Beyond Fest 2025: Diving Deep into the Torridly Twisted Mind of Guillermo del Toro

It’s 2003, and I’m sitting across from a relatively unknown Mexican director who’s recently blown my mind with his vampire action-fest, Blade II, and we’re bonding over… ferrets. Yes, ferrets. Those adorable little chaos noodles that somehow became the unexpected bridge between a horror journalist and one of cinema’s most visionary storytellers. His then-wife was a veterinarian who treated ferrets in Mexico, I had a trio of mischievous carpet sharks at home, and suddenly we weren’t just talking about movies anymore—we were talking about the weird, wonderful creatures that steal our hearts and occasionally our socks.

That moment of connection has stuck with me through multiple interviews over the years, because it perfectly encapsulates what makes Guillermo del Toro so special: his ability to find beauty and meaning in the most unexpected places. Whether it’s the tender romance between a mute woman and a fish-man, or the way childhood innocence can coexist with wartime horror, del Toro operates on a frequency that most filmmakers can’t even detect, let alone broadcast.

Now, Beyond Fest, that glorious celebration of all things genre that’s basically Comic-Con for film nerds, is giving del Toro the retrospective treatment he deserves with “Está Vivo: The Gods and Monsters of Guillermo del Toro.” This isn’t your average, everyday film festival; it’s a 12-feature journey through three decades of dreams, nightmares, and everything gloriously strange in between.

The man himself will be there in person, participating in Q&As that are guaranteed to be more entertaining than most people’s entire film collections (and the commentaries, too!). Because as we fans know, del Toro doesn’t just make movies, he lives them. Every frame is personal, every monster is a metaphor, and every story comes from that same place that made a two-year-old boy negotiate with the creatures under his bed.

The Films That Define a Visionary

Most Underrated

Crimson Peak (2015): Think Jane Eyre had a sizzling affair with The Shining while Rebecca watched from the corner, taking notes. Del Toro’s gothic romance is a pure visual treat, a feast of crimson clay seeping through floorboards and secrets buried deeper than the Winchester Mystery House’s architectural logic. Mia Wasikowska navigates Allerdale Hall like she’s trapped in a particularly expensive haunted house, while Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain serve up enough sexual tension and family dysfunction to power a small Victorian city. It’s Grand Opera horror at its finest, where emotions are as oversized as the production design and twice as beautiful.

My Personal Favorite

The Devil’s Backbone (2001): If Crimson Peak is del Toro in full gothic glamour mode, then The Devil’s Backbone is him at his most heartbreakingly intimate. Set during the Spanish Civil War, this ghost story posits that the real monsters are often the adults in the room. The film treats its child characters like actual human beings rather than plot devices or miniature wise-crackers, creating something that’s simultaneously a war movie, a coming-of-age tale, and a genuinely unsettling supernatural thriller. It’s the kind of film that makes you remember why you fell in love with movies in the first place.

Best Crowd-Pleaser

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006): The crown jewel of del Toro’s filmography, where fairy tale logic collides with historical brutality in ways that shouldn’t work but absolutely do. Ivana Baquero’s Ofelia escapes into fantasy, then she uses it as a survival mechanism against real-world horrors that are far more terrifying than any CGI creature. It’s a film that respects both the intelligence of children and the complexity of adults, creating something that works on multiple levels without ever talking down to its audience.

Frankenstein: The Next Chapter in del Toro’s Monster Mythology

Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein promises to be his most ambitious monster movie yet. Having recently premiered at Venice, and hitting Netflix this November, the film stars Oscar Isaac as the obsessive scientist and Jacob Elordi as his creation… casting choices that already have me more excited than a film nerd at a Criterion sale.

The director has described this as an exploration of existential questions about humanity and monstrosity, which basically translates to “get ready to have your feelings surgically removed and reassembled in ways you didn’t know were possible.” Early reports suggest the film’s visual design is typically stunning, though some critics are noting it might lack the “perverse streak” of his earlier work. Honestly, if del Toro wants to go full earnest philosopher with his monster movies, I’m here for it.

The timing feels perfect, too. In an age where we’re all grappling with questions about artificial intelligence and what it means to be human, del Toro’s take on Mary Shelley’s original techno-horror story should hit differently than previous adaptations. Though the director insists it’s not an AI metaphor, sometimes the best art reflects our anxieties without explicitly naming them.

Your Ticket to the Del Toro Experience

Premiering over 90 features and 40 shorts, Beyond Fest takes place September 23–October 8, 2025, at the Egyptian Theatre and Los Feliz 3, featuring everything from 4K restorations of Cronos and The Devil’s Backbone to director’s cuts and rare 35mm screenings. Tickets are available through the American Cinematheque website (americancinematheque.com) and beyondfest.com.

Guillermo del Toro will be appearing in person for Q&As following certain films. This isn’t just a chance to see del Toro’s gems on the big screen, though—it’s an opportunity to spend time with one of cinema’s most generous storytellers, someone who treats Q&As like intimate conversations about the art of making dreams visible.

In a world that often feels designed and determined to crush wonder, del Toro keeps building elaborate altars to the weird, the beautiful, and the monstrous. Beyond Fest is offering you a front-row seat to that particular brand of magic. Don’t miss it!

After all, as del Toro learned when he was two years old and terrified of monsters: the best way to deal with the things that scare you is to invite them in for tea and see what they have to teach you about being human.