The first edition of the festival, which took place at Nanterre's Théâtre des Amandiers, did not feature a competition because the host city was governed by the French Communist Party, and pitting international artists against each other was viewed as incompatible with socialist values.

[1] Italian director Dario Argento has likened the festival's atmosphere to "a rock concert",[4] and mentioned Suspiria's Paris premiere, where he was borne aloft in trumph by fans,[1] as one of the moments that helped him realize his newfound stature in the film industry.

"[2] While the festival's populist approach at first made for compelling headlines, fan antics eventually hurt its reputation, and security staff became its number one expense.

[7] Conversely, as fantastique gained mainstream acceptance during the 1980s, larger distributors yearned for the cachet of the rival Avoriaz Festival, which attracted international stars to its upscale alpine location, and typically recognized only the most prestigious productions in the genre.

[2] According to Schlockoff, the festival's demise was sealed when he accepted an offer by the Palais des sports de Paris to co-organize the event and procure sponsors for the 1990 edition, only to see their presenting corporate partner withdraw due to concerns about the imminent Gulf War.