Source: Fantasia International Flm Festival press releases
Official Site: https://fantasiafestival.com/en
Special Thanks to Ted Geoghegan, Maggie Caroddo and Annie MacLeod

 

 
 
Montreal, Quebec -- The Fantasia International Flm Festival will celebrate its upcoming 28th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 18 through August 4, 2024, returning yet again at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montreal’s Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée.

The festival’s 2024 poster art, created by Montreal visual artist Donald Caron, brings back two of the festival’s most-beloved characters from earlier editions, returning by popular demand. The cinema-loving cat and pug, barreling into the future on a sidecar motorcycle, embody the excitement, playfulness, and absurdity that Fantasia has championed since its inception in 1996.

Vist the festival website for the complete lineup of over 125 features and 200+ shorts available to be explored.

 

 

 

OPENING FILM: ANT TIMPSON’S BOOKWORM, STARRING ELIJAH WOOD AND NELL FISHER
 
Fantasia’s 28th edition will open with a joyride into the wild, celebrating the World Premiere of Ant Timpson’s moving and hilarious BOOKWORM. Reuniting the celebrated New Zealand filmmaker with his COME TO DADDY star Elijah Wood (Showtime’s Yellowjackets) - who matches through-the-roof comic chemistry of gifted his young co-star Nell Fisher (EVIL DEAD RISE) – BOOKWORM is as entertaining as it is richly cinematic. Mildred (Fisher), a precocious eleven-year-old bookworm, escapes her humdrum existence by immersing herself in novels where literary adventures abound, with a long-dreamed quest to capture proof of a mythological beast known as The Canterbury Panther. When an unusual accident occurs, Mildred’s long absent father Strawn Wise (Wood), a washed-up illusionist, flies to New Zealand to look after a daughter he’s never met. When they agree to go camping despite neither being the outdoorsy type, this ultimate test in family bonding leads the duo on a string of increasingly absurd and treacherous adventures. World Premiere.

 

OFFICIAL CLOSING FILM + PRIX DENIS-HÉROUX: ANDRÉ FORCIER’S ABABOUINÉ

ABABOUINÉ takes us back to the 1950s, when the Catholic Church ruled over Quebec with an iron fist, and as a rowdy group of kids goes to war against the church. In his latest masterpiece, André Forcier (AU CLAIR DE LA LUNE, A WIND FROM WYOMING) revisits a dark period of Quebec’s history through an often shocking - yet undeniably and absurdly funny - lens. Starring Rémy Girard (THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS, THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE), Gaston Lepage (JESUS OF MONTRÉAL), Pascale Montpetit (DISTRICT 31), Éric Bruneau (AN EYE FOR BEAUTY), and Mylène Mackay (NELLY), the film brings together an incredible cast of some of the province’s most established actors alongside its most talented newcomers. With a deft hand, Forcier navigates the historical abuses of the church and the hope of a society on the brink of change - with sensitivity, humour, and quite literally, a lot of heart. World Premiere.
 
Few directors can boast having created a fantastic universe of rare consistency over more than 50 years. André Forcier’s work is firmly rooted in magic realism with its elements of fantasy, and yet it is grounded in a very Quebec reality. He has transformed our distinct language into a filmic language that is sometimes crude but always poetic. André Forcier’s work is unique and immense, and Fantasia is very proud to present him with the Prix Denis-Héroux, the festival’s award bestowed for exceptional contribution to the development of Quebec genre cinema.
 

CHUCK RUSSELL RETURNS TO HORROR WITH WITCHBOARD, A WILD RE-IMAGINING OF THE CLASSIC 80'S FRANCHISE!
 
From A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS and the beloved1988 remake of THE BLOB to THE MASK, ERASER, and THE SCORPION KING, director Chuck Russell has no shortage of imaginative fantasy/horror classics under his belt. Now he returns to the genre he’s marked so brilliantly with a radical reinvention of Kevin S. Tenney’s 1986 Canadian cult favorite WITCHBOARD. Emily (Madison Iseman, ANNABELLE COMES HOME) and her fiancé Christian (Aaron Dominguez, Hulu's Only Murderers in the Building) discover an ancient Wiccan artifact, a pendulum board, as they prepare to open a bistro in New Orleans' French Quarter. Emily becomes obsessed with the board's powers, exposing her to the ancient spirit of the Queen of Witches. Desperate to help his fiancé, Christian seeks the advice of occult expert Alexander Babtiste (Jamie Campbell Bower, Netflix's Stranger Things, the TWILIGHT saga), but Babtiste has dark secrets of his own. Shot in Montreal by cinematographer Yaron Levy (UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING). Also starring David La Haye (TRUE NORTH), Charlie Tahan (Netflix's Ozark), Antonia Desplat (AppleTV+'s Shantaram), and Mel Jarnson (MORTAL KOMBAT). World Premiere. 

 

AN ANIME CULT CLASSIC RETURNS WITH MONONOKE THE MOVIE: THE PHANTOM IN THE RAIN
 
The 2007 TV series MONONOKE is one of the most singular and delightfully innovative works in the history of anime, and its devoted cult following, wistfully presuming that the paranormal escapades of the mysterious Medicine Seller were long since concluded, can rejoice. Director Kenji Nakamura (GATCHAMAN CROWDS) has revived the intricate palace intrigue and hallucinatory supernatural thrills of his signature work with a brand-new feature film, his most elaborate and opulent adventure yet, and it makes its grand debut at Fantasia. Visually exquisite to an almost overwhelming degree, it gleefully indulges in the iconography and aesthetics of Edo-era Japan, doing so with Pop Art panache, playful anachronism, and percussive pacing, and immediately asserts itself as an essential anime classic. Animation Plus Section. World Premiere.

BRITTANY O’GRADY SHINES IN PEDRO KOS’ HAUNTING IN OUR BLOOD

Leave it to an award-winning documentary filmmaker to do found-footage chills right. A perfectly calculated, slow-burn nightmare that opens with the feel of an indie doc and gradually evolves into something uniquely sinister, IN OUR BLOOD is the narrative feature debut of Oscar-nominated documentarian Pedro Kos (REBEL HEARTS, LEAD ME HOME). Nothing is as it seems when filmmaker Emily Wyland (a phenomenal Brittany O’Grady of HBO’s White Lotus) teams up with cinematographer Danny (E. J. Bonilla, FX’s The Old Man) to shoot an intimate documentary about reuniting with her mother (Alanna Ubach, HBO’s Euphoria) after a decade apart. When her mother suddenly goes missing, Emily and Danny must piece together increasingly disturbing clues, hoping to find her before it’s too late. Sad, scary, and unshakably convincing, this is a film that lingers like the ghosts of stolen futures. World Premiere.

 

PRESENTED BY MIKE FLANAGAN, CHRIS STUCKMANN’S SHELBY OAKS IS HERE

A woman's desperate search for her long-lost sister, a famous YouTuber who investigated paranormal happenings, falls into obsession upon realizing that the imaginary demon from their childhood may have been real. After a successful Kickstarter campaign that broke records across the platform, the highly anticipated feature debut feature from YouTube creator Chris Stuckmann is finally here and ready to scare the pants off the world. SHELBY OAKS delivers in all departments. Starring Camille Sullivan (HUNTER HUNTER), Brendan Sexton III (DON’T BREATHE 2), Sarah Durn (RENFIELD), Keith David (THE THING, NOPE), and Michael Beach (AQUAMAN). Produced by Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns, and Ashleigh Snead, and Executive Produced by Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy, among others. World Premiere

 

KIT HARINGTON BARES TEETH IN ATMOSPHERIC WEREWOLF CHILLER THE BEAST WITHIN
 
Phantasmagoric, gothic, and straight out of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Kit Harington (Jon Snow from HBO’s Game of Thrones) stars in this nightmarish fantasy that reflects on the uncanniness of childhood and the creatures that come out at night. The narrative feature debut of esteemed documentary filmmaker Alexander J. Farrel (REFUGEE), THE BEAST WITHIN - previously known as WHAT REMAINS OF US - follows a ten-year-old girl as she starts to question her atypical life in her family's fortified compound in rural England, ultimately discovering that once a month, her father (Harington) turns into a monster. Co-starring Caoilinn Springall (STOPMOTION), Ashleigh Cummings (AMC’s NOS4A2), and James Cosmo (BRAVEHEART). World Premiere.

 

4PM CHALLENGES HUMAN NATURE IN UNCOMFORTABLE WAYS

Inspired by the book “The Stranger Next Door” from critically acclaimed Belgian writer Amélie Nothomb, 4PM is a riveting psychological thriller from director Jay Song (THE NIGHTMARE) drenched in silent tension. Jeong-in (OLDBOY’s Oh Dal-su), is taking a break from his life as a teacher in his new countryside house when a written invitation to a neighbor (Jang Yeong-nam, PROJECT WOLF HUNTING) turns into a nightmare of excruciatingly awkward visits every day at 4PM. This character joust is one to remember - and its countless twists will force any audience member to ask themselves how they would handle the same wild situation. North American Premiere.
 

MIGUEL LLANSÓ’S INFINITE SUMMER IS A TRIPPY, TRANSHUMANIST FEAT OF FILMMAKING

Estonia-based Miguel Llansó (CRUMBS, JESUS SHOWS YOU THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY) is a singular gift to cinema. Fantasia is proud to be bringing the visionary iconoclast back to Montreal for the World Premiere of what may be his most compelling creation yet: INFINITE SUMMER, a trippy transhumanist sci-fi exploration vibrant with humor, poignancy, and gonzo invention. On a summer break, Mia and her friends try a meditation app that that’s somehow related to the operating system of the Tallinn Zoo, changing in the body chemistry of its users into something between pollen and cosmic dust. Mia will need to choose between saving her friends or joining them.  An astonishing film, produced by legendary US producing partners Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, AMERICAN HONEY), Rain Rannu (CHASING UNICORNS, THE INVISIBLE FIGHT), and Tõnu Hiielaid (KRATT), and Llansó himself, starring Hannah Gross (Netflix’s Mindhunter), Johanna Rosin, and Teele Kaljuvee-O'Brock.  World Premiere.

 

CANNES SENSATION THE COUNT OF MONTE-CRISTO COMES TO CONQUER NORTH AMERICA
 
Fresh off a spectacular Cannes World Premiere that ended in a near-12-minute standing ovation, Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte’s 1815-set blockbuster epic THE COUNT OF MONTE-CRISTO will be coming to Fantasia for its International bow. Created by Alexandre Dumas in the mid-19th century, Edmond Dantès is one of the most celebrated characters in French literature, and the story of his retribution has left its mark on popular culture around the world—the similarities between Bruce Wayne and the wrongly imprisoned, revenge-minded Dantès are obvious. This new film adaptation subtly reappropriates that influence, hinting at the tropes and trappings of the modern superhero film while retaining the classicism of the work through grandiose art direction. Pierre Niney (YVES SAINT LAURENT) shines in the title role as he expresses the stages of Dantès’s evolution into Monte-Cristo with exemplary sobriety and spellbinding charisma. Also starring Bastien Bouillon (THE NIGHT OF THE 12TH), Anaïs Demoustier (INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE), Anamaria Vartolomei (HAPPENING), and Laurent Lafitte (ELLE). International Premiere.

