FANTASIA Temporarily Changes Cinemas And Key Art Tempts Fate

Anyone who has been to Montreal's genre-film extravaganza, The Fantasia International Film Festival (or just Fantasia) in the past decade or so, knows that the main screening venue, Concordia's Hall Theatre has some of the best audio acoustics in the country.  Watching films that heavily rely on rich sound design, such as [REC], Attack The Block or Milcrorze: A Love Story was a privilege and a treat.  Less amazing were the outdated and uncomfortable lecture-hall seating.  So while the university mercifully upgrades the padding and leg room, as well as projection equipment this summer, Fantasia has temporarily relocated its premiere screenings a couple blocks over to their original 1996 - 2001 home, the 800+ seat The Imperial Cinema.   

The festival will continue have screenings and events at Concordia's J.A. de Sève Theatre and the Cinémathèque québécoise, along with special outdoor projections at the Place de la Paix (Blvd St-Laurent, between Ste-Catherine and René-Lévesque).

Futhermore, after having the Resolution Boys ride him out of town last year, the Black Horse (Cheval Noir) makes third appearance in Fantasia's festival artwork (see above and to the left).  This time, running down poor Icarus who already has plenty on his plate.  After blossoming with its new film development market on its sweet sixteen birthday and growing at a rapid pace, the festival teasingly tempts fate with this type of iconography.  Expect it to be hung at the corner of Bleury Street & Rue Ste-Catherine in front of the Imperial in July.

Coming soon, the first wave of programming announcements for the biggie-sized July 18 - August 6 edition of Fantasia.