Over 160 Films Programmed for Fantasia's 18th Edition
FANTASIA CELEBRATES ITS 18th BIRTHDAY WITH OVER 160 FEATURE FILMS
Montreal, Thursday July 10, 2014 - 2014 is the year that Fantasia turns 18. We can't believe it either. Fantasia's 18th birthday means over 160 features and something in the neighborhood of 300 shorts, many being shown for the first time on this continent, a good number screening here for the first time anywhere in the world.
In addition to being stacked with a multitude of breathtaking debut filmmaker discoveries, we're proud to announce that our 2014 lineup includes new works from such extraordinary talents as Abel Ferrara, Terry Gilliam, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Jim Mickle, Jang Joon-hwan, Gregg Araki, Yoshihiro Nakamura, John McNaughton, Richard Linklater, Hideo Nakata, Eli Roth, Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury, Benny Chan, Ricardo Trogi, Nacho Vigalondo, Bill Plympton, Noboru Iguchi, Hans Petter Moland, Richard Bates Jr, Riad Sattouf, Toshiaki Toyoda, Adrián García Bogliano, Takashi Miike, Mike Cahill, Won Shin-yeon, James Gunn, Nicholas McCarthy, Dante Lam, Steffen Haars, Flip Van der Kuil, Hisayasu Sato, the Mo Brothers, the Spierig Brothers, the Zellner Brothers, and the list goes on.
In the past weeks, we announced many programming highlights in our 1st and 2nd Wave press releases. The time has now come to unveil the rest of what's in store.
North American Premiere of Denmark's Cannes breakout WHEN ANIMALS DREAM among the lineup of Camera Lucida's striking 5th Edition.
In addition to the previously announced titles (see lower), Fantasia's 2014 Camera Lucida section features:
THE DESERT
Argentina Dir: Christoph Behl
This Argentine addition to the post-apocalyptic genre is a stunning, suggestive huis-clos of unprecedented emotional charge. A beautiful look at human impulses that are wholly inescapable, even at the end of the world. Official Selection: Sitges 2013, Stockholm International Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere.
RED FAMILY
South Korea Dir: Lee Ju-hyoung
North Korean spies undercover as a “family” must contend with their unruly neighbours in this hard yet empathic drama packed with moral dilemmas and moments of ironic black humour, written and produced by Kim Ki-duk.. North American Premiere.
SEVENTH CODE
Japan Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
A young Japanese woman finds herself lost and alone in Russia, leading her into a sinister universe of international espionage. In SEVENTH CODE is Kiyoshi Kurosawa's unexpected detour into the thriller genre. Canadian Premiere.
THOU WAST MILD AND LOVELY
USA Dir: Josephine Decker
Described by its gifted maker as “an intimate magical realist erotic thriller… a horror film, a farm drama, a comedy, a sexual romp, and a deep character study,” THOU WAST is indeed all these things rolled into one hallucinatory and unique journey. Stars Joe Swanberg and Sophie Traub. Official Selection: Berlin Film Festival 2014, Sarasota Film Festival 2014. On the same bill, we will be presenting Decker's other feature film, BUTTER ON THE LATCH. Both will be Canadian Premieres.
WHEN ANIMALS DREAM
Denmark Dir: Jonas Alexander Amby
Marie, a young girl in an isolated fishing village, harbours a family secret — strange hairs, sharp teeth, remarkable strength when enraged. More than a simple chiller, the magnificent WHEN ANIMALS DREAM is a work of rare power and a stunning drama about adolescence. Official Selection: Semaine de la critique, Cannes 2014. North American Premiere.
Previously announced titles from our 2014 Camera Lucida lineup: BOYHOOD (Quebec Premiere), JELLYFISH EYES (Canadian Premiere), THE MAN IN THE ORANGE JACKET (World Premiere), THE MIDNIGHT SWIM (World Premiere), PUZZLE (North American Premiere), SUMMER OF BLOOD (Canadian Premiere)
The Return of AXIS: Fantasia's Animation Showcase
Axis, Fantasia's international; animation showcase, returns with features hailing from Belgium, France, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA.
Aside from the previous announced Axis titles (see below), our 2014 lineup features:
APPLESEED ALPHA
Japan Dir: Shinji Aramaki
Super-soldier Deunan and her hulking cyborg companion Briareos stalk the shattered husk of New York City. A tour-de-force of digital design, APPLESSED ALPHA is essential kick-ass cyberpunk animation. North American Premiere
BAYONETTA: BLOODY FATE
Japan Dir: Fuminori Kizaki
Bayonetta, a lithe, powerful witch and mistress of the Bullet Arts, dispatches a host of bloodthirsty angels in a church. But what she cannot dispel are the mysteries of her own origin and purpose… Canadian Premiere.
THE FAKE
South Korea Dir: Yeon Sang-ho
The latest from Yeon Sang-ho, winner of Fantasia's first Satoshi Kon Award with KING OF PIGS, targets corruption, Korean displacement policies that favour progress over the individual's welfare, and the dark side of religion. Official Selection: AFI Fest 2013 Quebec Premiere.
HAL
Japan Dir: Ryotaro Makihara
An android assigned to console a grieving girl learns what being human means in this short, self-contained gem of emotionally resonant science fiction anime. North American Premiere.
