Montreal welcomes the latest from Mel Gibson, Fede Alvarez, and the Slenderman. Plus this guy and his freaky hand.
The photo above is from a new Japanese film titled Parasyte, and it’s pretty much par for the course when it comes to movies playing Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival. The fest has long been home to films both terrifically weird and weirdly terrific.
2016 is their 20th anniversary, and they’ve just revealed the third and final wave of titles playing this year’s fest. (Check out the first and second announcements.) This brings the number of movies playing to roughly 126, and we’re going to see them all.
No we’re not. That’s madness.
I am going to see as many as I can though, and with this latest announcement there are even more that have me excited for the fest including Fede Alvarez’s Don’t Breathe, the new Mel Gibson thriller Blood Father, Yeon Sang-ho’s zombies on the rails pic Train to Busan, the latest from the director of The Calamari Wrestler, something called Bed of the Dead, and much, much more.
Check out the complete announcement below!
FANTASIA’S 20th EDITION TO CLOSE WITH FEDE ALVAREZ’S DON’T BREATHE AND JEAN-FRANCOIS RICHET’S BLOOD FATHER, STARRING MEL GIBSON
Appearances from Christopher Lloyd, Keishi Otomo, and iconic Japanese actor Denden; a new VR component; and an award for Jean-Claude Lord are among the newly announced highlights, which also boasts numerous World and International premieres
06 July 2016 – Montreal, Quebec — With today’s announcements, Fantasia’s full 2016 lineup of over 130 features has been revealed. Included therein are 19 World Premieres, 18 North American Premieres, and 47 Canadian Premieres! In addition, the festival will be showcasing over 300 shorts from across the globe, the complete list of which can be found on our website.
OFFICIAL CLOSING FILM: THE CANADIAN PREMIERE OF FEDE ALVAREZ’S TERRIFYING FILM DON’T BREATHE
For the grand finale of Fantasia’s 20th anniversary edition, the festival is more than proud to present the Canadian Premiere of co-writer/director Fede Alvarez’s terrifying new film DON’T BREATHE, which left audiences breathless during its ecstatic South by Southwest debut earlier this year. In DON’T BREATHE, a trio of friends break into the house of a wealthy blind man, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect heist. They’re wrong. Screening will be hosted by Alvarez himself. DON’T BREATHE is produced by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert along with Alvarez. Sony Pictures will release the film in North America on August 26, 2016.
ADDITIONAL CLOSING NIGHT EVENT: THE NORTH-AMERICAN PREMIERE OF JEAN-FRANÇOIS RICHET’S MEL GIBSON-FRONTED POWERHOUSE BLOOD FATHER
Hot off its premiere at Cannes, the powerhouse Mel Gibson thriller BLOOD FATHER, directed by Jean-François Richet (MESRINE, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13), will be having its first North American screening at Fantasia as both part of the festival’s closing night events and the official closing film of the Action! section. BLOOD FATHER’s impressive cast also features Erin Moriarty, Elisabeth Röhm, William H. Macy, Diego Luna, Dale Dickey, Thomas Mann, and Michael Parks.
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INTRODUCING THE FANTASIA 2016 JURIES!
Fantasia is pleased to announce the esteemed jurors for our key international competitions. The complete list of juries, including those for Axis, Séquences, L’Écran fantastique, the Barry Convex Award for Best Canadian Film, and the Prix AQCC (l’Association québécoise des critiques de cinema) can be found on our website.