 

STEVEN KOSTANSKI GETS FREAKY WITH FRANKIE FREAKO!

After the success of PSYCHO GOREMAN, FX artist and director Steven Kostanski hits back with the zany, over-the-top FRANKIE FREAKO! Starring Conor Sweeney and Adam Brooks of Astron-6 fame, the film follows a nerdy man who just isn’t cool. In an attempt to impress his wife and boss, he’s lured by a 1-900 TV ad to party with a strange little creature called Frankie Freako. All hell breaks loose when Conor calls and Frankie and his two friends wreak interdimensional havoc in Conor’s life. Kostanski fans will flock to his latest imaginative adventure, saturated with throwback cartoonish fun à la GHOULIES, wildly creative puppets, big laughs, and a helluva good time! Septentrion Shadows section. World Premiere.

 

TRUTH BE TOLD, CONFESSION IS A MASTERFULLY CRAFTED SINGLE-LOCATION THRILLER

Every Winter since Sayuri’s tragic disappearance sixteen years ago, Asai and Jiyong climb the mountain where it happened to honor her memory. However, an intense blizzard and a catastrophic injury convince Jiyong he’s done for and, before forcing Asai to leave him to die, he shares a devastating revelation. Asai returns, however, after finding a nearby cabin and now, isolated for the night, the two have to deal with Jiyong’s not-so-last words... the hard way. Two award-winning Fantasia legends, director Nobuhiro Yamashita (LA LA LA AT ROCK BOTTOM) and actor/writer/director Yang Ik-june (BREATHLESS), along with superstar Toma Ikuta (THE MOLE SONG trilogy), team up to adapt a beloved manga into a narrative and technical achievement, one of the best single-location thrillers ever created. With stellar performances and masterful direction using every inch of his set to generate maximum tension, CONFESSION flirts with perfection at every level - and must be experienced in a theatre. North American Premiere

 

A HORRIFIC VISION OF CHILDHOOD’S END - AT THE END OF THE WORLD: PÁRVULOS
 
Award-winning Mexican filmmaker Isaac Ezban (THE INCIDENT, PARALLEL) returns with his fifth - and most personal - feature, a disturbing tale that he’s spent the last seven years bringing into light. PÁRVULOS is a dystopian coming-of-age horror story that begins with three young brothers living alone in a remote cabin, hiding a terrifying secret in their basement. Where it goes from there will pull the breath from your lungs, as the children’s sealed world is forcefully expanded by monstrous elements beyond their control. A poignant nightmare inspired by GOODNIGHT MOMMY, LORD OF THE FLIES, A QUIET PLACE, and the universes of Guillermo del Toro (an outspoken admirer of Ezban’s work), PÁRVULOS features some of the most gruesome practical make-up effects the screen has seen in years and is electrified by astonishing performances from actors Felix Farid, Leonardo Cervantes, Mateo Ortega, Norma Flores,  Horacio Lazo, Carla Adell, Juan Carlos Remolina, and the great Noé Hernández (WE ARE THE FLESH). From the producers of HUESERA: THE BONE WOMAN. World Premiere.

 

CLASSICAL CHINESE ARTS MEET MODERN ANIMATION IN THE UMBRELLA FAIRY

All things possess spirits capable of transforming into fairies, which carry the owners’ desires. One single piece of jade is used to create both an umbrella and a sword, but from the very beginning, the fairies Qingdai and Wanggui are destined for different missions. A brand-new, top-tier work of Chinese animation, THE UMBRELLA FAIRY marks the feature-length directorial debut of Shen Jie, art director on MR. MIAO (2020). Incorporating numerous elements of traditional Chinese arts and culture to achieve a distinctive charm and vitality, the film offers its audience a visual feast of rare richness to complement its engaging fantasy fable. Animation Plus Section. International Premiere.

 

JAYRO BUSTAMANTE’S RITA WILL HAUNT YOUR MEMORY AND BREAK YOUR HEART

Following up on the international success of his brilliant LA LLORONA (2019), director Jayro Bustamante’s RITA fuses mythical fantasy and whimsical imagery with themes of childhood innocence and the potent emotional register of a story based on a harrowing real life event, wherein 41 young women needlessly burned to death inside a Guatemalan orphanage in the midst of a protest about inhumane conditions. At its core is the powerful performance of Guiliana Santa Cruz, who speaks for all the young women who suffered. As a result, the story speaks much to the power of female anger, and yet, not once does the director lose sense of the fact that at its heart, Rita’s tale is one of girlhood, of dreams, of an innocence lost, and regained within the bosom of female solidarity. World Premiere.

 

BATHROOM HUMOR AT ITS MOST IMAGINATIVE BEST: VIVIENO CALDINELLI’S SCARED SHITLESS!
 
Vivieno Caldinelli, known for SEVEN STAGES TO ACHIEVE ETERNAL BLISS, the Roddy Piper short PORTAL TO HELL, and THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, tackles the journey of everyman to hero once again with his new feature SCARED SHITLESS! Steven Ogg (DARK MATCH, AMC’s The Walking Dead) and Daniel Doheny (Netflix’s Brand New Cherry Flavor) star as a father and son plumbing duo faced with a disgusting dilemma: rid a building of a toilet-dwelling creature before it unleashes itself to the rest of the world! Co-starring Chelsea Clark (Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia, THE PROTECTOR), Mark McKinney (CBC’s The Kids in the Hall, NBC’s Superstore), and a cameo by Julian Richings (BEAU IS AFRAID; RELAX, I’M FROM THE FUTURE), there’s loads of gore, a fantastic creature by Canadian FX legend Steve Kostanski, and enough laughs that you’ll need a change of pants! Septentrion Shadows Section. World Premiere.

 

EMBRACE TRADITION AND REJECT MODERNITY IN EUGENE KOTLYARENKO’S THE CODE

Peter Vack (ASSHOLES) and Dasha Nekrasova (THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST) star as couple on the rocks during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic in American filmmaker Eugene Kotlyarenko (SPREE)’s latest, THE CODE - a generation-defining, wickedly dark comedy that blends post-New Wave French sensibilities of aesthetic disillusionment with a singularly alien view of contemporary American life. A transgressive and singular experience, nothing is off limits in this surveillance-heavy narrative, which uses multiple formats, points of view, and cameras to create a visionary collage-like experience of modern life. An epic poem for our post-pandemic world. Underground Section. World Premiere.

 

THIS MAN BLENDS WESTERN INSPIRATIONS WITH J-HORROR TROPES IN A PERFECT MELTING POT OF TERROR

An inexplicable wave of tragic deaths plunges two investigators into the heart of a fateful whirlwind, where logic and facts have no value as a far-fetched urban legend seems to come true. A mother plagued by terrifying dreams, seeing her friends and colleagues disappear one after the other, and her family witness the horror unfold. Director and screenwriter Tomojiro Amano (TRAPPED IN MAKYO) skillfully fuses the styles of Eastern and Western classics, referencing RINGU, IT FOLLOWS, and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET among others, to create an intimate, oppressive work that constantly keeps viewers on the edge of their seats as it slowly and subtly unveils the pandemic-like slaughter outside. At the crest of the international horror-film harvest of 2024, already a banner year, THIS MAN is sure to lodge itself in viewers' memories. With such potential, a Hollywood remake wouldn’t be surprising. International Premiere

 

THE RAMAYANA RE-IMAGINED IN MANTRA WARRIOR: THE LEGEND OF THE EIGHT MOONS

Following last summer’s Fantasia screening of the restored anime version of the Ramayana, it’s now Thailand’s turn to impress and amaze with an animated reimagining of this mighty, ancient mythological epic. Director Veerapatra Jinanavin and the team at Bangkok-based Riff Studio not only bring a Thai aesthetic to the titanic tale of Ram, Sita, Hanuman, and their foes, they’ve rebooted it as a cyberpunk space opera punctuated with powerhouse mecha battles. MANTRA WARRIOR: THE LEGEND OF THE EIGHT MOONS is the first installment of Riff Studio’s exciting new franchise, one sure to thrill fans of fantastic sci-fi while cementing Thailand as a producer of world-class animation with global appeal. Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.

 

SUPERNATURAL SLACKER DRAMEDY GHOST CAT ANZU TOYS WITH ANIME TROPES

Dumped by her shifty widower father in a small coastal town, eleven-year-old Karin is left in the care of Anzu, who’s affable, if rather uncouth and feckless - oh, and he’s also an immortal ghost cat. Based on the manga by Takashi Imashiro, the French-Japanese co-production GHOST CAT ANZU is co-directed by animator Yoko Kuno (CRAYON SHIN-CHAN, THE CASE OF HANNA & ALICE) and Nobuhiro Yamashita, whose live-action films CONFESSION and SWIMMING IN A SAND POOL also screen at Fantasia this summer. It tackles a now-familiar trope in anime - a troubled child’s summertime coming-of-age in a countryside inhabited by supernatural creatures - and offsets its bucolic charm with deadpan wit and an emotional tone that’s as tender as a bruise. Official selection: Cannes Directors’ Fortnight 2024. Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.

 

LOWELL DEAN’S DARK MATCH CONJURES SIX-TIME CHAMP CHRIS JERICHO AS A CULT LEADER!

After his success with the WOLF COP films, Canadian filmmaker Lowell Dean switches it up and takes horror to the ring! When small-time wrestlers get a big payday for a private gig, they jump at the chance for fame and fortune, but the event, run by a mysterious leader who calls himself “The Prophet,” demands plenty of blood on the mats and involves a sinister, demonic deal! Set in the wrestling heyday of the 80s, DARK MATCH is an action-packed rumble on the ropes shot by acclaimed cinematographer Karim Hussain (INFINITY POOL, POSSESSOR). Starring wrestling legend Chris Jericho as the charismatic leader of its bloodthirsty cult, Ayisha Issa (TRANSPLANT), and Steven Ogg (AMC’s The Walking Dead), you’ll get more than your share of intrigue, action, and gore inside this ring! Septentrion Shadows section. World Premiere.

 

AN EERIE, UNFORGETTABLE HAZE BECKONS
 
A young journalist (Cole Doman, MUTT) returns home to investigate unsolved deaths at a psychiatric center. As he dances with the shadows of his past, his family history and the town’s secrets begin to converge. A somber, queer horror drama steeped in deeply-rooted trauma that haunts with eerie, richly-intentional visuals, HAZE is the unforgettable sophomore feature from filmmaker Matthew Fifer (CICADA). Co-starring David Pittu (FX’s Damages) and Brian J. Smith (Syfy’s Stargate Universe). International Premiere.