HEAVENLY SWORD
USA Dir: Gun Ho Jang
Fierce redhead Nariko is the divinely ordained wielder of a legendary weapon in an exquisitely realized fantasy realm. The most anticipated game-to-film adaptation of the year has arrived, and you'll find it at Fantasia first! Scripted by Todd Farmer and featuring the voices of Anna Torv, Alfred Molina and Thomas Jane. World Premiere.
HUNTER X HUNTER : PHANTOM ROUGE
Japan Dir: Yuzo Sato
The stage is set for secrets and conspiracies, fantastic wonders and furious action, as Yoshihiro Togashi's hugely popular manga series HUNTER X HUNTER makes its big-screen anime debut. Canadian Premiere.
JACK ET LA MÉCANIQUE DU COEUR (Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart)
France-Belgium Dirs: Stéphane Berla, Mathias Malzieu
A graciously Gallic surrealist fairy-tale musical with a dash of Gothic macabre and a streak of steampunk tech, the Luc Besson-produced JACK ET LA MÉCANIQUE DU COEUR is a CG-animated cabinet of curiosities that kids and grown-ups alike can rummage through with delight. Official selection, Berlin Film Festival 2014, Gérardmer International Fantasic Film Festival 2014
KOO! KIN DZA-DZA
Russia Dir: Georgiy Daneliya, Tatiana Ilyina
Veteran Russian filmmaker Georgiy Daneliya reboots his own late-Soviet-era cult classic as a super-cool cartoon with contemporary upgrades. Rustbucket steampunk gizmos and Kafkaesque conundrums abound!
THE SATTELITE GIRL AND MILK COW
South Korea Dir: Chang Hyung-yun
A familiar trope of Asian animation — fantastical romance between misfits — is turned upside down and inside out in this charmingly surrealist robo-rom-com from South Korea. North American Premiere.
Previously announced Axis titles: CHEATIN' (Canadian Premiere), GIOVANNI'S ISLAND (Canadian Premiere),HUNTER X HUNTER: THE LAST MISSION (Canadian Premiere), and a special screening of the new HD master for Mamoru Oshii's 1995 classic GHOST IN THE SHELL, before which the filmmaker will be presented a lifetime achievement award.
DOCUMENTARIES FROM THE EDGE
Fantasia's esteemed doc section returns with a six-feature lineup. Aside from the previous announced section titles (see below), our 2014 Documentaries from the Edge lineup features:
BOLD & BRASH: FILMMAKING BOISVERT STYLE
Canada Dir: Simon Boisvert
A cult subject of interest in Quebecois psychotronic fan circles, the controversial auteur of VÉNUS DE MILO turns the camera on himself to reflect on his own history in film. World Premiere.
KUNG FU ELLIOT
Canada Dir: Matthew Bauckman, Jaret Belliveau
Making micro-budget martial arts films in small-town Nova Scotia, Elliot “White Lightning” Scott is determined to become Canada's first big-screen action hero. Winner: Best Documentary Feature, Slamdance 2014. Quebec Premiere
TO BE TAKEI
USA Dir: Jennifer M. Kroot, Bill Weber
A triumphant documentary chronicling his humble beginnings through the unmistakable cultural icon George Takei has become today, TO BE TAKEI charmingly chronicles the life, love, and mission of a true American hero who makes us all say, “Oh my…”. Official Selection: Sundance 2014. Hot Docs 2014. Quebec Premiere.
Previously announced Documentaries from the Edge titles: THE CREEPING GARDEN (World Premiere), FIGHT CHURCH (International Premiere), SEARCH FOR WENG WENG (North American Premiere).
AND NOW, FOR THE REST OF THE PACK!
1987
Canada Dir: Ricardo Trogi
From first job and first love to final exam and end of school, Ricardo Trogi's autobiographical 1987, following his earlier 1981, vividly revisits the ups and downs of everyone's teenage years. Montreal Premiere,
ANIMOSITY
USA Dir: Brendan Steere
Brandan Steere's ghastly yet character-driven nightmare is one of those rare works of which it's best to say as little as possible. It's up to the viewer to discover what lurks in this profoundly cruel tale in which masks are lifted to expose an unspeakable horror. A brilliant debut. Produced by Roy Frumkes (STREET TRASH, DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD). WINNER: Best Actress and Best Horror Film, Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival. International Premiere.
BLACK BUTLER
Japan Dir: Kentaro Otani, Keiichi Sato
Shiori sold her soul to avenge her parents' murder. She and her diabolical butler Sebastian are on a mission... The hit manga's action-packed big-screen adaptation will thrill diehard fans and newbies alike. Quebec Premiere.
BLACK MOUNTAIN SIDE
Canada Dir: Nick Szostakiwskyj
Scientists in Canada's remote wilderness uncover an ancient stone structure and unleash an inexplicable evil. A calculating and claustrophobic snowbound shocker that casts a spell of quiet madness, this powerful feature debut from Calgary-born Nick Szostakiwskyj is evocative of Larry Fessenden. World Premiere.
COLD EYES
South Korea Dir: Cho Ui-seok, Kim Byung-seo
One of South Korea's absolute blockbuster hits of 2013, a fast-paced, relentless roller-coaster ride into the high-stakes world of criminal surveillance that will leave you absolutely breathless. Quebec Premiere.
THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA
USA Dir: Pete Schuermann
A tumultuous portrait of a talentless artist with disproportionate ambition, THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA pays vibrant tribute to an inglorious chapter in the history of genre cinema detailing the life of decadent hoodlum filmmaker Vic Savage and the disastrous making of THE CREEPING TERROR. Official Selection: Imagine Film Festival, Amsterdam, 2014. North American Premiere.
DAYS OF WRATH
South Korea Dir: Shin Dong-yeop
Fifteen years after the torments of his teenage days, Joon-seok seeks vengeance on his erstwhile tormentor, Chang-sik. A Korean revenge film that stands out starkly from its predecessors, bringing in a new perspective for which the genre thirsted. International Premiere.
DEAD SNOW: RED VS DEAD
Norway Dir: Tommy Wirkola
The bigger, bloodier sequel to the 2009 Nazi zombie cult hit from Norway, DEAD SNOW: RED VS DEAD sees the lone survivor of the first massacre teaming up with the Zombie Squad to confront the legions of living-dead SS soldiers… with their Soviet counterparts! Official Selection: Sundance 2014, Seattle International Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere
THE DEMON WITHIN
Hong Kong Dir: Dante Lam
Beware of the Festival of Hungry Ghosts! The Demon King Gang is creating havoc once again! Lock and load for some high-octane action and horror in a film-noir setting, from Dante Lam (BEAST STALKER, STOOL PIGEON). Quebec Premiere
DOCTOR PROCTOR'S FART POWDER
Norway Dir: Arild Fröhlich
Nilly and Lisa encounter the eccentric Dr. Proctor, whose new anti-baldness powder won't put hairs on your head, but will put the wind in your sails! Pure and potent giggle-inducing goofiness, an over-the-top tale with a visual aesthetic to match, from the director of 2008's beloved FATSO! International Premiere.
DYS-
Canada Dir: Maude Michaud
With their marriage in decline, a couple hole up in their condo as a virus sweeps through society outside. Can they survive the epidemic... and each other? A familiar theme, approached from an effective new angle. World Premiere.
EJECTA
Canada Dirs: Chad Archibald, Matt Wiele
Written by acclaimed author/screenwriter Tony Burgess (PONTYPOOL), this original concept for an alien-themed horror film stars the great Julian Richings and is half nail-biting found-footage terror and half suspense-laden conspiracy thriller. From the team behind this year's THE DROWNSMAN. World Premiere.
THE FATAL ENCOUNTER
South Korea Dir: Lee Jae-kyoo
This powerful, tragic political thriller retells an oft-told tale of true history, of an attack on the so-called “King of Misfortune” in 1777 Korea. A superior slice of silks-and-swordplay, sultry, sumptuous, sophisticated — and savage. Quebec Premiere.
FAULTS
USA Dir: Riley Stearns
A washed-up, cash-strapped former “deprogrammer” of cult victims (Leland Orser) is asked to do an intervention on a young woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who's deeply ensnared in a cult that calls itself “Faults”. A slow-burning, thoroughly engaging huis clos, a smart and assured essay on the creation and breakdown of faith, a gripping meditation on the manipulation of certainty and doubt. Official Selection: SXSW 2014. International Premiere.
THE FIVES
South Korea Dir: Jeong Yeon-shik
Wheelchair-bound Eun-a seeks vengeance on the serial killer who slew her family, and assembles a group of desperate misfits to execute her plan. A gripping, fast-moving team spin on the familiar Korean revenge-thriller formula. Canadian Premiere.
FOUR CORNERS
South Africa Dir: Ian Gabriel
Recalling CITY OF GOD, this South African gang-related crime drama — shot in locations where the media or even the authorities aren't allowed to tread — is a magnificently staged motion picture filled with breathtaking realism. Official Selection: Sydney Film Festival 2014. Quebec Premiere.
GOAL OF THE DEAD
France Dir: Benjamin Rocher, Thierry Poiraud
Experimental steroids turn a surly football fan into a mutant zombie hooligan, whose vomit spreads the infection on the eve of a major stadium game. Divided in two segments, the first directed by Benjamin Rocher (LA HORDE) and the second by Thierry Poiraud (ATOMIK CIRCUS), you better have your umbrella handy when the spraying starts. North American Premiere.
THE GREEN INFERNO
USA Dir: Eli Roth
HOSTEL creator Eli Roth's return to the director's chair is a cannibal nightmare in the Amazonian jungle, in the classic Italian style, true to the form both in terms of graphic content and the themes of civility vs. civilization. Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival 2013, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2014. Quebec Premiere.
GUARDIAN
Indonesia Dir: Helfi Kardit
After THE RAID: REDEMPTION (2011) and THE RAID 2 (2014), Indonesia serves up GUARDIAN, an old-school action flick is which a mother pressures her daughter to master the martial arts following the murder of her father. International Premiere.
GUN WOMAN
Japan Dir: Kurando Mitsutake
Japanese actress Asami is a junkie hooker transformed into a ruthless assassin in this ultraviolent action flick. If you're into gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and floods of blood, set your sights on GUN WOMAN. Canadian Premiere.
