are in place,” Roberts says. The focus is not on flashy marketing or recognizable names alone. “It’s creating a healthy balance of different types of films for our audience to discover. It’s about unique visions fitting into our programming.” That philosophy has helped Panic Fest earn trust and support from both audiences and filmmakers.
That support extends beyond the screenings. On the filmmaker side, the team works closely with sales agents and distributors to help projects secure distribution opportunities. “We’ve successfully been involved in over 20 sales through the festival,” Roberts notes. Films like Robbie Banfitch’s The Outwaters stand as “a perfect example of a festival film and one that was acquired because of the festival.” Alumni such as Joe Lynch and Parker Finn have gone on to build significant careers in the genre industry, reinforcing the festival’s impact far beyond Kansas City.
At the same time, growth hasn’t meant chasing expansion for its own sake. “I’m not sure we want to chase what so many other festivals are doing which is trying to be as big as possible and add all these external experiences to the fest,” Roberts says. “We want to grow our audience and community but maintain what we’ve become known for and not screw it up.” Maintaining that identity remains a priority.
Roberts describes Panic Fest as a place where “everyone is on the same page both audience and filmmakers and guests.” It’s not a gatekeeper environment. It’s a space built on shared enthusiasm, where audiences engage directly with creators and the discovery of new voices and talent is all part of the experience.
Throughout the years, certain moments capture that spirit clearly. Hosting the 25th anniversary screening of The Blair Witch Project with co-director Eduardo Sanchez and costar Michael C. Williams remains one of Roberts’ defining memories. It was a sold out show of a film he had seen hundreds of times, yet it “played like the first.” He felt 15 again. “And then hosting that Q and A was monumental.” That combination of nostalgia, discovery, and live conversation is part of what defines the festival.
Ultimately, Panic Fest is about how people leave the theater. Roberts hopes audiences walk away feeling “that they’ve experienced something fulfilling both on screen and by creating new relationships off. That they are creatively invigorated and excited to move forward.”
What began as a daydream between two film lovers has grown into a lasting part of Kansas City’s film culture. Panic Fest has carved out space for genre storytelling to thrive here. As long as there are filmmakers with bold ideas and audiences ready to embrace them, the festival will continue to evolve, one screening at a time.
The festival returns for its 11th year this April 9th – 15th. Don’t miss it!