 

ELIAS KOTEAS GIVES A MOVING PERFORMANCE IN THE SILENT PLANET

After his debut feature, BANG BANG BABY, premiered at TIFF in 2014 and took home Best Canadian First Feature Film, the vision of the award-winning director and writer Jeffrey St. Jules comes to Fantasia. His latest is a sci-fi meditation on humanity and the what-ifs about the worlds beyond our stars. In the future, two prisoners on a penal colony planet find they have an unexpected connection, and they mine more than minerals as a horrible truth is revealed. With moving performances by Elias Koteas (CRASH, THE THIN RED LINE) and Briana Middleton (SHARPER), this futuristic view of accountability, regrets, and truths is packed with St. Jules’ signature touch of surrealism and imagination. Septentrion Shadows Section. World Premiere
 

THE MAKERS OF INSIDE AND THE DEEP HOUSE CARVE NEW PATHS: THE SOUL EATER
 
Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, the acclaimed filmmaking team behind INSIDE, LIVID, and THE DEEP HOUSE, have adopted the popular French novel by Alexis Laipsker to create a fresh turn in their distinctive filmography. A morbid procedural thriller with extreme horror flashpoints, THE SOUL EATER turned heads when it premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival earlier this year. As violent and gruesome deaths plague a small mountain village, an old legend about a malevolent creature resurfaces. Two cops with different methods are compelled to join forces and uncover a sinister plot involving the disappearance of local children. Starring Virginie Ledoyen (8 FEMMES), Paul Hamy (DESPITE THE NIGHT), and Sandrine Bonnaire (VAGABOND). North American Premiere. 

 

A SAMURAI IN TIME IS WORTH THE TIME AND TRAVEL TO SEE

An Edo-period swordsman is flung into the future, arriving in modern Kyoto to confront utter confusion—and an acting career. The medieval warrior transported to modern times is a variant of the time-travel subgenre that has been explored many times around the world. Award-winning writer/director Junichi Yasuda (GOHAN), however, offers a take on the theme that’s not only clever, funny, and distinctly Japanese, but remarkably poignant. Shot on location at Toei Studios Kyoto, A SAMURAI IN TIME is held together by the subtle and convincing performance of lead actor Makiya Yamaguchi. More than just a fun fish-out-of-water fantasy, it’s an homage to samurai cinema as it wanes as surely as the shogunate once did. International Premiere.
 

SWIPE RIGHT ON ELRIC KANE’S DATING APP CHILLER THE DEAD THING

A young woman, lost in a series of meaningless connections through dating apps, falls in love with a charismatic man who is hiding a dark secret that turns her affair into a dangerous obsession. Smart, tragic and unsettling, Pure Cinema host Elric Kane’s first solo-directed feature is a character-driven supernatural nightmare that explores the demons of modern dating in ways that are both horrific and disturbingly relatable.  Swipe right on this profound piece of genre cinema that is destined to become a horror classic. Staring Blu Hunt (Netflix’s Another Life), Ben Smith-Petersen (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD), Katherine Hughes (ECHO 3), and John Karna (SCREAM). Co-Written by Webb Wilcoxen (The Frontier). Produced by Monte Yazzie, Matt Mercer (BLISS), and Rebekah McKendry (GLORIOUS). World Premiere.

 

TEASING MASTER TAKAGI-SAN GIVES HOPE IN HUMANITY

In this age of extreme polarization and armed conflicts, director Rikiya Imaizumi’s TEASING MASTER TAKAGI-SAN should be prescribed by public health authorities, as this infinitely charming feel-good movie will make audiences happy-cry from cuteness. An extremely shy teacher (Fumiya Takahashi, BLUE PERIOD) and her college crush Takagi (Mei Nakano, OFFICE ROYALE), who she constantly teased in an attempt him to pull him out of is shell, reunite in the same school they once attended. Mentors and pupils learn from each other in this lovely romantic comedy often reminiscent of AMÉLIE, filled with witty dialogue and gorgeous photography. North American Premiere.  

 

MASHING UP GENRES, MASH VILLE IS A KOREAN CULT CLASSIC IN THE MAKING

Someone has died after drinking the bootleg liquor brewed by Se-jong and his two younger brothers. While on a mission to retrieve their deadly booze before another person perishes from it, they come across two homicidal cultists who are terrorizing the villagers. The love that director Hwang Wook (LIVE HARD, DOG EAT DOG) harbors for the Western, action, and comedy genres shines through from start to finish with stylish cinematography, quirky characters, and an incredibly entertaining screenplay. Most importantly, pitch-black humor abounds. Hwang and company commit to their absurdity, and it’s an absolute blast, a genre-mashing crowd-pleaser sure to be a Korean cult classic as time goes on. World Premiere
 

LUCÍA PUENZO’S ELECTROPHILIA CASTS A SUBVERSIVE NEW VISION

A woman wakes up from a coma six weeks after being struck by lightning and finds herself compulsively drawn to electric currents as her body’s workings begin to change. She soon joins an underground support group of strike survivors led by a dangerously charismatic doctor, opening a doorway into unexpected new explorations. A gripping, sensorial experience with a visceral emotional core, ELECTROPHILIA is the latest creation from Cannes-award-winning Argentinian filmmaker and novelist Lucía Puenzo (THE FISH CHILD, XXY). Reminiscent of CRASH-era Cronenberg, it is a subversive and beautiful genre work, a different kind of self-discovery tale, and a new breed of dramatic thriller. Starring Mariana Di Girolamo (Pablo Larrain’s EMA), German Palacios (EL RAPTO), and Guillermo Pfening (THE GERMAN DOCTOR). North American Premiere.

 

BLACK EYED SUSAN BRINGS AI EVOLUTION THROUGH LEARNED PAIN

It’s been 21 long years since Scooter McCrae (SHATTER DEAD) released a new feature, and he’s lost none of his smart, transgressive bite. Desperate for work, Derek (Damian Maffei, THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT) accepts a job at a shady tech start-up, working intimately with Susan (Yvonne Emilie Thälker in a powerful debut role), a bleeding-edge BDSM sex doll meant to receive and appreciate sexual punishment as an integral part of her evolving AI. Shot on Super 16, BLACK EYED SUSAN counterbalances its dark, vulgar core with a surprisingly tender vulnerability, creating a lo-fi science-fiction landscape infused with surprising fragility, as legendary Italian composer Fabio Frizzi (THE BEYOND, ZOMBIE) lends the picture a lush, atmospheric backdrop. Not for the faint of heart, BLACK EYED SUSAN delves into themes and questions that will only become more pertinent with the continued evolution of artificial intelligence. World Premiere.
 

A MORALLY CHALLENGING TALE OF REVENGE, PENALTY LOOP TAKES A FAMILIAR THEME ON A DEVILISHLY TWISTED PATH

Left bereft by the wanton and inexplicable murder of his girlfriend, Jun chooses his own justice, carefully planning the perfect murder of the man who led him to become what he wants to eliminate. Once the vengeance is consummated, he wakes up with a confirmed sense of déjà-vu and his target alive and well, repeating the same routine as the day before. Offering a breathless, dark, and innovative variation on the time-loop concept, writer/director Shinji Araki (THE TOWN OF HEADCOUNTS) establishes himself as a sure thing in contemporary Japanese genre cinema with this unpredictable, shocking narrative that constantly twists and turns toward a conclusion that’s as satisfying as it is devastating. Carried by a convincing duo of actors in perfect sync, PENALTY LOOP is an accomplishment condemning Araki to return to the forefront with each of his future projects. North American Premiere
 

THE ADAMS FAMILY BIRTH CREATURES AT A SERBIAN FRACKING SITE IN HELL HOLE

A road trip through Canadian oil fields conjured up fantasies of secrets deep in the dirt for the Adams family, and inspired them to create HELL HOLE, an indie rock-n-roll monster movie set at a far-away fracking site. Known for their DIY ethos, John and Lulu Adams and Toby Poser, partnering with Shudder, have joined the team behind The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs and FX legend Todd Masters to shoot their latest in Serbia with a local cast and crew. Absurd, mutinous, and transgressively comical, Hell Hole is old-school sci-fi horror, yet in typical family fashion, they subvert the genre with textures of biological and environmental horror in tandem with questions of gender and bodily autonomy. This will be the fourth time that Fantasia World Premieres work from the gifted filmmaking family, following launches of THE DEEPER YOU DIG, HELLBENDER, and WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS. World Premiere.

 

HEAVENS: THE BOY AND HIS ROBOT IS READY TO RUMBLE

The bond between Kai and the robot he pilots, Little Dragon, will need to be strong as steel if either will survive the incredible challenges of the Mecha Corps Academy and the battles beyond it. Brewing for over a decade, Singaporean filmmaker Rich Ho’s ambitious and spectacular introduction of his Heavens universe has finally launched into the stratosphere. Built on a foundation of technological innovation and a desire to tell a tale with universal appeal, HEAVENS: THE BOY AND HIS ROBOT astounds with visual effects that elevate it to the highest global standards of sci-fi blockbusters, and proves that the tiny city-state in the heart of Asia can be a world-class contender when it comes to pop culture. North American Premiere.
 

DEAD DEAD FULL DEAD MUTATES THE WHODUNIT GENRE

Junior police officers Balraam and Zubeida make a cute couple, but not the most diligent detectives. Called to a posh apartment tower to investigate a reported murder, the seemingly straightforward case quickly becomes a conundrum that would confuse even Sherlock Holmes. When the victim herself returns from the afterlife, matters become even more muddled, and soon enough the question isn’t who killed her... but who didn’t?! With the deadpan delirium of his debut feature, Mumbai-based editor and filmmaker Pratul Gaikwad offers a very odd, otherworldly mutation on the much-loved mystery-comedy genre. Featuring paranormal powers and multiple manias, cosmic wonders and covert class warfare, celestial bureaucracy and dysfunctional love, and even a supernaturally transformed goat, Gaikwad’s surreal whodunit offers a bit of everything... except perhaps proper law-enforcement procedure. World Premiere
 

VOIVOD: WE ARE CONNECTED OFFERS A THUNDERING TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY PROG METAL PIONEERS

From the moment they exploded out of Jonquière in the early ‘80s, Voivod have been widely hailed as one of the most original and influential metal bands in the world. Years in the making and produced with full access to the band’s archives, Felipe Belalcazar’s illuminating VOIVOD: WE ARE CONNECTED brings the story of a groundbreaking 40+ year career to the screen with energy, insight, and a palpable sense of love. The long-awaited doc will be launched in the very province that birthed the band and Fantasia couldn’t be more proud. With appearances by Tobias Forge (Ghost), Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth), Jason Newsted (Metallica – and brief Voivod member), Zach Blair (Rise Against, GWAR), Tom G Warrior (Celtic Frost, Triptykon), and Ivan Doroschuk (Men Without Hats), among many others. Docs from the Edge section. World Premiere.

 

FANS REJOICE! DEAN MURDOCH IS BACK IN DEANER ‘89!