HASEE TOH PHASEE
India Dir: Vinil Mathew
As his wedding approaches, Nikhil must take care of his fiancé's younger sister in this romantic comedy from India — a solid piece of entertainment filled with funny moments, rich dialogue, fantastic performances and delicious tunes!
HONEYMOON
USA Dir: Leigh Janiak
For all of the strange places HONEYMOON is willing to go, its success lies in its scariest moments being entirely human. Bubbling just underneath the distressing question of, “How well do I know who I married?” is another dreadful prospect: “Am I enough for this stranger?”. Official Selection: Tribeca 2014. Canadian Premiere.
THE HOOLIGAN FACTORY
UK Dir: Nick Nevern
A dynamic, parodist plunge into that particularly male, regional and unique tradition of disturbing the peace, the football hooligan. A hell of a good time for sports fans and aficionados of British comedy alike. North American Premiere.
THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME
Venezuela Dir: Alejandro Hidalgo
Creepy, touching and truly extraordinary, Venezuela's first full-on genre film production plays like Latin American Richard Matheson story told through the prism of del Toro and Amenábar. Winner: Audience Award, Best Film, Mérida Venezuela Film Festival 2013, Official Selection: Fantasporto 2014. North American Premiere.
HWAYI: A MONSTER BOY
South Korea Dir: Jang Joon-hwan
Kidnapped by five criminals in his infancy, Hwayi has spent the last decade shacked up in the woods, learning how to be a cold-blooded killing machine. An exploration of evil from the creator of the cult classic SAVE THE GREEN PLANET! North American Premiere.
KABISERA
Philippines Dir : Alfonso Torre III
Following a haunting dream, a felon-turned-fisherman finds a shipment of methamphetamine — and soon finds himself trapped in a nightmare. One of the most powerful, lasting genre films to come out of the Phillipines in recent year. Quebec Premiere.
KRRISH 3
India Dir: Rakesh Roshan
Hrithik Roshan once again jumps into his superhero costume to deliver the long-awaited KRRISH 3. Rakesh Roshan hasn't changed a thing in the delicious recipe that has turned India's Krrish into a planetary hero.
LATE PHASES
USA Dir: Adrián García Bogliano
The tight-knit retirement community of Crescent Bay is harbouring something truly sinister in its midst… From the director of HERE COMES THE DEVIL comes a true love letter to '80s monster-movie buffs and all those hankering for a good old-fashioned werewolf picture. Official Selection: SXSW 2014, Stanley Film Festival 2014
LEROY THE SPACE COWBOY
USA Dir: LeRoy McCoy
An unclassifiable, oddball DIY outsider epic, shot over a period of 15 years in the filmmaker's backyard, starring its mad creator LeRoy McCoy- as virtually every character in the film! World Premiere.
METALHEAD
Iceland Dir: Ragnar Bragason
Director Ragnar Bragason, one of Iceland's most acclaimed directors (CHILDREN, PARENTS, TV's NIGHTSHIFT), and award-winning lead actress Thorbjörg Helga Dyrfjörd (THE DEEP) join forces to produce a fascinating, nuanced portrait of familial grief, rural life, and religion that ultimately subverts the concept of the stereotypical macho metalhead and celebrates the subculture of alienation that defines the genre. Quebec Premiere.
THE MOLE SONG – UNDERCOVER AGENT REIJI
Japan Dir: Takashi Miike
Disgraced cop Reiji Kikukawa is sent undercover to infiltrate the most powerful yakuza clan in Japan. With its marvellously absurd humour and contagious energy, THE MOLE SONG marks Miike's magnificent return to comedy! Quebec Premiere.
MR. GO
South Korea/China Dir: Kim Yong-hwa
Teenage Weiwei brings her gorilla with a powerhouse swing to the Asian baseball scene, to save her family's debt-ridden circus. Korea's first 3D blockbuster, an ambitious pan-Asian production, hits a home run! Canadian Premiere.
NUIGULUMAR Z (Gothic Lolita Battle Bear)
Japan Dir: Noboru Iguchi
Get ready for sugar and spice and everything nice — set on maximum slice and dice! Cosplay and kawaii collide with Japanese sci-fi superheroics and zombie gore in GOTHIC LOLITA BATTLE BEAR! Canadian Premiere.
THE ONE I LOVE
USA Dir: Charlie McDowell
Mark Duplass and Elizabeth Moss are an unhappy married couple at a therapeutic retreat who make a startling discovery that catapults them into the realm of the bizarre. A delightful rom-com huis-clos of the most unexpected kind. Official Selection: Sundance 2014
PATCH TOWN
Canada Dir: Craig Goodwill
A couple flee a sinister living-doll factory in this riotous Canadian musical overflowing with wry humour and striking dystopian visuals in the vein of Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Quebec Premiere
PREMATURE
USA Dir: Dan Beers
GROUNDHOG DAY's déja-vu meets AMERICAN PIE's dirty jokes in Dan Beers's debut teen-comedy feature. The variations on the premise are ingenious and the narrative arc absolutely delirious! Official Selection: SXSW 2014. Canadian Premiere.