CHEVAL NOIR
JURY PRESIDENTS:
Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado, Israel – Filmmakers
Cyril Despontin, France – Paris International Fantastic Film Festival
George Schmalz, USA – Kickstarter
Justine Smith, Canada – Critic, The Globe and Mail, Vice Canada
Dr. Marcus Stiglegger, Germany – Critic, author, and Cinema Scholar
NEW FLESH AWARD (First Feature Competition)
JURY PRESIDENT:
Michael Gingold, USA – Critic and Screenwriter, Fangoria, Rue Morgue Magazine
Grady Hendrix, USA – Critic, author, co-founder of New York Asian Film Festival
Kate McEdwards, USA – Oscilloscope Laboratories
Nicolas Stanzick, France – Critic, Cahiers du cinéma, Repérages
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
JURY PRESIDENT:
Chris Oosterom, Netherlands – Imagine Fantastic Film Festival
Heather Buckley, USA – Critic, Graphic Designer, Blu-Ray producer
Peter Kuplowsky, Canada – Producer, programmer at Fantastic Fest, Toronto after Dark, programming assistant at TIFF (Midnight Madness)
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FRONTIÈRES@FANTASIA ANNOUNCES FULL SLATE OF PROGRAMMING
After a highly successful Frontières Day in Cannes, which marked the introduction to the market’s new partnership with Cannes’ Marché du Film, the Frontières International Co-Production Market returns to Fantasia for its eighth edition, which will take place July 21st through the 24th.
Frontières is a four-day industry networking event specifically focused on genre film production and financing. Following the announcement of its main line-up of 20 projects, for the first time Frontières is pleased to announce international spotlights on projects from Australia and South Africa, in addition to a work-in-progress line-up featuring multiple past Frontières projects currently in post-production, and a case study panel focusing on the upcoming virtual reality collaboration between SpectreVision and Ubisoft Montreal.
Highlights include a project from director Brandon Cronenberg (ANTIVIRAL) and a first look at the EMAfilms-Epic Pictures sci-fi thriller RADIUS. These projects join a line-up of previously announced titles including projects from director Roxanne Benjamin (SOUTHBOUND) and producer Andy Starke (SIGHTSEERS, THE GREASY STRANGLER).
FRONTIÈRES CASE STUDY:
The SpectreVision and Ubisoft Montréal Virtual Reality Project
The Frontières International Co-Production Market is pleased to present a panel discussion with Ubisoft and SpectreVision that will provide a behind-the-scenes look at their collaboration on an upcoming genre-based virtual reality experience, and examine the relationship between genre film and virtual reality.
Frontières@Fantasia 2016: International Spotlight Projects
AUSTRALIA
KATE KELLY
Director/Writer: Donna McRae
Producers: Liz Baulch (Wild Iris Productions)
LUCID
Director: Brandon Cronenberg
Writer: Philip Tarl Denson
Producers: Raquelle David (Damsel Pictures)
NIGHTFLOWER (Australia/UK)
Director: Eron Sheean
Writer: David Scinto
Producers: Lizzette Atkins, Jasper Graham (Unicorn Films)
SOUTH AFRICA
CORPSEMEN (South Africa/USA)
Director: Brett Simmons
Writers: Brett Simmons, Marc Bloom
Producers: Jonh Volmink, Isaac Mogajane (Diprente), Peter Phok
DURBAN ROAD
Director/Writer: Matthew Griffith
Producer: Rafeeqah Galant (Echo Ledge Productions)
MY DARK HEART
Director: James Adey
Writer: Steven Pillemer
Producers: Issac Mogojane, James Adey (Fiction Films)
WORK-IN-PROGRESS
THE CHAMBER (UK)
Director/Writer: Ben Parker
Producers: Jen Handorf, Paul Higgins (Chamber Films)
THE DEVIL ON WHEELS (Spain/UK)
Director/Writer: Enric Folch
Producers: Roger Allen, Gabriele Stifani, Luca Stifani (The Devil on Wheels Productions)
INNER GHOSTS (Portugal/Brazil)
Director: João Alves
Writer/Producer: Paulo Leite (Bad Behavior)
RADIUS (Canada)
Directors/Writers: Caroline Labrèche and Steeve Léonard
Producer: Anne-Marie Gélinas (EMAfilms inc.)
THE VOID (Canada)
Directors/Writers: Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillesipe
Producers: Casey Walker (Cave Painting Pictures), Jonathan Bronfman (JoBro Productions)
Frontières is made possible thanks to the generous support of Creative Europe, Telefilm Canada, and SODEC.
