Fantasia 2016: Third Wave Unleashes an Embarrasment of Riches, Including Virtual Reality Projects, Special Guests & More

Wow. If you know Fantasia, then you know that this festival is among the heavy hitters in the world of genre films. Every year, this festival gets bigger and better --- which always seems impossible, yet it happens. This July is no different. Fantasia's 2016 boasts some insane programming, and here are the third and last wave details below. The festival schedule is live --- and if we're lucky, the site won't crash from the massive amount of traffic that it'll receive. Ready? Here we go!

The festival's two closing night films are DON'T BREATHE from Fede Alvarez and the return of Mel Gibson in BLOOD FATHER. Below you'll also find info on: juror announcements; a spoken word performance from best-selling author Grady Hendrix; Christopher Lloyd hosting the Canadian Premiere of I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER; the North American Premiere of Cannes sensation TRAIN TO BUSAN; and the International Premiere of ULTRAMAN X --- fifty years to the day after Ultraman first premiered on Japanese television.

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.

Hot off its premiere at Cannes, the powerhouse Mel Gibson thriller BLOOD FATHER, directed by Jean-François Richet (MESRINE, ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13), will have 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.

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.

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 OF ULTRAMAN 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.

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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.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

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