Canadian rockers, your favorite headbanger is back in DEANER ‘89! It’s 1989 and Paul Spence (FUBAR and FUBAR 2) brings us his legendary character Dean Murdoch as a teenager growing up in suburban Manitoba. Captain of the hockey team, with a pretty girlfriend and a great adoptive family - he’s got it all until a gnarly trunk of his recently deceased birth father’s belongings arrives. Deaner’s life changes when he learns about his heritage and identity in one fell swoop. Dean’s contagious energy of lives on in DEANER ‘89, featuring an outstanding cast that includes Spence, Will Sasso (CBS’ Young Sheldon, THE THROWBACK), comedy legend Mary Walsh (THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES), and a cameo from Kids in the Hall’s Kevin McDonald. You’ll laugh your ass off with this charming, hilarious origin story! Septentrion Shadows Section. World Premiere.
 

A FANTASTICAL JAPAN RETURNS IN FLY ME TO THE SAITAMA: FROM BIWA LAKE WITH LOVE

After stealing hearts at Fantasia 2019, where FLY ME TO THE SAITAMA won the Audience Award for Best Asian Feature, director Hideki Takeuchi returns to a fantastical version of Japan—“definitely not a portrayal of any actual place”—with a completely original story independent from the ’80s manga from which it takes its name. Japanese music superstar Gackt and co-star Fumi Nikaido are back as Rei and Momomi in FROM BIWA LAKE WITH LOVE, now supported by an equally delightful cast of new characters as they crank up the genre-bending, highly stylized shenanigans that made the first film so unforgettable. Complete with a boys-love triangle, hilarious parodic references including a wacky Willy Wonka number, and the return of its meta story-within-a-story structure, this sequel is a worthy continuation with even more to offer! North American Premiere.
 

A SPECIAL HOMECOMING FOR ANNICK BLANC'S ACCLAIMED HUNTING DAZE

Lauded following its premiere at SXSW, Annick Blanc's highly anticipated debut feature finally makes its way home. HUNTING DAZE takes us on a wild trip, following Nina's (Nahéma Ricci, ANTIGONE) journey as she takes refuge with a rowdy group of men after being stranded in a northern forest. The film plays like a drunken fever dream, exposing a microcosm of masculinity in which one's desire to belong threatens to upend the group. With dreamy visuals and transfixing performances by a cast of Quebec talent (Marc Beaupré, Alexandre Landry, Bruno Marcil), this is a bachelor weekend unlike any you've ever seen. Canadian Premiere.

 

JÉRÉMY CLAPIN’S BRILLIANT MEANWHILE ON EARTH IS READY TO LAND

A 23-year-old girl (Megan Northam) is contacted by an unknown lifeform claiming to be able to bring her missing astronaut brother back to Earth. Jérémy Clapin’s celebrated live action debut following his Oscar-nominated animated sensation I LOST MY BODY, MEANWHILE ON EARTH is an inversion of science fiction classics: a slice of life tale about existing on Earth while an Extraordinary Man is out there, far beyond the solar system. Live action storytelling is intercut with animated sections that take viewers into the headspace connecting the siblings to one another. Unique, poetic, and surreal, this otherworldly meditation on grief launched earlier this year at the Berlin International Film Festival where it left audiences breathless. North American Premiere.

 

JACKIE CHAN AND RUMBLE IN THE BRONX DIRECTOR REUNITE FOR A LEGEND

After one hundred films, Jackie Chan shows no signs of stopping in this lavish kung fu epic filled with high production values and a massive cast. Chan reunites here with his frequent collaborator Stanley Tong to create a follow-up to their 2005 classic THE MYTH. The two most famously worked together on the iconic action classics POLICE STORY 3: SUPERCOP and RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, both of which became massive breakout hits for Chan in North America. In A LEGEND, Chan portrays a professor whose dreams of his past life as soldier in old China are haunting him, causing complications in the present day as he rediscovers more of his colorful past. North American Premiere.

 

SUNBURNT UNICORN IS A RARE BEAST AMONG ANIMATED ADVENTURES

It’s rare to come across a high-quality, CG-animated fantasy film for young audiences that challenges commercial conventions, but unlike actual unicorns, such a thing does exist. With the fascinating, eccentric SUNBURNT UNICORN, Canadian animator Nick Johnson has elevated the generic wilderness adventure to a hallucinatory, existential odyssey, following in the footsteps of fantasy films from the 1980s that, with their penchant for the unexpected and moments of true fright, acted as a gateway for kids to the horror genre. The pervasive eeriness is further heightened by an astounding score by Inuit sister duo Piqsiq, who, with only their two voices, conjure up a powerful atmosphere of wonder and dread. Animation Plus Section, co-presented with Septentrion Shadows Section. North American Premiere.

 

FROM KAZAKHSTAN WITH CONTEMPT: STEPPENWOLF WILL BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF

A bleakly pulverizing action thriller from celebrated Kazakh maverick Adilkhan Yerzhanov (THE GENTLE INDIFFERENCE OF THE WORLD, THE OWNERS) and Oscar nominated producer Alexander Rodnyansky (LEVIATHAN), STEPPENWOLF explodes off the screen with tension that will singe the flesh from your bones. Like a Kazakh MAD MAX directed by John Ford - or perhaps, THE SEARCHERS directed by George Miller - with a touch of Herman Hesse and classic samurai tales, STEPPENWOLF reinvents the codes of its inspirations with jolting doses of post-Soviet nihilism and morbid black humor. A desperate mother (Anna Starchenko, NARTAI) teams up with a psychopathic ex-cop (Berik Aitzhanov, GOLIATH, THE ASSAULT) to find her son who’s gone missing in a landscape consumed by riots and death. Winner of the Golden Raven grand prix at the 2024 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. Official Selection: Rotterdam International Film Festival 2024. North American Premiere.
 

SWIMMING IN A SAND POOL IS A TENDER AND SUNNY PORTRAIT OF GIRLHOOD

Under the relentless heat of a scorching July sun, four teenage girls find themselves with an unusual task: sweeping the sand-covered bottom of a swimming pool, remnants of a nearby baseball field. Based on a play written by high-school student Nakata Yumeka and originally performed by the Tokushima City High School Drama Club, SWIMMING IN A SAND POOL is a tender coming-of-age story that explores love, ambition, and gender equality. SWIMMING IN A SAND POOL touches on material familiar to director Nobuhiro Yamashita, best known for the profound teenage girl band comedy LINDA LINDA LINDA. With this film, Yamashita once again strikes a perfect balance between bubblegum sweetness and the blunt, rebellious poetry of youth. North American Premiere.
 

HOUSE OF SAYURI MARKS THE RETURN OF J-HORROR MASTER KOJI SHIRAISHI

Legendary J-horror director Koji Shiraishi (NOROI: THE CURSE) brings the genre to new levels of fun with HOUSE OF SAYURI. A vengeful ghost disseminates a family until a counterattack from a bold grandma brings a startling new dynamic into the house. Shifting tones in surprising and destabilizing ways, this horror-comedy alternates from a galvanizing spiritual training montage to profoundly dramatic moments, coming together to create`` a truly unique cinematic experience. North American Premiere.

 

DALE DICKEY OWNS THE SCREEN IN TOUGH REVENGE THRILLER THE G

After decades as a prolific character actor in film and television, winning numerous awards in the process, Dale Dickey (WINTER’S BONE, HELL OR HIGH WATER) takes center stage in THE G. Here, she plays Ann, a harsh-tongued, tough-as-nails septuagenarian who finds herself with no husband, no money, and no home other than the miserable facility she’s been locked up in after being betrayed by her corrupt legal guardian. But as her tormentors are about to find out, someone who’s had everything taken away from them is someone with nothing left to lose. Director Karl R. Hearne has crafted a gritty revenge thriller laced with shards of bitter humor and anchors it with an unconventional, yet entirely convincing, protagonist - a different shade of noir, with a touch of grey and a ton of earned rage. Co-starring Romane Denis, Bruce Ramsay, and Roc LaFortune. Official selection: Tallinn Black Nights 2023, Glasgow Film Festival 2024. North American Premiere.
 

KIZUMONOGATARI -KOYOMI VAMP- RESURRECTS A NEO-GOTHIC ANIME NIGHTMARE

Those unfamiliar with the now-extensive MONOGATARI anime franchise, fear not (or not much, anyway): extensively revised and reworked (revamped, if you like) from a trilogy of feature films released in 2016 and effectively impossible to find today, KIZUMONOGATARI -KOYOMI VAMP- is the starting point, a prequel that chronicles teenage loner Koyomi’s initiation into the supernatural realm. Overseen by original co-director Tatsuya Oishi, this resurrection retains the distinctive characteristics of his work, not just the dynamic battle scenes and elegant aesthetics, but the echoes of French New Wave cinema. Sleek, sly, and startling, it’s a grandiose, avant-garde, neo-gothic nightmare, spattered with splashes of teen sex farce and copious quantities of blood. Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.
 

DESPERATION AND MORAL CONUNDRUMS PLAGUE SELF DRIVER

For his first feature, director Michael Pierro’s SELF DRIVER premiered at this year’s Fantaspoa Film Festival and brought home a Best Low-Budget Film Award. Now Fantasia’s audience gets to see this gritty take on the gig economy, and one man’s tensely disturbing struggle to make ends meet. A Toronto rideshare driver (Nathaniel Chadwick, THE LAST PORNO SHOW) gets an opportunity to make more money with a mysterious and demanding app. In one night, he tests his sanity by risking it all, with his passengers forcing him to put his morals on the line. With a compelling performance by Chadwick, audiences will be completely invested in the plight of the gig worker as they watch him pursue the almighty dollar on a wild, dangerous midnight run! Septentrion Shadows Section. North American Premiere
 

 

TATSUMI REINVIGORATES THE CRIME/REVENGE GENRE IN TRUE GRITTY FASHION

TATSUMI is a riveting crime thriller from director Hiroshi Shoji, following his award-winning 2015 feature debut KEN AND KAZU. Tatsumi works as a fisherman in a small coastal town, but he also has a side job: he’s a “cleaner” for a local drug gang, disposing of their victim’s bodies. After the murder of his ex-girlfriend, her young sister, defiant car mechanic, seeks revenge and asks Tatsumi for his help. There’s no turning back, and now they have to fight for their survival. TATSUMI’s cinematic portrayal of gang life paints a grim and realistic portrait of suffering and cruelty. As a gritty, violent, and brutal revenge tale, Shoji delivers one of the finest and most compelling crime thrillers in a very long time. North American Premiere.

