TEXAS — The biggest genre film festival in the U.S., Fantastic Fest, was back in Austin last week and showcased several new movies, including “A Different Man.”

“A Different Man” follows Sebastian Stan’s character, Edward, who has neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow. He undergoes medical treatment that leads to a radical transformation of his appearance. 

Everything is going perfectly until he stumbles upon Oswald, portrayed by Adam Pearson, a complete contrast to him in terms of confidence, humor, likability and charm.

The film addresses insecurities, our sense of self-image and society’s standards for the way things should be.

“[At] the end of this movie, everyone is going to see that Sebastian Stan is jealous of Adam Pearson, and they’re going to believe and understand that,” director Adam Schimberg said. “In a way, it’s me trying to take ownership of this idea that being different has value. People are coming away from it feeling like Adam is a star.”

At Fantastic Fest, Pearson spoke about the impact of the film’s release and how people approach him with gratitude for what he has contributed to the film industry. “The biggest compliment I can get from this film is ‘thank you, for the first time I feel seen, I feel recognized,’” he said.

During the premiere at Fantastic Fest, Schimberg praised the film festival. “It is the perfect place to show a movie," he said. 

The film opened in select theaters Sept. 20 and will be open in wide release on Oct. 4.