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CELEBRATING JEAN-CLAUDE LORD IN THE NAME OF DENIS HÉROUX
As part of the festival’s 20th Anniversary festivities, Fantasia has announced the creation of The Denis Héroux Award, a prize that recognizes exceptional contribution to the development of genre cinema and independent cinema from Quebec, named after the trailblazing filmmaker – director of such works as VALÉRIE and A FEW ACRES OF SNOW, producer of landmarks that include QUEST FOR FIRE and ATLANTIC CITY – who passed away in December of last year. The inaugural recipient will be Jean-Claude Lord, maker of such diverse works as PARLEZ-NOUS D’AMOUR, VISITING HOURS, PANIQUE, THE VINDICATOR, and BINGO, the latter being one of the first thrillers from Quebec.
INTRODUCING THE SAMSUNG FANTASIA VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE
Whether you’re curious about this new technology or anxious to try some of the genre film experiences developed in Canada and around the world in recent months, FANTASIA, in collaboration with CFC Media Lab, Cream Productions and Woolf + Lapin, is proud to present THE SAMSUNG FANTASIA VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE. On Thursday July 21st, from 3PM to 8PM, and from Friday to Sunday, July 24th, from noon to 8PM, the Fantasia audience will have the chance to choose among a selection of 11 different viewing experiences for virtual reality technology, selected for us by the CFC MEDIA LAB. Admission is free.
A SPOKEN-WORD PERFORMANCE BY GRADY HENDRIX:
SUMMERLAND LOST: A GHOST STORY IN PROGRESS
Grady Hendrix, celebrated film critic and acclaimed author of bestsellers Horrorstör and My Best Friend’s Exorcism, brings his stunning, deeply personal one-man show about psychic teenagers to Fantasia with SUMMERLAND LOST: A GHOST STORY IN PROGRESS. Telling the all-shocking, all-true tale of Victorian teenagers who spoke to the dead, this is the real life story of how biomechanical sex cults, the ghost of Ben Franklin, and Arctic explorers all teamed up to answer the ultimate question: is there life after death?
GO BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR WITH GÉRARD KIKOÏNE
Fantasia will be hosting a rare appearance by Gérard Kikoïne, French director of “films d’amour” featuring iconic X stars Brigitte Lahaie and Marilyn Jess. Having just published his memoir, “Kikobook,” the industry pioneer will revisit his singular life path and discuss his collaborations with Oliver Reed, Anthony Perkins, and Abel Gance, among others. During this round-table talk, moderated by filmmaker Éric Falardeau (THANATOMORPHOSE) and Mad Movies Magazine’s Gilles Esposito, he will reveal many behind-the-scenes secrets. The event will take place following our screening of Nicolas and Bruno’s IN SEARCH OF THE ULTRA-SEX.
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RUROUNI KENSHIN DIRECTOR HAS MURDER IN MIND FOR A FANTASIA WORLD PREMIERE
Fantasia is thrilled to host the World Premiere of the fascinating sci-fi thriller THE TOP SECRET: MURDER IN MIND, adapted from the popular manga Himitsu The Top Secret. A masterful script full of surprises, flawless characterizations and top-of-the-line production values make this visually stunning work a standout. After directing the immensely popular RUROUNI KENSHIN trilogy, Keishi Otomo proves once again that he is a singular talent and it will be a pleasure to welcome him back to Montreal for our 20th anniversary edition.
CHRISTOPHER LLOYD HOSTS THE CANADIAN PREMIERE OF BILLY O’BRIEN’S I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER
Adored actor Christopher Lloyd will be visiting Fantasia for the Canadian Premiere of Billy O’Brien’s I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER, an acclaimed adaptation of Dan Wells’ successful novel. Who better to understand and stalk a serial killer than a teenage closet sociopath? From the gifted director of ISOLATION.
THE NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF YEON SANG-HO’S CANNES SENSATION TRAIN TO BUSAN
Following our First Wave announcement of the Canadian Premiere of Yeon Sang-ho’s animated horror masterpiece SEOUL STATION, Fantasia is excited to announce the first North American screening of the filmmaker’s riveting TRAIN TO BUSAN, fresh off obliterating audiences’ nervous systems at Cannes.