 

NEW ZEALAND BRINGS INVENTIVELY TRIPPY PARANORMAL HILARITY: THE PARAGON

Former Power Rangers director Michael Duignan’s utterly mad feature debut, THE PARAGON, electrifies with hilarity and trippy psychedelic visuals, delivers in the spirit of inspired low-budget New Zealand filmmaking that harkens back to early Peter Jackson. After experiencing a hit and run, an angry ex-tennis coach named Dutch (Benedict Wall, SHADOW IN THE CLOUD) embarks on a psychic training course to find the driver and get revenge. Alongside his witchy psychic coach Lyra (Florence Noble), Dutch must decide between being a victim of his fate or a slave to otherworldly evil in this spectacularly entertaining fantasy comedy where revenge becomes a cosmic experience. Co-starring an especially nuts Jonny Brugh (WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS). North American Premiere.
 

ATMOSPHERIC SPANISH HORROR LIVES INSIDE CARLOTA PEREDA’s THE CHAPEL

The stunning sophomore feature from award-winning director Carlota Pereda (PIGGY), THE CHAPEL marks the fantastic return of atmospheric, character-driven supernatural Spanish horror. Emma (Maia Zaitegi) wants to learn how to communicate with the spirit of a little girl who has spent centuries trapped inside a chapel. She tries to convince Carol (THE ORPHANAGE’s Belen Rueda), a cynical and fake medium, to help her in the hopes that contacting the spirit may help her to remain close to her dying mother after she passes. What Carol doesn’t suspect is that Emma really does have “the gift” and, if she keeps on trying to use it without her guidance, she will be putting her young life at terrifying risk. Winner: Best Actress, Belen Rueda, Cinefantasy 2023. Official Selection: Sitges 2023. North American Premiere.

 

DELIRIOUS YOUTUBE MASHUP FROM MY COLD, DEAD HANDS GAZES DOWN THE BARREL OF U.S. GUN CULTURE

Shootings! Explosions! Tanks! Musical numbers! Javier Horcajada Fontecha’s FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS is a jaw-dropping exploration of gun culture in the United States made from thousands of hours of YouTube videos that’s equal parts amusing, hilarious, bizarre, and impressive (there’s some pretty sharp shooting here). Often disturbing in ways their creators did not always intend, playing like a strange, real-life sister act to the darkest Paul Verhoeven satire, audiences can accept it as a document of our troubled times or as a piece of entertainment. Offering no opinions and presenting everything matter-of-factly, audiences won’t be able to take their eyes off this sharply assembled film, which packs one hell of a recoil. Docs from the Edge Section. North American Premiere.

 

THIS YEAR’S UNDERGROUND SECTION PRESENTS LOVE, DEMONS, AND THE END OF THE WORLD 

 

EVIL DEAD MEETS KAMEN RIDER IN PORTUGAL WITH THE OLD MAN AND THE DEMON SWORD

In the remote Portuguese mountain village of Pé da Serra, a monk arrives wielding a demonic sword. Before long, the mystical weapon ends up in the hands of the town drunk António da Luz (playing himself). Now, the drunkard and the sword will have to learn to fight an encroaching evil together. Featuring amateur actors and the incredible voice work of João Loy, the voice of Vegeta from the iconic Portuguese dub of Dragon Ball Z, Fábio Powers’ THE OLD MAN AND THE DEMON SWORD is a heartfelt and unlikely retelling of the hero’s journey. Underground Section. World Premiere.

 

MONTY PYTHON MEETS TEXAS CHAINSAW MEETS... LES MISÉRABLES IN CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING

A true DIY passion project from Estonian filmmaker Sander Maran, CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING is a zany, blood-soaked musical about lovers split up by a chainsaw-wielding killer. Over a decade in the making, Saran not only directed but wrote, scored, shot, and edited this colorful murder-fest that’s part gory horror movie and part ridiculous musical. The camerawork is inventive, the editing slapstick, and the tone truly absurdist. Most importantly, though, the songs are incredibly catchy, with Sander clearly deeply indebted to Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL and Frank Oz’s LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Underground Section. International Premiere.

 

LOVE, LONGING, AND SITUATIONSHIPS IN ME AND MY VICTIM
 
Blurring the line between fiction and nonfiction, ME AND MY VICTIM is about co-directors and subjects, Maurane and Billy Pedlow, who are not quite friends and not quite lovers and the true, messy, and kind-of-fucked-up story about how they met. A messy, whirlwind, imperfect, orgasmic, meme-inflected, jump into the rabbit hole of their on-again, off-again situationship, their ultra-micro-budget (the film was made for less than $1000 US) confession playfully captures the humanity of love and lust in the 21st Century. Underground Section. World Premiere.
 

IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT IN ANIMALIA PARADOXA

An amphibious humanoid searches for water in a labyrinthine, post-apocalyptic landscape, from the mind of filmmaker Niles Atalah (REY), the co-founder of the boundary-pushing Chilean production company Diluvio with artists Joaquin Cociña and Cristóbal Leon (LA CASA LOBO). Genre and arthouse cinema meld to create a singular collage-like invention that will defy all expectations with ANIMALIA PARADOXA. A hybrid of styles and techniques, this surreal journey combines live action, dance, sculpture, and stop-motion animation in a dreamlike structure, reimagining the end of the world like you’ve never seen. Underground Section, co-presented with Animation Plus. North American Premiere.  

 

ADDITIONAL TITLES
 
100 YARDS (China) – Dirs. Xu Haofeng and Xu Junfeng
Family secrets, demimonde politics, and romantic entanglements complicate the rivalry between two skilled martial artists in the 1920s. The latest from masterful genre auteur Xu Haofeng (THE SWORD IDENTITY, THE FINAL MASTER), co-directed by his own brother, once again reconciles authenticity and inventiveness, and rewards its attentive audience a hundred times over. Quebec Premiere.

THE A-FRAME (USA) – dir. Calvin Reeder
Donna (Dana Namerode, WHAT JOSIAH SAW), a talented pianist, is crushed when she is diagnosed with a form of bone cancer that directly affects her hand. Across town, a quantum physicist (Johnny Whitworth of LIMITLESS and EMPIRE RECORDS), has developed a machine that creates a tunnel to a sub-atomic parallel universe. In his quest to prove the machine’s efficacy, he inadvertently discovers an unorthodox cancer treatment, and now recruits human subjects to legitimize his efforts. Calvin Reeder’s phenomenal latest is a gripping sci-fi thriller with a pitch-black sense of humor, cautioning its viewers that every miracle comes at a price. Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2024. International Premiere.
 
ADRIANNE & THE CASTLE (Quebec / Canada) – dir. Shannon Walsh
Part fever dream and part fairy tale, ADRIANNE & THE CASTLE uses magic, music, and mystery to bring us into the world of Alan St. George after the loss of his wife, Adrianna, showcasing how, through the power of art, his love lives on. A testament to creativity as a form of adoration and devotion, Shannon Walsh’s documentary allows the viewer to explore the couple’s castle, a marvel of imagination, through joy and celebration. A testament to creativity as a form of adoration and devotion, Walsh’s documentary allows the viewer to explore the couple’s castle, a marvel of imagination, through joy and celebration. Official selection: SXSW 2024, Hot Doc 2024. Docs from the Edge Section. Quebec Premiere.
 
AZRAEL (USA) – Dir. E.L Katz
In a post-apocalyptic world, Azrael (Samara Weaving, READY OR NOT) must fight tooth and nail to rescue her partner from a cult of mute religious fanatics in the year’s most vicious tale of revenge. From the acclaimed director of CHEAP THRILLS and the screenwriter of YOU’RE NEXT and this year’s GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, this relentless thriller also stars Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (FEMME), Sebastian Bull (SONS), and Victoria Carmen Sonne (HOLIDAY). Winner of Best Feature, Best Actress, and Best FX Audience Awards at Panic Fest 2024. Canadian Premiere.
 
BRAVE CITIZEN (South Korea) – Dir. Park Jin-pyo
A former boxer, now a part-time teacher, dons a mask and deals with high school bullying the hard way. Based on the popular webtoon, BRAVE CITIZEN is a stylishly entertaining Korean action flick from the director of VOICE OF A MURDERER and YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE, with great characters and intense fight scenes. Canadian Premiere.
 
BRUSH OF THE GOD (Japan) – Dir. Keizo Murase
Two teens must save the world from a many-headed, mythological dragon in this generously self-referential giant-monster movie from 88-year-old master tokusatsu artisan Keizo Murase, who makes his directorial debut following a lifetime crafting monster suits for all of Japan’s best-known kaiju films. Canadian Premiere.
 
CARNAGE FOR CHRISTMAS (Australia) – Dir Alice Maio Mackay
Alice Maio Mackay (T-BLOCKERS) returns to Fantasia with an early Christmas present (with some help from THE PEOPLE’S JOKER’s Vera Drew, on editing duty). Bloody, ironic, and uproarious, CARNAGE FOR CHRISTMAS tells the story of true-crime podcaster Lola who returns to her hometown at Christmas for the very first time since running away and transitioning - meanwhile, the vengeful ghost of a historical murderer and urban legend seemingly arises to kill again! Official Selection: Salem Horror Fest, Inside Out Toronto. Underground Section. Quebec Premiere.

CUCKOO (USA) – dir. Tilman Singer
A seventeen-year-old girl (Hunter Schafer, HBO’s Euphoria) is forced to move with her family to a resort where things are not what they seem in this astonishing mix of mix of domestic tension, body horror, and perverse science from the gifted director of LUZ. Co-starring Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Marton Csókás, and Jan Bluthardt. Official selection: Berlin International Film Festival 2024, SXSW 2024. Winner of the Silver Raven Award at the 2024 Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film. Montréal Premiere.
 
DARKEST MIRIAM (Canada) – Dir: Naomi Jaye
Following her debut feature THE PIN, Naomi Jaye now adapts the Giller Prize short-listed novel ‘The Incident Report’ by author Martha Baillie as DARKEST MIRIAM. In it, Miriam (Britt Lower of AppleTV's Severance) is a library worker dealing with her father’s death, threatening letters at work, and an unexpected lover, all of which threaten to change her solitary life forever. Starring Tom Mercier (THE ANIMAL KINGDOM), Sook-Yin Lee (SHORTBUS), and Jean Yoon (CBC’s Kim’s Convenience), and executive produced by Academy Award-winner Charlie Kaufman (ADAPTATION). Septentrion Shadows Section. Canadian Premiere.
 
DON’T CALL IT MYSTERY (Japan) – Dir. Hiroaki Matsuyama
In this compelling whodunit adapted from a popular, award-winning manga and subsequent hit TV series, college student Totonou (Masaki Suda of THE BOY AND THE HERON), known for his sharp observation skills, becomes entangled in a complicated family feud involving mysterious deaths. Canadian Premiere.
 
FAQ (South Korea) – Dir. Kim Da-min
A stressed-out elementary-school student secretly befriends a bottle of rice wine that can communicate through Morse Code. Director Kim Da-min’s debut feature is a heartwarming sci-fi/coming-of-age story guaranteed to make you smile. Canadian Premiere.