PRESERVATION
USA Dir: Christopher Denham
Three people drive out to the woods for an isolated camping trip. The game changes and, stripped of their wireless lifelines, they must pull together against an unseen, ruthless and heavily armed threat. A visceral white-knuckle thriller from Christopher Denham, whose phenomenal 2008 debut HOME MOVIE World Premiered here. Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2014. International Premiere.
PROM NIGHT
Canada Dir: Paul Lynch
Special unveiling of Synapse Films' stunning 2K restoration of the 1980 disco slasher cult classic starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Nielson.
REAL
Japan Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
The Escher-like subconscious mindscape of a loved one becomes a spirit-laden underworld to explore in this bizarre, surreal, supremely beautiful sci-fi melodrama from Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Quebec Premiere.
RUROUNI KENSHIN – KYOTO INFERNO
Japan Dir: Keishi Otomo
Long awaited sequel of the live action movie RUROUNI KENSHIN (2012) has finally arrived! Based on the best-selling manga series of the same title, this two-part film revolves around Kenshin's desperate struggle to protect the nation and the people he loves from the conspiracy of Shishio, a former government assassin and Kenshin's notorious successor, to overthrow the government. International Premiere.
THE SNOW WHITE MURDER CASE
Japan Dir: Yoshihiro Nakamura
Playing out like an endlessly fragmented retelling of RASHOMON for the digital age, the latest from Yoshihiro Nakamura (FISH STORY, GOLDEN SLUMBER) is a strikingly modern whodunit. Quebec Premiere.
SPACE STATION '76
USA Dir: Jack Plotnick
Can the crew of Omega 76 handle their emotional baggage and dysfunctional relationships as a deadly asteroid hurtles towards them? Retro-kitsch comedy and straightfaced soap opera collide in this stellar pastiche the 1970s space-base genre, starring Patrick Wilson and Liv Tyler. Official Selection: SXSW 2014 International Premiere.
THE SPY: UNDERCOVER OPERATION
South Korea Dir: Lee Seung-jun
Elite operative Agent Kim must keep a second Korean War from breaking out — and his marriage from breaking apart! Equal parts zany rom-com and intense thriller, THE SPY is a mirthful mash-up of gritty gunplay and goofball gags. Canadian Premiere.
THE SUSPECT
South Korea Dir: Won Shin-yeon
A North Korean super-soldier turned defector is drawn into a morally murky maelstrom of secrets, lies and sudden, furious yet precise violence. A tough, tight political action thriller with a soul. Canadian Premiere.
THERMAE ROMAE II
Japan Dir: Hideaki Takeuchi
Time-travelling Roman bathhouse architect Lucius returns! Funnier, more grandiose and irreverent, this second journey from Ancient Rome to modern Japan, care of director Hideaki Takeuchi, is frankly spectacular. International Premiere.
TIME LAPSE
USA Dir: Bradley King
A janitor stumbles across a machine that takes photos of the future, 24 hours ahead. A captivating sci-fi thriller evoking the golden days of Hitchcock and THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Winner: Best International Feature, London Independent Film Festival 2014, Official Selection: Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere.
UZUMASA LIMELIGHT
Japan Dir: Ken Ochiai
Old Kamiyama the swordfight-death specialist is a legend around Kyoto's Uzumasa Studios, but his star, however small it ever was, has dimmed. A journey into the inner workings of Japanese pop entertainment, in its golden era and today. Canadian Premiere.
WETLANDS
Germany Dir: David Wnendt
Bursting with kinetic energy, WETLANDS has become a festival underdog across the world. It's a bold, great time, an in-your-face eccentric romp that smartly challenges social taboos with punk rock zeal and a whole lot of heart. Official Selection: Locarno 2013, Sundance 2014.
WOLFCOP
Canada Dir: Lowell Dean
No one is above the claw when WolfCop's on duty! A high-flying, hard-drinking, blood-spraying burst of Canuxploitation awesome, capturing the off-the-rails energy of the classic VHS era that spawned it. Quebec Premiere.
THE ZERO THEOREM
UK-Romania Dir: Terry Gilliam
Qohen Leth is determined to crack the Zero Theorem and discover the reason for all existence, provided he can work without distraction. But those distractions keep coming. Terry Gilliam's latest will finally be lighting up a Canadian screen! Official Selection: Venice Film Festival 2013, Fantastic Fest 2013, Glasgow Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere.
ZOMBEAVERS
USA Dir: Jordan Rubin
A siege on a secluded cabin pits sexy coeds and frat-boy bros — and a few eccentric older characters — against the ugly, furry, glowing-red-eyed hordes that emerge from their dam to feast on human flesh. Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2014. International Premiere.
ZOMBIE TV
Japan Dir: Maelie Makuno, Naoya Tashiro, Yoshihiro Nishimura
Ever dreamed of zombie-only cable TV, broadcasting all things putrefied, decomposing and brain-hungry, 24 hours a day, all year round? A severed-tongue-firmly-planted-in-rotten-cheek, all-you-can-eat zombie-party anthology from Yoshihiro Nishimura and co. Canadian Premiere.
The above-listed titles do not include the feature films previously announced in our recently issued 1st and 2nd Wave press releases. For extensive information, imagery and trailers on our complete 2014 lineup of features and shorts, as well as venue information, tickets etc. visit us at FantasiaFestival.com.
FANTASIA GUEST LIST BRINGS THE BEST OF GENRE FILM TO MONTREAL
This year Fantasia continues its tradition of inviting the best and brightest genre filmmakers from around the world to the city of Montreal. The festival is proud to host more than 76 directors, producers and actors coming to Fantasia to premiere their films at the festival's 18th edition. Fantasia will welcome filmmakers from all over the globe, from countries ranging from Brunei, Japan, and South Korea, to France and the Netherlands.
With this year marking the 3rd edition of the Fantasia Industry Rendez-Vous, the festival will continue to expand its international film industry presence. 61 filmmakers and producers from Quebec, Canada, the USA, the UK, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Portugal will present projects in the Frontières International Co-Production Market.
In total, this year Fantasia will host more than 400 film industry professionals from around the world.
Special festival guests include: Master Animator Bill Plympton (IDIOTS AND ANGELS, I MARRIED A STRANGE PERSON!) returns to Fantasia with his skilful romantic rom, CHEATIN'. July 21
Mamoru Oshii will receive a Fantasia Lifetime Achievement Award for his unparalleled career in animation and will also present a newly remastered high-definition version of his classic GHOST IN THE SHELL. July 17
Eli Roth (CABIN FEVER, HOSTEL) returns to Fantasia with the cannibal horror feast THE GREEN INFERNO, alongside actress Lorenza Izzo (AFTERSHOCK). August 2
Cult actress Asami (THE MACHINE GIRL, SUKEBAN BOY) and director Kurando Mitsutake (SAMURAI AVENGER: THE BLIND WOLF, MONSTERS DON'T GET TO CRY) will be in attendance for the action opus GUN WOMAN. July 25
Director John McNaughton (HENRY: A PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, WILD THINGS) will travel to Montreal to present his sinister thriller THE HARVEST. July 21
Korean filmmaker Jang Joon-hwan (SAVE THE GREEN PLANET!) travels to Montreal with his feature film comeback, HWAYI: A MONSTER BOY. July 21
Co-Director & Writer David Zellner (KID-THING, GOLIATH) and producer Chris Ohlson will present the beguiling adventure story KUMIKO: THE VAMPIRE HUNTER. July 23
Actress Aubrey Plaza (PARKS AND RECREATION, SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED), actor Matthew Gray Gubler (CRIMINAL MINDS, (500) DAYS OF SUMMER) and Director / Writer Jeff Baena (I HEART HUCKABEE'S) will make their Fantasia debut with the masterfully intelligent undead comedy LIFE AFTER BETH. July 19
Master artisan of the lowbrow Noboru Iguchi (DEAD SUSHI, ZOMBIE ASS), returns to Fantasia with two films this year, LIVE and GOTHIC LOLITA BATTLE BEAR. July 18, July 20
Actors Ray Wise (TWIN PEAKS, ROBOCOP) and Matthew Gray Gubler (also of LIFE AFTER BETH) will join director Richard Bates Jr. (EXCISION) to present the ghostly satire SUBURBAN GOTHIC. July 19
Fear pioneer Tobe Hooper will receive a Fantasia Lifetime Achievement Award and will present the 4K restoration of his legendary horror classic, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. July 30
Emerging indie talent Josephine Decker brings her arthouse successes THOU WAST MILD AND LOVELY and BUTTER ON THE LATCH to Montreal for their Canadian premieres. July 19, July 21
Abel Ferrara (BAD LIEUTENANT, KING OF NEW YORK, MS. 45) makes his first Fantasia appearance with the hotly anticipated WELCOME TO NEW YORK, Fantasia's Closing Night Film, starring Gérard Depardieu and Jacqueline Bisset. August 5
Director Siti Kamaluddin and Action Director Chan Man Ching will travel from Brunei to present the North American premiere of the feel-good martial arts story YASMINE. July 25
Full Guest Line-up for Fantasia 2014 (listed by film, additional guests to confirm shortly):
1987 – Director/Writer Ricardo Trogi and Actor Jean-Carl Boucher
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie - Co-Director/Co-Writer/Co-Producer Kevin Finn and Co-Producer Sean Keegan.
At the Devil's Door – Director/Writer Nicholas McCarthy
Aux yeux des vivants – Co-Director/Co-Writer Alexandre Bustillo
Bag Boy Lover Boy – Director/Co-Writer/Co-Producer Andres Torres and Co-Producer Ziyad Saadi
Black Mountain Side – Director/Writer/Co-Producer Nick Szostakiwsky, Co-Producer Cameron Tremblay and Actor Shane Twerdun
Bloody Knuckles - Director Matt O'Mahoney and Co-Producer Daniel Domachowski and others.
Bold & Brash: Filmmaking Boisvert Style - Director Simon Boisvert
BROs BEFORE HOs – Co-Directors/Co-Writers Steffen Haars and Flip Van der Kuil, Actor Tim Haars
Butter on the Latch + Thou Wast Mild and Lovely – Director/Writer Josephine Decker
Cheatin' – Director/Writer/Co-Producer Bill Plympton
Closer to God – Director/Writer/Co-Producer Billy Senese
The Creep Behind the Camera – Director/Writer Pete Schuerman
The Creeping Garden - Co-Director Jasper Sharp
Cybernatural - Director Leo Gabriadze
Dealer – Director/Co-Writer/Editor Jean-Luc Herbulot, Actor/Co-Producer Dan Bronchinson and Co-Producer Jean Mach abd Actor Destin Lenord
Devil's Mile – Director/Writer/Co-Producer Joseph O'Brien
Dirty Movies : A History of the "Stag" Film – Author/Professor Thomas Waugh
The Drownsman – Director/Co-Writer/Co-Producer Chad Archibald, Co-Producer Christopher Giroux, Actress Michelle Mylett and guests
Dys- – Director/Writer/Producer Maude Michaud and Actress Shannon Lark
Équinoxe - Actor Jacques Godin
Ejecta – Co-Directors/Co-Producers Chad Archibald and Matt Wiele and guests
Fight Church – Co-Director Bryan Storkel
Ghost in the Shell - Director Mamoru Oshii
The Green Inferno – Director/Co-Writer/Co-Producer Eli Roth and Actress Lorenza Izzo
Guardian – Director/Writer/Producer Helfi Kardit
Gun Woman – Director/Writer Mitsutake Kurando and Actress Asami
Hwayi: A Monster Boy - Director Joon-Hwan Jang
I Am a Knife with Legs – Director/Writer/Producer/Editor/Actor Bennett Jones
Kumiko the Treasure Hunter – Director/Co-Writer David Zellner and Co-Producer Chris Ohlson
Kung Fu Elliot – Co-Director/Co-Writer/Co-Producer/Co-Cinematographer/Co-Editor Matthew Bauckman
Les Jaunes : Le film – Director/Writer/Editor Rémi Fréchette
Let Us Prey - Director Brian O'Malley
Life After Beth – Director/Writer Jeff Baena, Actress Aubrey Plaza and Actor Matthew Gray Gubler
Live + Nuigulumar Z - Director Noboru Iguchi
The Midnight Swim – Director/Writer/Editor Sarah Adina Smith Co-Producers Mary Pat Bentel and Jonako Donley, and Cinematographer Shaheen Seth
Pouvoir intime - Actors Jacques Godin, Marie Tiffo and Pierre Curzi
Premature – Director/Co-Writer Dan Beers
The Reconstruction of William Zero – Director/Co-Writer/Co-Producer Dan Bush
Rurouni Kenshin – Kyoto Inferno – Director/Co-Writer Keishi Otomo and Executive Producer Hiroyoshi Koiwai
Starry Eyes – Co-Directors Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch, Actor Noah Segan
Summer of Blood – Director/Writer/Co-Producer/Editor/Actor Onur Turkel
Suburban Gothic – Director/Co-Writer Richard Bates Jr, Actors Matthew Gray Gubler and Ray Wise
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Director/Co-Writer/Producer/Co-Composer Tobe Hooper
Time Lapse – Director/Co-Writer Bradley King and Co-Writer/Co-Producer B.P. Cooper
Welcome to New York – Director/Co-Writer Abel Ferrara
WolfCop – Director/Writer/Co-Producer Lowell Dean
Yasmine - Director Siti Kamaluddin and Action Director Chan Man Ching
A KNOCKOUT PAIR OF BOOK LAUNCH EVENTS
On Sunday July 20, Fantasia will proudly be presenting the world premiere launch of Spectacular Optical's first anthology book, KID POWER! — all about cool, tuff and inspiring kids in cult film and television. Co-edited by Kier-La Janisse, author of House of Psychotic Women, and Canuxploitation's Paul Corupe and featuring writing by a diverse array of genre film criticism's most unique voices, Kid Power! covers the gamut from THE PEANUT BUTTER SOLUTION to THE ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL and the dark side of Disney. And tons more!
The launch will be accompanied by a rare 35mm screening of Jack Clayton's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1983) and a FREE cereal buffet!
On August 2, Fantasia will be launching legendary Quebec producer John Dunning's posthumous autobiography YOU'RE NOT DEAD UNTIL YOU'RE FORGOTTEN: A MEMOIR, published by McGill-Queen's University Press. In the 1960s Dunning, along with financial wizard André Link, founded Cinepix, which eventually merged into the Lionsgate Entertainment film colossus. Specializing in such exploitation genres as raucous comedy, groundbreaking Québécois "maple syrup porn" and horror films, Cinepix helped launch the careers of such luminaries-to-be as David Cronenberg, Ivan Reitman, and Don Carmody. You're Not Dead Until You're Forgotten finally gives this pioneer Canadian filmmaker his long-overdue spotlight. John Dunning and André Link were recipients of Fantasia's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. The launch will be accompanied by a special 35mm screening of Jean Beaudin's LE DIABLE EST PARMI NOUS (1972). Print courtesy of Archives Canada.
THE 3RD EDITION OF THE FANTASIA INDUSTRY RENDEZ-VOUS
For a third consecutive year, the Fantasia International Film Festival has organized an event to host members of the international film industry at the festival: The Fantasia Industry Rendez-Vous. From July 24 to 27, producers, directors, sales agents, distributors and talent agents from here and afar will converge in Montreal to develop film projects, as well as sell and buy films from Fantasia's programming.