CROATIAN CINEMA GETS ITS HANDS BLOODY: THE WORLD PREMIERE OF GORAN
Believe us when we tell you that one of the must-see discoveries of Fantasia’s 20th edition is the unpredictable, violent and hilarious GORAN from Croatian filmmaker Nevio Marasovic (VIS-À-VIS). Following a down on his luck alcoholic cab driver during a nightmarish birthday party, this amalgamation of deranged situations turns a powerful social drama into a comedy of awkward situations along the lines of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM with a substantially darker soul.
AN ABSURDIST NEW CREATION FROM MINORU KAWASAKI
Japanese comedy master Minoru Kawasaki, creator of such Fantasia classics as THE CALAMARI WRESTLER, EXECUTIVE KOALA and THE RUG COP, is back with another hilariously absurdist treat! A giant monster feasts on hikers and begins to destroy the city when scientists have a genius idea: turning a skinny dude into a colossal pro wrestler! Buildings will fly and models will be pulverized when the hilarious KAIJYU MONO screens in its International Premiere.
JOBS GET LETHALLY ODD IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF PASCAL CHAUMEIL’S UN PETIT BOULOT
Left jobless after the town’s big factory closes, Jacques (Romain Duris) finds a new job to cover his debts and make ends meet – contract killings. A smartly written black comedy that takes sharp shots at capitalism and conformity, UN PETIT BOULOT (ODD JOB) is scripted by and co-starring Michel Blanc, and directed by the late Pascal Chaumeil, who passed away shortly after production was completed.
FROM THE MAKERS OF BITE –
THE WORLD PREMIERE OF BED OF THE DEAD
Maverick Canadian genre heroes Black Fawn Films, whose BITE, EJECTA, ANTISOCIAL, THE DROWNSMAN, and NEVERLOST have all world premiered at Fantasia, return to Montreal with BED OF THE DEAD, the directorial debut of cinematographer Jeff Maher (BITE, HELLOUTH). Four twenty-somethings find themselves stuck on a haunted antique bed where leaving means suffering a gruesome death in this hallucinatory Grand Guignol Twilight Zone-esque shocker that gets freakier with each passing minute.
EVERYONE WILL FALL IN LOWLIFE LOVE
Third Window Films and Eiji Uchida (GREATFUL DEAD) partner up once again for LOWLIFE LOVE, an undeniably personal and uncompromising look behind the scenes of Japan’s micro-budget film industry. Starring veteran actor Denden (COLD FISH, CURE, UZUMAKI) and Kiyohiko Shibukawa (LOVE & PEACE) in the lead role of a 39-year-old deadbeat lowlife running a scam film school for down-on-their-luck actors and filmmakers. Fantasia’s Canadian Premiere screening will be hosted by Director Eiji Uchida, actor Denden, and producer Adam Torel.
FANTASIA CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF JAPAN’S MOST FAMOUS SUPERHERO WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE OFULTRAMAN X: THE MOVIE
On July 17, 1966, the first episode of the hugely popular Ultraman series was broadcast on Japanese television. On July 17, 2016, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of Japan’s most famous superhero, Fantasia will present the international premiere of Kiyotaka Taguchi’s ULTRAMAN X: THE MOVIE, the latest film from Tsuburaya Productions, featuring the original Ultraman.
THE INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE OF KIM TAE-GON’S FAMILYHOOD
Both hilarious and deeply moving, Kim Tae-gon’s extremely smart dramedy FAMILYHOOD (International Premiere) is more than just a solid piece of entertainment. Featuring an impressive cast led by the extraordinary Kim Hye-soo (COIN LOCKER GIRL), it also sparks a necessary reflection on the cult of youth and beauty in contemporary society and South Korean medias, while tackling the unfair marginalization of young single mothers. Director Kim Tae-gon (THE POT) will be hosting Fantasia’s International Premiere of the film.
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DOCUMENTARIES FROM THE EDGE 2016 LINEUP
Fantasia’s documentary section returns with six fascinating works that will provoke thoughts and post-screening discussions-a-plenty.