KIDNAPPING INC. (Quebec / Canada / Haiti / France) – dir. Bruno Mourral
Two bumbling kidnappers take on more than they can handle when plans for their political hostage go straight to hell in the streets of Haiti. Grit and day-glo colors of the Caribbean propel director Bruno Mourral’s pastiche of your favorite crime capers and real-life events (his crew was kidnapped while making the film), creating something unique to represent this troubled nation’s societal trials, with classism, colorism, and corruption touching every segment of society. In KIDNAPPING INC., Mourral presents these issues in a snappy, brutally comedic debut feature, centering around the most prominent crime in Haiti. Official Selection: Sundance 2024. Canadian Premiere.
 
THE KILLERS (South Korea) - dirs. Kim Jong-kwan, Roh Deok, Chang Hang-jun, and Lee Myung-Se
Four directors portray hitmen in their respective stories by depicting our own turbulent times. A visual, auditory, and narrative feast, this anthology of exhilarating tales offers everything fans of genre cinema could hope for and more. A must-see! Canadian Premiere.
 
KRYPTIC (Canada, U.K.) – Dir. Kourtney Roy
A part of XYZ Films’ New Visions with a World Premiere at SXSW 2024 and Canadian Premiere at CUFF, Kourtney Roy’s debut feature KRYPTIC follows Kay (Chloe Pirrie of THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT and HANNA), a woman on a mysterious quest. A strange forest encounter leads her to search for a missing cryptozoologist – who bears a striking resemblance to Kay – and the monster she was hunting. KRYPTIC is a doppelganger story of self-discovery and empowerment, and a must-see for audiences wanting a colourful spectacle that defies genre with strange, gooey interludes and atmospheric landscapes. Septentrion Shadows Section. Quebec Premiere.
 
THE MISSING (Philippines) – Dir. Carl Joseph Papa
The death of Eric’s uncle triggers a suppressed childhood memory - and the return of his alien abductor - in director Carl Joseph Papa's third animated feature: a queer, surreal hybrid of romance, drama, and sci-fi embracing digital rotoscope animation and featuring internationally renowned Filipino actress Dolly De Leon (TRIANGLE OF SADNESS). Animation Plus Section. Canadian Premiere.
 
NOT FRIENDS (Thailand) – Dir. Atta Hemwadee
Hoping to win a short-film competition, Pae decides to direct a tear-jerking tribute to former classmate Joe, who tragically passed away, even though they weren’t actually friends. Atta Hemwadee’s feature debut was Thailand’s entry in the Best International Feature category for this year’s Academy Awards. Canadian Premiere.
 
ODDITY (Ireland) – Dir. Damian McCarthy
A blind medium (Carolyn Bracken, YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER) uncovers the truth behind her sister's death with the help of a frightening wooden mannequin. One of the scariest and most imaginative films you’ll see anywhere this year. Winner of the Midnighter Audience Award at SXSW 2024. Quebec Premiere.

OUT OF THE SHADOW (Hong Kong) – dir. Ricky Ko
A rejuvenated ode to both THE KARATE KID and the action heroines of Hong Kong’s Golden Age, the latest from director Ricky Ko after his award-winning TIME (Fantasia 2021) once again beautifully combines nostalgia and modernity with a potent mix of martial arts, humor, sweetness, and compelling characters. Official Selection: Osaka Asian Film Festival 2024. North American Premiere.

RATS! (USA) – dirs. Maxwell Nalevansky and Carl Fry
Simply put, this is one of the craziest, funniest films audiences will see anywhere this year. There is a wild energy to RATS! that can only be described as evil SpongeBob flash animation bad tripping off Xanax... just the sort of madness you used to watch on NewGrounds while your parents weren’t paying attention! Channeling the filth of films like STREET TRASH and THE GREASY STRANGLER, co-directors Nalevansky and Fry prove they have the chops to stand tall amongst the legends of absurdist comedy. Official Selection: Cucalorus Film Festival 2024, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2024. Quebec Premiere.
 
THE ROUNDUP: PUNISHMENT (South Korea) – dir. Heo Myung-haeng
Badass detective Ma Seok-do (the inimitable Don Lee) is back! The fourth installment of one of the most adored Korean action franchises of all time explodes with fight sequences executed to perfection and high-energy mise-en-scène from director Heo Myeong-haeng, the series’ longstanding fight choreographer. Official selection: Berlin International Film Festival 2024. Quebec Premiere.
 
THE TENANTS (South Korea) - dir. Yoon Eun-kyoung
In a dystopian Seoul, office worker Shin-dong, threatened with eviction, rents out his bathroom to an eccentric couple whose strange behavior quickly escalates into a waking nightmare. A rising talent in the indie horror scene, writer-director Yoon Eun-kyoung creates a unique blend of soft science fiction, Kafkaesque absurdism, and dark comedy to highlight Korea’s very real social inequality problems. Winner of the Best Director Award and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 34th Singapore International Film Festival. Official Selection: Hong Kong international Film Festival 2024, Fantaspoa 2024. Canadian Premiere.
 
TIMESTALKER (UK) – dir. Alice Lowe
Alice Lowe (PREVENGE) returns with an ingenious, Python-esque time-jumping/reincarnation anti-rom-com unlike anything audiences have ever seen, wherein a woman continuously seeks out the presumed love of her life across time. Co-starring Jacob Anderson (HBO’s Game of Thrones), Nick Frost (SHAUN OF THE DEAD, THE WORLD’S END), and Aneurin Barnard (DUNKIRK), this bloody brilliant – and brilliantly bloody – film impales the heart of the romantic comedy on the sharpest sword imaginable, proving some lessons are just too hard to learn in one lifetime. Official Selection: SXSW 2024. Canadian Premiere.
 
TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (Hong Kong) – dir. Soi Cheang
The Hong Kong box office sensation that caused a wild reaction at the Cannes Film Festival arrives in its first Canadian stop over before going wide across North America. Award winning director Soi Cheang (MAD FATE) directs this period neo noir actioner set in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City, a dangerous, densely populated monolith, demolished in 1995, where fists and blades would settle scores and no law enforcement dared to enter. WALLED IN features some of cinema’s most jaw-breaking and audacious fight scenes, recalling the glory 1980s and 90s kung fu cinema. Starring Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, and Richie Jen. Canadian Premiere.
 
VULCANIZADORA (USA) – dir. Joel Potrykus
Two friends trudge through a Michigan forest with the intention of following through on a disturbing pact. Functioning as a darkly humorous spiritual sequel to writer/director/actor Joel Potrykus’ 2014 offbeat slacker portrait BUZZARD, VULCANIZADORA engages in dialogue with the past, reflecting on different stages of the filmmaker’s life. He and returning star Joshua Burge (RELAXER, THE REVENANT) put forward an emotional depth that allows the audience to see themselves in their characters’ search for control in lives that have escaped their grasp. Official selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2024. Winner: Best Narrative Feature: Oakland Film Festival 2024. International Premiere.
 
WAKE UP (Canada / France) – Dirs. François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell
This tense, gore-soaked new shocker from homegrown Fantasia favorites RKSS (TURBO KID, SUMMER OF ’84, WE ARE ZOMBIES) pits a gang of Gen Z activists against a hulking security guard murderously protecting the big-box store they’ve invaded after hours. Official Selection: Fantastic Fest 2023, Sitges 2023. Canadian Premiere.
 
YIN YANG MASTER ZERO (Japan) – Dir. Shimako Sato
A wily apprentice sorcerer and his dim but good-hearted best friend (Kento Yamazaki of KINGDOM and Shota Sometani of PARASYTE) confront dark forces in Heian-era Japan. Handled with panache by writer-director Shimako Sato (EKO EKO AZARAK, K-20: LEGEND OF THE MASK), the popular historical-fantasy franchise returns to the big screen. Canadian Premiere.

 

AN ECLECTIC MIX OF RESTORATIONS AND ARCHIVAL PRINTS ILLUMINATE FANTASIA’S 2024 RETRO CLASSICS LINEUP ALONGSIDE A POSTHUMOUS DENIS-HÉROUX AWARD FOR THE GREAT ÉRIK CANUEL
 
AVENGING EAGLE (Hong Kong, 1978) – dir. Sun Chung
A former killer and a mysterious stranger must confront his former father and sworn brothers in this action-packed martial arts classic from Hong Kong’s golden age that is a favorite of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. World Premiere of Arrow Films’ new restoration of the fully uncut film.
 
A CHINESE GHOST STORY II (Hong Kong, 1990) – dir. Tony Ching Siu-Tung
Rival kung fu enemies converge to fight monsters and a giant centipede in this wild and wacky sequel to the award-winning classic A CHINESE GHOST STORY from producer Tsui Hark and award-winning action director Ching Siu-Tung (SHAOLIN SOCCER). Presented in gloriously haunting 35mm.
 
COCKFIGHTER – 50^th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING (USA, 1974) – dir. Monte Hellman
A man (Warren Oates) who trains fighting cocks vows to remain silent until one of his birds wins a championship in this powerful, underseen gem of the Hollywood New Wave. Co-produced by the late, great Roger Corman and co-starring Richard B. Shull, Harry Dean Stanton, Ed Begley Jr., and Laurie Bird. Fantasia’s screening will be presented on the precise anniversary of the film’s July 30, 1974 theatrical release by Kier-La Janisse (“House of Psychotic Women”), who will read the introduction to her forthcoming book “Cockfight”.
 
DEVIL TIMES FIVE (USA, 1974) – dir. Sean MacGregor
A group of catty adults in a remote chalet become the “toys” of murderous children in this prime slice of offbeat ‘70s cinema. A drive-in favorite and cult classic, co-starring Sorrell Booke (The Dukes of Hazzard’s Boss Hogg) and teen-heartthrob-to-be Leif Garrett, opposite his real-life mom Carolyn Stellar and little sister Dawn Lyn. World Premiere of Vinegar Syndrome’s new 4K restoration.
 
HOLLYWOOD 90028 (USA, 1974) – dir. Christina Hornisher
HOLLYWOOD 90028 is an existential serial-killer story that explores themes of pornography, fame, hopes, and fears filmed in 1970s Los Angeles. Unavailable for decades and once thought lost, this rarely seen cult classic has recently been rediscovered and hailed as a masterpiece by the likes of Arkasha Stevenson (THE FIRST OMEN), Anna Biller (THE LOVE WITCH), and Ti West (MAXXXINE), highlighting its significance as both a critique of the exploitation industry and a historical snapshot of 1970s Los Angeles. Canadian Premiere of Grindhouse Releasing’s new 4K restoration, presented as a special book launch event for Heidi Honeycutt’s “I Spit on Your Celluloid” (Headpress Books).
 
KILLER CONSTABLE (Hong Kong, 1980) – dir. Kuei Chih-Hung
Imagine, if you will, a wuxia version of Judge Dredd in old China from Kuei Chih-Hung, the controversial director of BOXER’S OMEN. Here, Kuei unleashes his only wuxia film, widely considered a profound martial-arts masterpiece that brilliantly subvers the genre with its unique dark horror and bleak undertones, while offering incredible action set pieces. Rarely seen in North America for 30 years. World Premiere of the killer new restoration from Arrow Films.
 
