Boston Underground XXVI: Bob Odenkirk Actioner NORMAL To Open The 26th Edition In March

We’re still a ways from the Magnolia Pictures release of Ben Wheatley’s latest action thriller, Normal, starring Bob Odenkirk of Nobody fame. That still leaves plenty of time for the new flick to make the festival rounds and so the latest move will be at the twenty-sixth edition of the Boston Underground Film Festival which kicks off its four-day event on March 18.

The announcement below is also listing screenings of TIFF favorite from director Curry Barker, Obsession, along with the upcoming Independent Film Company and Shudder release, Saccharine from Aussie director Natalie Erika James, and a repertory screening of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. The official line-up remains pending and I actually can’t wait to jump back into these festival updates again. If the addition of Normal as its opener is any hint, I gather folks will be in for a treat.

Read on below and hit up the official website for more details.

THE BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL (BUFF) ANNOUNCES
2026 FESTIVAL DATES AND WELCOMES BOB ODENKIRK FOR THE OPENING NIGHT SCREENING OF NORMAL!

The 2026 festival will take place Wednesday, March 18 through Sunday, March 22.

(Boston, MA – February 17, 2026) – The Boston Underground Film Festival returns for its 26th edition, once again bringing the finest in vanguard filmmaking from around the world to New England cinephiles. Taking place at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square and expanding to include the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, BUFF will present a program of more than 20 screenings of bold new feature films and standout shorts, including two dedicated blocks highlighting local filmmakers.

Opening night will feature director Ben Wheatley’s (KILL LIST, FIELD IN ENGLAND) newest genre standout, NORMAL, an action‑packed and often darkly funny love letter to shoot‑’em‑up cinema starring Bob Odenkirk (BETTER CALL SAUL, NOBODY) who will join the audience for a live post-screening Q&A! Also screening is TIFF Midnight Madness sensation OBSESSION as a centerpiece selection. RELIC director Natalie Erika James’ Sundance thriller SACCHARINE will serve as one of the festival’s two closing‑night selections.

The repertory centerpiece is a 40th‑anniversary screening of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 (1986), presented by Rucking Fotten and featuring an in‑person appearance by its star, horror icon Bill Moseley, for a post‑screening Q&A and meet‑and‑greet.

This year marks a significant transition for BUFF with the departure of Artistic Director Kevin Monahan and Director of Programing Nicole McControversy, who for nearly two decades championed the festival’s offbeat spirit and helped elevate it into one of the top 50 genre film festivals in the world. Former BUFF technical directors Adam Van Voorhis and Phil Healy have stepped into the role of co‑festival directors and they have brought on Coolidge Corner Theatre artistic director Mark Anatasio as BUFF’s new artistic director. Together with the support of a dedicated team of volunteers, they will continue BUFF’s legacy as a filmmaker‑focused festival, sharing a wide range of films with an audience of passionate cinephiles and championing diverse voices from around the globe.

“BUFF is such a wonderful place for genre film fans to gather and share a love for weird cinema together as an audience. In an age where we’re constantly getting further disconnected from each other, festivals like ours, and the venues we’re screening in, are so important for keeping our community alive. I’m very excited to be a part of its next chapter!” Mark Anastasio, BUFF Artistic Director.

“It is our great honor and uttermost joy to ensure that the underground spirit of BUFF will continue to give the darkest visions of filmmakers, from all aspects of life and absurdity, a place for their voices to be heard and celebrated by the Boston Underground faithful.” Phil Healy & Adam Van Voorhis, BUFF Co-Festival Directors

From horror, fantasy, sci-fi and idiosyncratic indies of all stripes, BUFF brings fans, filmmakers and our vibrant New England community together for a blissful five-day cinematic celebration.

Lee B. Golden III

fcsyndicate@outlook.com | Web

Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!