Beware the Slenderman
USA / Dir: Irene Taylor Brodsky
On May 31, 2014, two girls in Wisconsin committed an irredeemable act at the behest of an eerie Internet entity. A doc in which fiction not only surpasses reality but contaminates it in a horrifying way. Using testimonials and archival footage, it also questions the complex relationship that exists today between youth and social media. If the Slender Man doesn’t exist, he certainly haunts our spirit. Screening will be hosted by director Irene Taylor Brodsky. Official Selection: SXSW 2016, Hot Docs 2016. Quebec Premiere.
The Dwarvenaut
USA / Dir: Josh Bishop
A portrait of the challenges and triumphs of artist, entrepreneur, off-the-cuff philosopher and supremely devoted D&D aficionado Stefan Pokorny, mastermind of Dwarven Forge gaming miniatures. Bishop’s doc is a robust and immensely inspiring tribute to talent, purpose, and dreams made real – an enchanted, and enchanting, tale for the ages. Pokorny and Bishop will be hosting our screening. Official Selection: SXSW 2016, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2016. Quebec Premiere.
The Show of Shows
Iceland-UK / Dir: Benedikt Erlingsson
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, it’s perfectly okay to stare. Prepare to embark on a spectacular non-narrative journey through a century of lost circus and vaudeville arts, set to a bedazzling score by members of Sigur Rós and an Icelandic choir. A dreamy, beautiful, eerie poem of a film. Official Selection: Sheffield Documentary Film Festival 2015, Göteborg International Film Festival 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Tower
USA / Dir: Keith Maitland
On Aug 1, 1966, Austin’s University of Texas campus abruptly became a place of horror when Charles Whitman opened fire from a clock tower. A hyper-cinematic oral history of sorts, set to an inspired combination of artfully animated recreations, newsreel footage, photographs and rotoscoped depictions of the speakers themselves, using these devices to brilliant effect, telling the story in near real-time. Winner: Best Documentary Feature, SXSW 2016. Fantasia’s screening on August 1st will be followed by a panel discussion organized by Meaghan Hennegan, survivor of the 2006 Dawson College Shooting, featuring speakers from Polytechnique, Dawson College and CTV News, with more participants to be announced shortly.
Previously announced Documentaries from the Edge titles: CREATURE DESIGNERS: THE FRANKENSTEIN COMPLEX and FOR THE LOVE OF SPOCK.
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FANTASIA’S ACTION! SECTION EXPLODES THE REMAINDER OF ITS 2016 LINEUP
Following the earlier announcements of the World Premiere of KICKBOXER VENGEANCE and North American Premieres of SKIPTRACE, BLOOD FATHER, ANTIGANG, and TORO, among others, Fantasia’s Action! section has three more hard-hitting punches to land.
Baaghi
India / Dir: Sabbir Khan
Ronny has mastered the art of fighting, a skill he’ll need when he races to the rescue of a kidnapped flame in Thailand. Tiger Shroff’s intense performance shows promise of major martial-arts stardom ahead. BAAGHI is a non-stop action feast that will keep you on the edge of your seat for its whole duration. Quebec Premiere.
Kill Zone 2
Hong Kong-China / Dir.:Soi Cheang
Thai prison guard Chai must keep Kit, an undercover Hong Kong cop, alive at any cost. An action extravaganza with some truly astounding scenes – including a prison riot that will have you on the edge of your seat! Official Selection : Toronto International Film Festival 2015.
The Phantom Detective
South Korea / Dir: Jo Sung-hee
Private investigator Hong Gil-dong (Lee Je-hoon), searching for his mother’s killer, enlists the unsuspecting help of the man’s two granddaughters. A devilish, modern mélange of film noir and action. Official Selection: Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2016.Quebec Premiere.
Additional previously announced Action! titles: THE BODYGUARD, LIBRARY WARS: THE LAST MISSION, and THEY CALL ME JEEG.
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AXIS 2016: ANIME THEN AND NOW, LONE-WOLF ANIMATORS
As its twentieth anniversary arrives, Fantasia can’t forget how essential Japanese anime has been in our programming over the past two decades, and this year we’re screening both a new, state-of-the-art anime feature (HARMONY) and an early cornerstone of Japanese animation history (MOMOTARO, SACRED SAILORS).
The 2016 Axis section also showcases BATTLEDREAM CHRONICLE from Martinique and NOVA SEED from Canada, two superior examples of something we can expect more of in the years to come: full feature films crafted by a single animator on a negligible budget. The quality, creativity, and charm these labours of love exude should give big studios pause… and remind fans of the medium what they love about it in the first place.
Harmony
Japan / Dirs.: Takashi Nakamura, Michael Arias
Tuan has fled to the ends of the Earth, the edge of human civilization drastically reduced by cataclysm – and since supremely elevated by nanotech miracles. A new key work in Japanese animation from the innovative Studio 4°C, part of the Project Itoh anime trilogy. Quebec Premiere.
Momotaro, Sacred Sailors
Japan / Dir.: Mitsuyo Seo
Commissioned by the Ministry of the Navy and inspired by Disney’s FANTASIA, animation pioneer Seo’s 1945 propaganda film for children was the very first Japanese anime feature. A lost masterpiece, freshly restored from the original 35mm negatives. Official Selection, Cannes Classics 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Battledream Chronicle
Martinique / Dir.: Alain Bidard
Syanna must confront the fiercest fighters of Mortemonde, to kill the masters inside them – and the slave inside herself. Martinique’s first animated feature, a digital anime adventure on par with Japan’s best, but proudly Caribbean at heart (and it’s all the work of a single filmmaker).
Nova Seed
Canada / Dir.: Nick DiLiberto
It’s bio-warrior beast-man versus wasteland warlock in this totally hand-drawn, homemade cartoon mini-masterpiece, shamelessly wallowing in vintage Saturday-morning science-fantasy fun. The ne plus ultra of do-it-yourself animation, loaded with irony-free charm. Quebec Premiere.
Previously announced Axis titles: BAD CAT, PSYCHONAUTS, and SEOUL STATION.
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ADDITIONAL THIRD WAVE TITLES INCLUDE:
The Arbalest
USA / Dir: Adam Pinney
The reclusive and eccentric inventor behind the Kalt Cube – the world’s most popular toy! – is opening up after a 10-year vow of silence, ready to unveil a new invention. A quirky, edge-of-your-seat character study, unfolding as the confessional of a Steve Jobs-esque inventor, THE ARBALEST is a rare thing: a vision at once fresh, hilarious, and chilling in its pitch-perfect timeliness. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW 2016.
Bakuman
Japan / Dir: Hitoshi Ohne
Two classmates team up to create a manga and get it published in the legendary magazine Shonen Jump. A film for manga fans to drool over, while pleasing the uninitiated with its contagious dynamism, astounding visual creativity, award winning soundtrack by electro band Sakanaction and stellar cast led by RUROUNI KENSHIN’s Takeru Sato. Official Selection: Udine Far East Film Festival 2016, Japan Cuts 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Collective Invention
South Korea / Dir: Kwon Oh-kwang
A journalist strives to expose the transformation of a boy into a fish following a clinical experiment gone awry. Alternately absurd and bitingly satirical, a smart, funny fantasy you can dive right into. Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival 2015, Busan International Film Festival 2015, BAFICI – Buenos Aires Film Festival 2016. Quebec Premiere.
The Exclusive: Beat the Devil’s Tattoo
South Korea / Dir: Roh Deok
Breaking news, this just in! Killer-thriller collides with biting black satire of modern media! Body count sure to rise! Rising South Korean star Cho Jung-seok (ARCHITECTURE 101) headlines in this anxious, adrenal twist of mystery, mayhem, and mockery. Official Selection: Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2016, Udine Far East Film Festival 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Feuilles mortes
Quebec / Dirs: Thierry Bouffard, Carnior, Edouard A. Tremblay
On the road to a fortified village, three individuals with very different pasts see their destinies unwillingly intertwined. A post-apocalyptic Western that’s also a powerful human drama, starring Roy Dupuis, Noémie O’Farrell, and Philippe Racine. Big-screen viewing is a must.World Premiere.
Five
France / Dir: Igor Gotesman
Selling drugs isn’t for everybody, and when things turn sour, Samuel (Pierre Niney) has no choice but to turn to those who always had his back: his friends! A funny yet humanist film about friendship. North American Premiere.
Fourth Place
South Korea / Dir: Jung Ji-woo
Coach Gwang-su will make a better competitive swimmer of 11-year-old Jun-ho – but at what terrible cost? Gorgeously shot and masterfully written, this shattering, yet luminous sports drama carries the torch for independent Korean cinema in this Olympic year. Official Selection: Busan International Film Festival 2015, Udine Far East Film Festival 2016, New York Asian Film Festival 2016. Canadian Premiere.
HK2: The Abnormal Crisis
Japan / Dir: Yuichi Fukuda
After being the hero of one of the craziest screenings in the history of Fantasia, Hentai Kamen is back for further sexy superheroics in a sequel packed with salacious gags, absurd dialogue, over-the-top action, and grotesque baddies. Official Selection: Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2016, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2016, New York Asian Film Festival 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Holy Flame of the Martial World
Hong Kong / Dir: Lu Chin-Ku
The search for the ultimate weapon, the Holy Flame, continues to create havoc! Beware of laser fingers and flying disco balls as you enjoy this blast of pure, unfiltered kung fu insanity in a rarely seen 35mm Shaw Scope print.
Judge Archer
China / Dir: Xu Haofeng
A tormented young man invites trouble with his new identity in this resounding, confounding kung fu delight that breaks and remakes the very laws of martial arts cinema! North American Premiere.
Karaoke Crazies
South Korea / Dir: Kim Sang-chan
Financial pressures make a dysfunctional family of sorts out of the misfits at Addiction Karaoke – but a serial killer threatens to upend the fragile peace. A crafty blend of black comedy, poignant drama, and brutal suspense. Official Selection: South by Southwest Film Festival 2016, Boston Underground Film Festival 2016. Quebec Premiere.
Kiki, Love to Love
Spain / Dir: Paco León
Five unusual love stories unfold in sunny Madrid, in this smart, spicy sympathetic erotic comedy. León’s film blew up at the box office in Spain and seduced millions – and schooled them in the details of dirty dabblings like harpaxophilia, polyamory, dacryphilia, eliphilia, and somnophilia! Canadian Premiere.
Kiyamachi Daruma
Japan / Dir: Hideo Sakaki
Katsuura was once at the top, boss of a Kyoto yakuza clan. Now, he’s at the very bottom, literally crawling on the floor as a limbless debt collector. One of the bleakest, most unrelenting gangster films which is playing against type at every level possible. Official Selection: New York Asian Film Festival 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Lace Crater
USA / Dir: Harrison Atkins
A disarming film about messy relationships and the shame of owning up to one’s sexuality… especially when ghosts and STDs are involved! Exploring a generation’s drive for romantic connection by way of the supernatural, LACE CRATER blends the improvisational and comedic approaches of erstwhile mumblecore cinema, with the unsettling metaphors that a genre framework can bring to life. Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival 2015, Imagine Film Festival 2016. Quebec Premiere.
Little Sister
USA / Dir: Zach Clark
Halloween 2008 brings a former goth girl, now a nun, back into her dysfunctional clan’s den of disaster. A delightful and idiosyncratic black comedy about family, black lipstick, drugs, and finding grace in adversity starring Addison Timlin, Ally Sheedy, Keith Poulson, and Barbara Crampton. An outright masterpiece from the wildly talented director of WHITE REINDEER. Official Selection: SXSW 2016, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Mon ami Dino
Quebec / Dir: Jimmy Larouche
“I’m not afraid to die – I’m scared to lose my life.” Actor Dino Tavarone (OMERTA) delivers a performance of rare authenticity, playing himself in a wild concoction that perfectly blends reality with fiction. A splendid celebration of life reflecting on family, friendship, work… and illness. Montreal Premiere.
Outlaws and Angels
USA / Dir: JT Mollner
Desperate bank robbers with a bounty hunter on their trail hide out at an isolated farm. A gloomy, violent concoction emphasizing the gritty, depraved, and brutal side of the Wild West, tipping its hat to the classics. Francesca Eastwood, daughter of the legendary silver-screen cowboy, delivers a twisted yet solid performance that is sure to make her famous father proud. Official Selection : Sundance 2016. Canadian Premiere.
Parasyte: Part 1
Japan / Dir: Takashi Yamazaki
The right hand of teenager Shinichi has been commandeered by a strange alien entity, and it wants to find more of its kind. A shrewd, highly logical hybrid of horror and sci-fi, adapted from the hugely popular manga. Official Selection: Tokyo International Film Festival 2014, Udine Far East Film Festival 2015, Nippon Connection Festival 2015. Quebec Premiere.
Parasyte: Part 2
Japan / Dir: Takashi Yamazaki
The second act of the two-part PARASYTE series raises the stakes and cranks up the excitement. A mutant mash-up of grisly gore, creature feature, science fiction eco-shocker, and superhero thrill ride. Official Selection: Udine Far East Film Festival 2015, Nippon Connection Festival 2015. Quebec Premiere.
The Piper
South Korea / Dir: Kim Gwang-tae
In the aftermath of the Korean war, a humble musician and his sick son discover a hidden village plagued by rats – and by shameful, dark secrets. A haunting, horror-stained fable of doublecross and dire retribution adapted from the classic Pied Piper of Hamelin with an amazing cast led by Ryoo Seung Ryong (SEOUL STATION) and Chun Woo-hee (HAN GONG-JU). Official Selection: Vancouver International Film Festival 2015, Busan International Film Festival 2015.
The Priests
South Korea / Dir: Jang Jae-hyun
A grizzled, borderline-burnout veteran exorcist and a rebellious young seminarian confront a demonic possession in Korea in this supernatural thriller that’s scary and/or funny in just the right places. Kim Yoon-seok (THE CHASER), Kang Dong-won (HAUNTERS), and Park So-dam (THE THRONE) shine in Jang Jae-hyun’s impressive first direction. Official Selection: Udine Far East Film Festival 2016, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2016. Quebec Premiere.
Psycho Raman
India / Dir: Anurag Kashyap
Raman, a serial killer in Mumbai, sees his alter ego in the crooked cop pursuing him. A genuine time bomb that can suddenly blow up in your face at any time, capturing the social pressures gnawing away at Indian society. From the visionary director of GANGS OF WASSEYPUR and UGLY. Fantasia will be showing the Cannes cut, as opposed to the version that recently opened in theatrical release. Official Selection, Cannes Director’s Fortnight 2016.
Sori: Voice from the Heart
South Korea / Dir: Lee Ho-jae
Kim is searching for his long-lost daughter. A satellite robot he names Sori is also on a quest – and government agents are after them both. A smart, inventive, and empathic adventure, part quirky comedy, part techno-thriller. Official Selection: Hong Kong International Film Festival 2016, Udine Far East Film Festival 2016. Quebec Premiere.
Too Young to Die!
Japan / Dir: Kankuro Kudo
Recently deceased teenager Daisuke, desperate to escape Hell and reach Heaven, embarks on an epic journey of wacky reincarnations. A devil-horned comedy masterpiece by Writer/Director Kankuro Kudo (BRASS KNUCKLE BOYS), bursting with gore gags and heavy metal tunes by the gallon! Official Selection: International Film Festival Rotterdam 2016, Hong Kong Filmart 2016, New York Asian Film Festival 2016. Canadian Premiere.
A Violent Prosecutor
South Korea / Dir: Lee Il-hyung
Hardboiled prosecutor Byun, framed for the death of a suspect, isn’t going to let prison walls get in the way of his revenge. A rough, tough, rambunctious legal thriller that ransacked the South Korean box office featuring stars Hwang Jung-min (THE WAILING) and Kang Dong-won (THE PRIESTS). Quebec Premiere.
The Fantasia International Film Festival takes place in Montreal from July 14 through August 2, 2016, once again returning to the mammoth Concordia Hall Cinema as its main base.
Related Topics: Fantasia Film Festival