LA LOI DU COCHON (Quebec, 2001) – dir. Érik Canuel
Stéphane Brousseau, 27, is a compulsive gambler. Faced with an ultimatum from the bank, which is about to seize the pig farm she inherited from her father, she tries to make a quick buck by selling a crop of pot that two city criminals are growing on her land. Behind this seemingly simple framework, the film boasts a complex script with a thousand twists and turns, and inventive direction from the late director Érik Canuel. A remarkable feature debut for the artist, a man of many talents and extraordinary energy, who would go on to make some of Quebec’s most important genre works, including LE DERNIER TUNNEL (2004), THE OUTLANDER (2005), CADAVRES (2009) and LAC MYSTÈRE (2013). His biggest hit was BON COP, BAD COP (2006), which world premiered at Fantasia and went on to become one of the highest grossing Canadian films of all time domestically. Archival 35mm Print Memorial Screening with a posthumous Denis-Héroux award for the beloved Érik Canuel, who passed away on June 15 of this year. Cast in attendance.
 
Throughout a highly productive career that included numerous feature films, commercials, music videos, and episodes of major television series, Érik Canuel was always proud of his status as a genre director. He was not only a director of fantastic cinema, but of all genres - and an artist who broke down doors, making way for younger generations of artists, all while legitimizing genre film in Quebec. The festival is proud to present a Denis-Héroux Award posthumously to Érik Canuel, signaling an exceptional contribution to the development and dissemination of Quebec genre cinema.
 
LOVE AND POP (Japan, 1998) – dir. Hideaki Anno
Made in 1998, not long after the success of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, LOVE AND POP was director Hideaki Anno’s first live-action feature film. Despite already being established as a filmmaker, Anno embraced new technologies and unconventional stylistic choices to tell the story of Hiromi (Asumi Miwa) and her schoolgirl friends as they engage in enjo kosai, or “compensated dating,” where older men pay young girls for dates. Using new digital cameras, Anno seemed limited by only his imagination as he shot the film. The resulting experience is a transgressive examination of transactional desire with a style that embodies the full creative range of the underground spirit. Underground section. Presented in a new restoration from King Record Co., Ltd.
 
THE RUBBER GUN (Canada, 1977) – dir. Allan Moyle
A young Stephen Lack (SCANNERS) co-wrote and stars in this gritty directorial debut of Quebec filmmaker Allan Moyle (TIMES SQUARE, PUMP UP THE VOLUME, EMPIRE RECORDS), set against Montréal’s 70s drug scene. Before this, Moyle notably collaborated with Frank Vitale on the indie classics MONTRÉAL MAIN and EAST END HUSTLE. An exploitation film in the form of experimental cinéma verité, this radical 70s classic evokes the work of Canadians Robin Spry and Ted Kotcheff, as well as the early films of John Cassavetes and Jim McBride. North American Premiere of Canadian International Pictures’ new 4K restoration.
 
TIKI TIKI (Canada, 1971) – dir. Gerald Potterton
A genuine lost gem of adult-oriented animation, 1971’s strange and hilarious hybrid production TIKI TIKI—the story of an easy-riding, film-directing ape and a multimillion-dollar contraption called the FMM 70, the world’s first all-purpose, rocket-propelled, flying movie machine—is among the titles resurrected under Telefilm’s Canadian Cinema Reignited program. Directed by HEAVY METAL’s Gerald Potterton, it combines animation in the filmmaker’s pop-psychedelic style - so recognizable from YELLOW SUBMARINE - with repurposed live-action footage from AYBOLIT-66, a Soviet children’s fantasy film. A sassy satire of Hollywood, it’s a weird and wonderful slice of Canadian countercultural cool. World Premiere of Canadian International Pictures’ new 4K restoration.
 
 
A PLETHORA OF SPECIAL LIVE EVENTS
 
Fantasia is proud to reveal the following exciting array of special live events occurring throughout its 2024 edition, the majority of which will be presented free-of-charge.

 

2024 CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: MIKE FLANAGAN

For his imaginative and heartfelt horror visions; boundary-breaking achievements in making soulful, character-driven genre television commercially viable without compromises; and the extraordinary work he’s done in popularizing landmark authors to a new generation, Fantasia will be awarding their 2024 Cheval Noir career award to U.S. filmmaker Mike Flanagan.
 
Flanagan is an artist Fantasia has adored since his first visit to the festival for the Canadian premiere of his haunting 2011 indie debut ABSENTIA, a foundational feature that contains all the core elements that have come to define the artist’s work: a unique perspective on occult possibilities, engrossing slow-burn storytelling approaches, inventively cinematic aesthetics, and above all else - deeply compassionate horror narratives built on agonizingly personal themes of loss. These elements have been consistent throughout his career, regardless of whether the work is a standalone creation or an adaptation of classic literature.
 
While it may strike some as odd to bestow an achievement award to an artist who’s almost certainly not yet reached a mid-career place, Flanagan has been so extraordinarily prolific and consistently brilliant in his output that the filmmaker has already accomplished several lifetimes of creation.
 
Beyond being one of the most inspired storytelling voices of his generation, Mike Flanagan is a bona fide, culture-shifting master of horror, having changed the landscape of the genre since emerging on the scene in 2011. Since then, Flanagan has brought audiences such modern classics as OCULUS (2013), HUSH (2016), BEFORE I WAKE (2016), OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL (2016), GERALD’S GAME (2017), and DOCTOR SLEEP (2019), as well as the Netflix miniseries events The Haunting of Hill House (2018), The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), Midnight Mass (2021), The Midnight Club (2022), and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023). His next feature is the forthcoming Stephen King adaptation THE LIFE OF CHUCK (2024), starring Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

 

 

A CANADIAN TRAILBLAZER AWARD FOR VINCENZO NATALI
 
Fantasia will bestow their 2024 Canadian Trailblazer Award to visionary filmmaker Vincenzo Natali, whose landmark 1997 debut CUBE blew open the doors on what became a new wave of individual and provocative Canuck genre works (including John Fawcett’s GINGER SNAPS, Jen and Sylvia Soska’s AMERICAN MARY, and countless more) in addition to siring both a film franchise and a Japanese remake. Natali went on to make the equally idiosyncratic and quite underrated science fiction films CYPHER and NOTHING, the latter reuniting him with CUBE stars David Hewlett, Andrew Miller, and Maurice Dean Wint. He’s had his biggest hit to date with the Frankenstein-ian SPLICE; helmed the intriguing ghost story HAUNTER’ the nightmarish Netflix Original IN THE TALL GRASS, based on the novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill; and has since been busy on blockbuster series like NBC’s Hannibal, FX’s The Strain, HBO’s Westworld, Starz’s American Gods, and the Netflix’s Locke & Key and Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Natali will receive his award before the World Premiere of the Canadian Film Centre’s new 4K restoration of CUBE, the film that started it all.

 
Film screening and lecture
EVERY FRAME A PAINTING PRESENTS THE SECOND
Moderated by Vincenzo Nappi
Free admission
Saturday July 20, 4:00PM, Cinéma du Musée
 
Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou, Vancouver-based creators of the wildly popular YouTube video essay series “Every Frame a Painting” - which has amassed 2 million subscribers - are coming to Fantasia! From YouTube videos and Netflix series (Voir) to indie features and animation studios, the duo have worked on projects big and small, both for themselves and others. Join them for the World Premiere of their short film, THE SECOND, starring Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (CBC’s Kim’s Convenience, Disney+’s The Mandalorian) and an exclusive lecture about its making, the “one for us, one for them” ethos, and how they’ve charted their careers. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow.
 
Artist talk
FILMMAKER MIKE FLANAGAN
Moderated by author and critic Michael Gingold
Free admission
Sunday July 21, 5:00PM, Cinéma du Musée
 
Join iconic genre journalist Michael Gingold for a special one-on-one with gifted U.S. filmmaker Mike Flanagan, recipient of Fantasia’s 2024 Cheval Noir career award, which will be presented at the start of the conversation. A writer, director, and editor who creates with uncommonly haunting emotional resonance, Flanagan has moved genre mountains since emerging on the scene with his 2011 feature debut ABSENTIA. From features like OCULUS (2013), HUSH (2016), BEFORE I WAKE (2016), OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL (2016), GERALD’S GAME (2017), DOCTOR SLEEP (2019), and the forthcoming LIFE OF CHUCK (2024) to miraculously profound Netflix miniseries events The Haunting of Hill House (2018), The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), Midnight Mass (2021), The Midnight Club (2022), and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), he’s already amassed several lifetimes worth of wholly individualistic creation. Fans won’t want to miss this career-spanning conversation with a modern master of horror.
 
Cultural experience
MAKGEOLLI WORKSHOPS
Free Admission
Wednesday, July 24, 5:00PM – 6:30PM (French)
Thursday, July 25, 5:00PM – 6:30PM (English)
Pony BBQ Coréen, 1608 Saint-Catherine West
 
In conjunction with the screenings of FAQ, Fantasia and the Korean Cultural Centre Canada are pleased to host two Makgeolli Workshops, featuring makgeolli expert M. Carol Duplain Ing, president of Brasserie Vrooden Inc. This workshop offers an opportunity to share Carol’s expertise and provide an introduction to makgeolli (a traditional Korean rice wine made by fermenting rice and a fermentation starter called nuruk). Participants will have the chance to taste makgeolli, and learn how to craft their own using the provided kits.
 
Limited space available. Fantasia passholders and FAQ ticket holders will be given priority. Register to attend at Fantasia’s website. All participants must be over 18.
 
Podcast recording and discussion
FANGORIA PRESENTS THE COLORS OF THE DARK PODCAST: LIVE!
Hosted by Dr. Rebekah McKendry and Elric Kane
Special guest: Chuck Russell
Free Admission
Thursday July 25, 5:15PM, York Amphitheatre
 
Join hosts Dr. Rebekah McKendry (professor, writer-director) and Elric Kane (professor, writer-director) as they explore the artistry and impact of the horror films of the 1980s. The duo will be joined by director Chuck Russell (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS, THE BLOB) to discuss the 80s sequels and remakes that launched his career, as well as his latest re-imagining of WITCHBOARD.
 
The interview will be followed by a visual exploration of the VHS cover art that shaped their tastes, a reflection on the video store boom and its influence on modern horror, and a countdown of their favorite deep-cut film recommendations from the 1980s. 
 
Special Book Launch Event
HEIDI HONEYCUTT’S I SPIT ON YOUR CELLULOID: THE HISTORY OF WOMEN DIRECTING HORROR MOVIES (Headpress Books)
Friday July 26, 5:15PM, Cinema J.A. DeSeve
 
A legendary curator, historian, and critic, author Heidi Honeycutt co-founded the Etheria film Festival and has written for a vast number of publications and outlets, from Filmmaker, Ms. Magazine, Moviemaker, and Indiewire to Bloody Disgusting and Rue Morgue.
 