The 2014 edition of the Rendez-Vous will attract 280 participants, including 120 from Canada, 85 from the United-States and 55 from a variety of European countries. The market will host 128 producers, including 12 companies that directly finance productions; 86 directors; 26 distribution companies, including The Weinstein Company, eOne, Magnolia, Mongrel and Drafthouse Films; 27 international sales agents, including Celluloid Dreams, Memento, Wild Bunch and XYZ Films; 20 festival programmers, including programmers from the Toronto, Sundance and Tribeca film festivals; and 4 talent agencies: CAA, ICM, UTA and WME. (Some of these companies have activities that overlap.)
The principal activity of the Industry Rendez-Vous is the Frontières International Co-Production Market, the first market to focus specifically on genre film co-production in-between North America and Europe. The first European edition of the market successfully took place in Brussels this past April, so it is now the 4th edition of Frontières that will occur this summer. Once again, 24 film projects in development will be presented, hailing from Canada, the United-States, Mexico, Great-Britain, Portugal, France, Luxemburg, Germany and Lithuania.
The line-up includes projects from seasoned filmmakers Dario Argento and George Mihalka, as well as follow-up projects by the directors and/or producers of films that toured the fantastic film festivals circuit in recent years: BANSHEE CHAPTER (Prod. Christian Arnold-Beutel), BLUE CAPRICE (Prods. Isen Robins & Aimee Schoof), CELL COUNT (Dir./Writer Todd E. Freeman), CITADEL (Prod. Katie Holly), DEAD BEFORE DAWN 3D (Prod. Avi Federgreen), THE DEMON'S ROOK (Dir. James Sizemore), DJINN (Prod. Daniella Tully), GOOD NEIGHBORS (Dir. Jacob Tierney), THE LORDS OF SALEM (Prod. Jeremy Platt), MARS ET AVRIL (Prod. Anne-Marie Gélinas), MON AMI (Dir.Writer Rob Grant), MUST LOVE DEATH (Dir. Andreas Shaap), MUTANT CHRONICLES (Dir. Simon Hunter), RED, WHITE & BLUE (Dir. Simon Rumley), THE REVENANT (Dir./Writer Kerry Prior), STITCHES (Prod Julianne Forde & Ruth Treacy), SUCK (Prod. Jeff Rogers), VANISHING WAVES (Dirs. Kirstina Buozyte & Bruno Samper, Prod. Ieva Norviliene), WHO IS KK DOWNEY? (Dir/Writer Pat Kiely & Prod. Robert Vroom), WE ARE WHAT WE ARE (Prod. Jorge Michel Grau) and THE WILD HUNT (Dir./Writer/Prod. Mark A. Krupa).
With the projects presented at the Brussels event, a total of 46 film projects will have been supported in 2014, over 156 submissions. The results of the projects' participation to the first editions of Frontières are already tangible: TURBO KID (Frontières 2012 Project), NOIR (Off-Frontières 2012 Project) and SHE WHO MUST BURN (Off-Frontières 2013 Project) are currently in post-production. A great amount of new business relationships in-between producers and with sales agents have been created, either over Frontières projects or projects that have been developed since. CANUXPLOITATION (Off-Frontières 2013 Project), CHLOE AND ATTIE (Frontières @ Brussels 2014 Project), DON'T COME AFTER ME (Frontières @ Brussels 2014 Project), IMPURE (Frontières @ Brussels 2014 Project), KEEP QUIET (Off-Frontières 2012 Project), OKTOBERFLESH (Frontières 2013 Project), ORO (Off-Frontières @ Brussels 2014 Project), PORK CHOP (Frontières 2012 Project), RADIUS (Frontières 2012 Project), SADIE (Frontières @ Brussels 2014 Project), SCHOOLBOYS IN DISGRACE (Frontières 2013 Project), SUBCULTURE (Frontières 2013 Project), THE VOID (Frontières 2013 Project), WAIT TILL HELEN COMES (Off-Frontières 2012 Project) and THE WITHERING (Frontières 2012 Project) have all found a co-production partner directly through their participation in Frontières, and many other projects are currently in negotiation.
Once again, a series of conferences have been organized within the Industry Rendez-Vous. The subjects that will be explored are: Shooting in Quebec, Early Production Involvement of Post-Production Partners, Creating a Proof-of-Concept Video for Financing and Presales, and Lessons Learned in Crowdfunding and Crowdsourcing. The conferences are open to the general public. Two new activities will take place: Meet the Post-Production Companies, where 10 Montreal post-production and special effects companies will meet with the participating producers; and Works-in-Progress, where scenes from 7 films currently in post-production will be unveiled to buyers and festival programmers attending the market. Among these, an exclusive first look of TURBO KID will be presented.
Frontières also offers a consultancy service with professionals in independent production, film sales, festival programming and merchandising, available free of charge to market participants.
The Frontières International Co-Production Market is an initiative of the Fantasia International Film Festival, in collaboration with Vision-in-Motion and the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. The upcoming event is made possible thanks to support from SODEC, Telefilm Canada and the Montreal Film and Television Council.
The 18th edition of the Fantasia Film Festival will take place in Montreal July 17-August 6, 2014. Please consult www.FantasiaFestival.com for more details.