Fantasia is proud to be hosting the World Premiere book launch of Honeycutt’s “I Spit on Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies” (Headpress Books), a comprehensive 20-years-in-the-making work that covers the evolution of women in horror cinema from 1896 to the present day. The official book launch will be taking place with a special screening of Christina Hornisher’s once-thought-lost 1974 horror gem HOLLYWOOD 90028. Honeycutt will introduce the screening and advance copies of the book will be available for sale and signing.
 
Artist talk
DRAWING MONSTERS: A GHOULISH CHAT WITH ARTIST GARY PULLIN
Moderated by Justin Langlois
Free admission
Saturday July 27, 2:00PM, York Amphitheatre
 
Ghoulish Gary is taking over Fantasia! Join us on July 27 for an intimate discussion with artist Gary Pullin about his career, art, and influences. Pullin’s talk will range from his seminal days at Rue Morgue Magazine to his more recent projects as Ghoulish Gary. For the last twelve years, he has made covers for Mad Magazine and Fangoria, movie posters for Mondo, Arrow Video and MGM, and original vinyl soundtrack art for everyone from Deep Focus Records to Waxworks. The Rondo-winning artist will talk pop art, being a monster kid, and everything in between in this groovily ghoulish event!
 
Special panel discussion
HER HORROR LEGACY: A DISCUSSION ON WOMEN DIRECTING HORROR MOVIES
Moderated by Heidi Honeycutt
With panelists Yfke Van Berckelaer, Sapna Moti Bhavnani, Heather Buckley, Rioghnach Ni Ghrioghair, Kier-La Janisse, Kristina Klebe, Izzy Lee, Maude Michaud, Toby Poser, Elizabeth E. Schuch, Lucía Forner Segarra, Jenn Wexler, and Anouk Whissell
Free admission
Saturday July 27, 4:00PM, York Amphitheatre
 
Join historian and author Heidi Honeycutt and a range of filmmakers attending this year’s festival for an engaging discussion on the historical and modern impact of women directing horror films. By exploring their individual stories and the evolution of the genre, we aim to shed light on the vital role women directors play in shaping the landscape of horror cinema and its culture.
 
Presented as part of Fantasia’s special book launch for Heidi Honeycutt’s “I Spit on Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies” (Headpress Books). Advance copies of the book will be available at the panel, in addition co-panelist Izzy Lee’s debut novella “I Can See Your Lies” (Dark Matter Ink).
 
Special gallery exhibition
VOÏVOD: REBEL ROBOTS
Free admission
Monday July 29, 4:00PM - 7:00PM
Tuesday July 30, 12:30PM - 6:00PM
BBAM! Gallery, 808 Atwater Avenue

Quebec metal legends Voïvod are synonymous with pioneering music. Their drummer, Away, is a multifaceted artist who’s cultivated a unique style in music and art while keeping true to themselves. In celebration of the hometown world premiere of Felipe Belalcazar’s Voïvod documentary WE ARE CONNECTED, Fantasia and BBAM! Gallery have come together to present Rebel Robots: an exhibition of original art pieces, photographs, instruments, and artifacts sourced directly from the band’s archives, celebrating Voïvod’s extraordinary 40-year legacy. Step into the multiverse experience of Voïvod with this special, intimate exhibit and don’t miss WE ARE CONNECTED at the festival!
 
Cultural experience
KOREAN CULTURE BOXES EXHIBITION
Throughout the festival
Auditorium des diplômés de la SGWU Lobby
 
Join us throughout the run of this year’s festival as Fantasia and the Korean Cultural Centre Canada proudly present the Korean Culture Boxes exhibition. Open the Korean Culture Boxes and embark on an interactive journey to understand and experience the lifestyle of Koreans.
 
Hansik Box
The Hansik boxes are designed to provide an easy and joyful introduction to hansik (Korean food) for all Fantasia audiences. These interactive exhibition boxes offer an enjoyable experience of Korean food culture, allowing audiences the opportunity to discover their favorite Korean dishes.
 
Hanbok Box
The Hanbok Box offers a unique opportunity for audiences to try on hanbok, the traditional clothing of Korea, along with various types of the country’s hats. Immerse yourself in the unique beauty of Korea with the Hanbok Box. Please note that the Hanbok Box is only exhibited occasionally.
 
 
INTRODUCING FANTASIA’S 2024 JURIES AND COMPETITIONS
 
CHEVAL NOIR COMPETITION
 
Jury President: MATT JOHNSON
Actor, director, screenwriter 
 
STEVE DOLLAR 
Critic, journalist, Artistic Director of the Tallahassee Film Festival
 
ROB JABBAZ
Director, screenwriter
 
KRISTINA KLEBE
Director, actor, voice performer 
 
ARIANE LOUIS-SEIZE
Director, screenwriter
 
NEW FLESH COMPETITION FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE 
 
Jury President: RAIN RANNU
Director, screenwriter, producer, founder of Tallifornia
 
SAPNA MOTI BHAVNANI
Director, producer, actor, founder of Mumbai’s Wench Film Festival
 
ÉRIC S. BOISVERT
Director, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor 
 
AMELIA MOSES
Director, screenwriter, producer

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
 
Jury President: HEIDI HONEYCUTT 
Journalist, critic, film historian, co-founder of the Etheria Film Festival
 
JEAN ANNE LAUER 
Professor, Festival Programmer at Fantastic Fest
 
EMILY LERER
Director, screenwriter
 
GARY PULLIN
Illustrator, designer 
 
ALEX WILLIAMS
Senior Manager of Acquisitions and Development at XYZ Films
 
SATOSHI KON AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION
 
Jury President: JOHANE MATTE
Story Artist at Dreamworks Animation
 
JONATHAN ALVAREZ
Senior Coordinator, Theatrical Distribution and Acquisitions at Well Go USA Entertainment
 
ELIZABETH E. SCHUCH
Creative Director at Melancholy Star
 
DGC/GCR COMPETITION
 
Jury President: PHILIP KALIN-HAJDU
Producer, writer
 
TREVOR ANDERSON
Writer, director
 
FRANCESCO GIANNINI
Director, cinematographer, actor, Founder/CEO of Franky Films
 
CAROLINE LABRÈCHE
Director
 
SERENA WHITNEY
Programming Director at Revue Cinema, producer, writer, podcast host, script consultant, Founder of Drunken Cinema
 
CHEVAL NOIR 2024 COMPETITION TITLES
 
4PM (South Korea) – dir. Jay Song
 
ABABOUINÉ (Quebec / Canada) – dir. André Forcier
 
CONFESSION (Japan) – dir. Nobuhiro Yamashita
 
THE COUNT OF MONTE-CRISTO (France) – dirs. Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre De La Patellière
 
ELECTROPHILIA (Argentina) – dir. Lucía Puenzo
 
IN OUR BLOOD (USA) – dir. Pedro Kos
 
INFINITE SUMMER (Estonia) – dir. Miguel Llansó
 
MASH VILLE (South Korea) – dir. Hwang Wook
 
OUT OF THE SHADOW (Hong Kong) – dir. Ricky Ko
 
PARVULOS (Mexico) – dir. Isaac Ezban
 
PENALTY LOOP (Japan) – dir. Shinji Araki
 
RITA (Guatemala) – dir. Jayro Bustamante
 
A SAMURAI IN TIME (Japan) – dir. Junichi Yasuda
 
STEPPENWOLF (Kazakhstan) – dir. Adilkhan Yerzhanov
 
NEW FLESH 2024 COMPETITION TITLES
 
BRUSH OF THE GOD (Japan) – dir. Keizo Murase
 
CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING (Estonia) – dir. Sander Maran
 
DEAD DEAD FULL DEAD (India) – dir. Pratul Gaikwad
 
HEAVENS: THE BOY AND HIS ROBOT (Singapore) – dir. Rich Ho
 
JOUR DE CHASSE (Quebec / Canada) – dir. Annick Blanc
 
KIDNAPPING INC. (Quebec / Canada / Haiti / France) – dir. Bruno Mourral
 
KRYPTIC (Canada) – dir. Kourtney Roy
 
ME AND MY VICTIM (Quebec / Canada) – dirs. Maurane Dubois and Billy Pedlow
 
NOT FRIENDS (Thailand) – dir. Atta Hemwadee
 
THE PARAGON (New Zealand) – dir. Michael Duignan
 
RATS! (USA) – dir. Maxwell Nalevansky, Carl Fry
 
SELF DRIVER (Canada) – dir. Michael Pierro
 
SHELBY OAKS (USA) – dir. Chris Stuckmann
 
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM 2024 COMPETITION TITLES
 
98% (South Korea) – dir. Byun Chang-woo
 
BE RIGHT BACK (Spain) – dir. Gabe Ibañez, Lucas Paulino
 
BERTA (Spain) – dir. Lucía Forner Segarra
 
BLITZMUSIK (Quebec / Canada) – dir. Martin Amiot
 
CRAVE (France) – dir. Mark Middlewick
 
DIRTY BAD WRONG (Canada) – dir. Erica Orofino 
 
DYSMORPHIC (USA) – dir. Grant Swanson
 
EDITH (Singapore) – dir. Clare Chong
 
EMPTY JARS (Chile) – dir. Guillermo Ribbeck
 
FACES (USA) – dir. Blake Simon
 
FACTORY DROP (Germany) – dir. Petja Pulkrabek
 
THE FUTURE IS NOW (South Korea) – dir. Jung Jongmin
 
HEADACHE (Sweden) – dir. Björn Schagerström
 
HOW TO KILL A VAMPIRE (South Korea) – dir. Kim Soyeon
 
LEAP OF PASSION (South Korea) – dir. Kim Jae Hyung
 
MEAT(LOV)ER (South Korea) – dir. Park Kyung Seo
 
MEMORY (South Korea) – dir. Jang Hawon
 
NIGHT FISHING (South Korea) – dir. Moon Byoung-gon
 
 RÉEL (France) – dir. Rodrigue Huart
 
RING NECK (Canada) – dir. Vasili Manikas
 
THE STREETLIGHT (USA) – dir. Sophia Parella
 
WANNA DIE WANNA KILL (South Korea) – dir. Jeong Jaehee
 
WHERE THE MOUNTAIN WOMEN SING (Hong Kong / Taiwan / USA) – dir. Zhang Juefang
 
 WILDFLOWER (USA) – dir. Wan Xin Tang

 

The 28th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is presented by Videotron and is made possible with the financial contributions of Telefilm Canada, la Société́ de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), le gouvernement du Québec, the city of Montréal, le Conseil des arts de Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, and the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC).

The festival would like to thank all its private partners, friends of the event, as well as official suppliers, venues, and all participating filmmakers, sales agents, and distributors for their invaluable support.
 
For the very latest in up-to-date information on this year’s announcements and events, please follow the Fantasia International Film Festival on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram.