Fantasia Film Festival Announces Massive Third Wave of Titles, Awards, Live Events, Juries, and More!

As I recently mentioned, the Fantasia International Film Festival is one of the very best events to experience the latest and greatest genre films from around the world, and after having announced an impressive first and second wave of programming, they're back with a third wave announcement that is packed with must-see premieres, live events, and much more:

From the Press Release: The Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its upcoming 29th edition with an electrifying program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 16 through August 3, 2025, returning to the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas, with additional screens and events at Montréal’s Cinéma du Musée and BBAM! Gallery.

The festival website is now live with the complete lineup of over 125 features and 200+ shorts available to be explored. Ticket pre-sales open at 10:00AM on July 4.

Fantasia is very pleased to reveal its massive final wave of titles, their numerous 2025 competitions, and selections of jurors - as well as this year’s plethora of special events, exhibitions, and artist talks!

OFFICIAL CLOSING FILM: GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY’S FIXED

From Sony Pictures Animation, Netflix, and top-tier animator Genndy Tartakovsky (SAMURAI JACK, PRIMAL, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA) comes FIXED, an adult animated comedy that’s lewd, rude, raunchy, and riotously funny. Here, Tartakovsky carries the torch forward for the finest craftsmen of classic TV cartoon foolishness, recalling Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, and Hanna-Barbera, although they never got away with anything as outrageous as FIXED! Bull (Adam Devine) is a lovable mutt and loyal buddy to his pack, including brawny boxer Rocco (Idris Elba), pretentious dachshund Fetch (Fred Armisen), and neurotic beagle Lucky (Bobby Moynihan). He also has a massive crush on Honey (Kathryn Hahn), the sexy show dog next door, but his pride and joy are his magnificent testicles. Alarmed by indications that a trip to the vet looms in his immediate future, the frantic Bull will do anything to delay the inevitable—or at least unleash his carnal impulses while he still can! Genndy Tartakovsky’s FIXED is coming to Fantasia, with its mind in the gutter, its heart in the right place, and its balls entirely intact! Animation Plus Section. Canadian Premiere.

CHEVAL NOIR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY

From the cutest children’s cartoons to R-rated adult content, from cutting-edge cult series to blockbuster family fun, American animator, screenwriter, producer, and director (and why not, occasional voice actor) Genndy Tartakovsky has explored them all - and delivered hit after animated hit for three solid decades. While each is distinct from the other, all his works share his bold storytelling, sturdy graphic style, and magisterial design sensibility. The creator of such essential franchises as POWERPUFF GIRLS, PRIMAL, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, and SAMURAI JACK visits Fantasia for the Canadian Premiere of his latest effort, the raunchy canine rom-com FIXED, the perfect moment to toast his amazing accomplishments to date, and to come!

CHEVAL NOIR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: DANNY ELFMAN

As a renowned film composer, his name merits mention in the same breath as Hermann, Morricone, Rota, and Barry. Danny Elfman has a particular perch among the pantheon, however, as the patron saint of movie music for the freaks, geeks, monster kids, and misfits among us—the very souls that haunt the darkened halls of Fantasia. He’d busked across Africa, built a beer-can gamelan, and fronted the pioneering new-wave band Oingo Boingo before he’d even scored his first film. But PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE, 40 years ago, marked the beginning of an incandescent creative bond with director Tim Burton that hasn’t weakened to this day, with landmark scores for everything from EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BEETLEJUICE, BATMAN, BIG FISH, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, and Netflix’s WEDNESDAY, among many others. Over the years, Elfman has set the musical mood for not only Burton, but for a veritable honor roll of film titans with unforgettable compositions for THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, DARKMAN, GOOD WILL HUNTING, THE FRIGHTENERS, MEN IN BLACK, THE GIFT, SPIDER-MAN, HULK, AMERICAN HUSTLE, BEFORE I WAKE, FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, WHITE NOISE, and DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS - just to name a few! As he helps spring his latest project, the animated short BULLET TIME by Eddie Alcazar (DIVNITY), upon an unsuspecting Fantasia audience, the festival celebrates the occasion with a salute to a true maestro whose mark on modern pop culture is absolutely indelible.

CANADIAN TRAILBLAZER AWARD: SHEILA MCCARTHY

Fantasia is thrilled to present a Canadian Trailblazer Award to Sheila McCarthy. Long celebrated as one of Canada’s great performers, her first notable lead role in Patricia Rozema’s 1987 landmark I’VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING won several awards, including the People’s Choice Award at Cannes; the Chaplin Award in Vevey, Switzerland; and her first of two Canadian Screen Awards. Sheila won ACTRA’s Best Actress Award for her film, the TIFF-premiered CARDINALS, opposite Noah Reid in 2018. With a celebrated career in film and TV, from Helen Shaver’s psychological thriller HAPPY PLACE to ANYTHING FOR JACKSON and Brandon Cronenberg’s ANTIVIRAL; to the Oscar-winning WOMEN TALKING with Sarah Polley – where she and her castmates were the recipients of the Robert Altman Award for Best Ensemble at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards, to Netflix’s UMBRELLA ACADEMY, NBC’s TRANSPLANT, and the TIFF-selected film LIKE A HOUSE ON FIRE, McCarthy’s talent is clear. And she hasn’t stopped – with recent television credits including an arc on Netflix’s UMBRELLA ACADEMY, starring in Hubert Davis’ Fantasia 2025 selection THE WELL, and DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT with Amanda Brugel and Mary Walsh. She can be seen next in the Peacock series COPENHAGEN and THE MINIATURE WIFE.

DENIS-HÉROUX AWARD: ANNE-MARIE GÉLINAS

Anne-Marie Gélinas is one of Quebec’s leading independent film producers. With degrees in communications from Concordia University and cultural management from HEC Montréal, she founded EMAfilms in 2008 in Montreal. Her company stands out for its bold approach, producing stories that inspire and entertain in both fiction and documentary. She is behind several international award-winning works, including Tracey Deer’s BEANS (2021), winner of the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale and the Canadian Screen Award for Best Film, Hélène Choquette’s CHIENNE DE VIE (Hot Docs, 2015) and the cult genre film TURBO KID (Sundance, SXSW, 2015). Gélinas also made a name for herself as executive producer of Kim Nguyen’s REBELLE (WAR WITCH), which was nominated for an Oscar and won awards at Berlin and Tribeca. Other notable productions include RADIUS, LEPAGE AU SOLEIL, UNE BOUTEILLE À LA MER, and MARS ET AVRIL. She’s won numerous awards, including a Saturn and several local distinctions. A committed producer, visionary, and strategist, Anne-Marie Gélinas continues to make Quebec cinema shine on the international stage with a rich, human, and powerful filmography.

INDIE MAVERICK AWARD: LLOYD KAUFMAN

When it comes to independent American cinema, Lloyd Kaufman is a true maverick, a one-of-a-kind filmmaker, distributor, entrepreneur, marketer, and full-on character who, alongside Michael Herz, built Troma: a film production company whose name defines excessive low-budget exploitation cinema the way Hitchcock defines suspense or Disney defines animation. From SQUEEZE PLAY, THE TOXIC AVENGER, and CLASS OF NUKE ‘EM HIGH to SGT. KABUKIMAN, NYPD, TROMEO & JULIET, POULTRYGEIST, and beyond, Troma movies offer radical entertainment the majors can never provide. In the process, they’ve given crucial first starts to generations of young talents at the dawns of their careers, from James Gunn and Jennifer Aspinall to Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Vincent D’Onofrio. Kaufman and Troma have always found alternative ways of making, creating, and promoting their unique entertainment, which has included a multitude of appearances in Fantasia's history. Now, at the World Premiere of OCCUPY CANNES, Fantasia celebrates Kaufman with our inaugural Indie Maverick Award - for 51 years of insane, gross, and just plain fun movies that no one else ever could have made. There will never be another like him.

JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED AT THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE VERDICT

Do you get the impression that the super-wealthy are above the law? Raka, an elite court security guard played by the excellent Rio Dewanto, sees it every day—trust-fund babies escaping consequences thanks to their family’s influence, shady lawyers, and an overall corrupt system. When his pregnant wife is murdered by an affluent young man flexing his invulnerability, the trial is nothing but another masquerade, and Raka takes it upon himself to deliver justice. The class divide has rarely been exposed in such an impactful and satisfying fashion as THE VERDICT, with co-directors Lee Chang-hee (Fantasia 2018 selection THE VANISHED) and Yusron Fuadi (THE DRAFT!) hitting a home run thanks to a solid script, fast-paced editing, and a score reminiscent of Hans Zimmer’s work on Nolan’s BATMAN. Screening as one of Fantasia’s major opening night events, THE VERDICT is a dynamic and entertaining film that forces viewers to reflect on justice and vengeance. World Premiere.

A SPECIAL SCREENING OF PARAMOUNT’S HOTLY ANTICIPATED ANIMATED ADVENTURE, SMURFS

When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the SMURFS on a mission into the real world to save him. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe. Directed by Chris Miller (SHREK THE THIRD, PUSS IN BOOTS), SMURFS features an all-star voice cast including James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, and Octavia Spencer. My First Fantasia Section. Special Screening.

THE UNDERTONE THINS THE VEIL BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH TO REVEAL A TERRIFYING CURSED REALITY

Established sci-fi author Ian Tuason’s first feature brings terror to the podcasting arena, creating an unforgettable horror experience! Nina Kiri (THE HERETICS, THE HANDMAID’S TALE) stars as podcaster Evy. Tending to her dying mother, her job as a co-host of The Undertone is the one thing that keeps her tethered to normalcy. When her co-host Justin (Kris Holden-Ried, THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, LOST GIRL) presents ten disturbing audio files of a man and his wife, the story they tell becomes weirdly connected to Evy and her mother. With brilliant use of a home as the liminal space between life and death, an intense performance by genre favorite Kiri, and haunting sound design that will leave your blood cold, THE UNDERTONE is a new entry in the haunting folk horror catalog you won’t soon forget. Septentrion Shadows Section. World Premiere.

AN EXHILARATING FEAT OF FILMMAKING: GABRIELE MAINETTI’S THE FORBIDDEN CITY

Two unlikely people, a chef and an immigrant martial artist, search (and fight!) for the truth in the underbelly of Rome in this massively entertaining mix of martial arts, crime, and romance. Unquestionably one of the best films of 2025, THE FORBIDDEN CITY establishes Fantasia alum Gabriele Mainetti (2016’s THEY CALL ME JEEG and 2023’s FREAKS OUT) as one of the best commercial filmmakers in movies today, with a cinematic knockout that’s gauranteed to slap a huge smile on your face. Yaxi Liu, making her formal lead acting debut after blowing minds as the main stunt double in MULAN, truly impresses with a breakout performance that’s by turns strong, funny, and heartbreaking. Co-starring Enrico Borello (FAMILIA), Sabrina Ferilli (THE GREAT BEAUTY), and Marco Giallini (PERFECT STRANGERS), films like this don’t come along often - and THE FORBIDDEN CITY promises to become a new favorite. North American Premiere.

NESTING DELIVERS A VISCERAL LOOK AT MOTHERHOOD 

A familiar name to Fantasia audiences, Chloé Cinq-Mars returns to the festival with her debut feature, NESTING (PEAU À PEAU). Delving into the quiet horrors of early motherhood, the film opens with a scream in the night. Pénélope (Rose-Marie Perreault, FAKE TATTOOS), a new mother grappling with sleep deprivation and postpartum depression, finds herself unable to separate dream from reality. After witnessing a violent hold-up in a convenience store, her already fragile psyche begins to crack. Sensitive and haunting, NESTING offers an intimate, unsettling portrait of a mother unraveling. Perreault delivers a career-defining performance, capturing Pénélope’s disintegration and tender attempts at self-reclamation. Denied the idealized “glow” of new motherhood, she’s left to drift in darkness, slowly losing her grip on reality. What emerges is a chilling and deeply human exploration of identity, isolation, and the aching silence surrounding maternal mental health. Les Fantastiques Week-Ends du Cinéma Québécois Section. World Premiere.

FINE ART AND FREAKY FUN COLLIDE IN TAROMAN EXPO EXPLOSION

Osaka, Japan, was the site of Expo ‘70, and emblematic of that memorable event is the sculpture/building Tower of the Sun, envisioned and designed by renowned artist Taro Okamoto, “the Japanese Picasso”, a challenger of conventions driven to liberate creative expression for one and all. His works and ideas inspired director Ryo Fujii and the team behind the 2022 TV series TAROMAN, broadcast on the NHK network. Mixing mockumentary elements with the tropes and aesthetics of 1970s tokusatsu superhero shows - ULTRAMAN in particular - the series was purported to be an obscure archival find... and the result? A sublime mix of public art education, nostalgic invention, and gleeful weirdness for its own sake. With such big ideas and such a gigantic protagonist, Fujii and friends simply had to revive TAROMAN for the big screen. TAROMAN EXPO EXPLOSION has arrived, and with a bang! World Premiere.

AN ABSURDIST THRILL RIDE ON THE WINGS OF DRAINPIPES AND DEGENERACY: FLUSH

Middle-aged coke fiend Luke (R. Jonathan Lambert of Quentin Dupieux’s REALITY) has gone to confront his ex at the club where she works, determined to somehow win back her love. One thing leads to another and he soon finds himself wedged firmly in a toilet, effectively trapped in a bathroom stall - with a heap of drugs that he stole from the bar’s resident dealer. He’s soon found, setting off an increasingly crazy series of events as Luke’s world is assailed from every conceivable direction in a bizarro race against time that will leave you gasping for air. After years of winning awards everywhere from Clermont-Ferrand to Sitges with his inspired short film work (DERNIER CRI, PARIS BY NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD…), Parisian super force Grégory Morin has finally made a feature, and it’s utterly, gloriously insane. Evocative of Dupieux by way of Gaspar Noé and early Álex de la Iglesia, FLUSH is as inventively delirious as it is wickedly cinematic, a real-time, over-the-top blast of absurdist indie brilliance. World Premiere.

eSPORTS THRILLER GOOD GAME SCORES HIGH

Grab your controllers! With an exciting mix of badass action and the first-person-shooter perspective of HARDCORE HENRY, the Hong Kong eSports thrill ride GOOD GAME is a total blast! Tai, the middle-aged owner of a failing internet cafe, joins a gaming tournament to hopefully win the grand-prize money and save his business. He assembles a team of oddballs, and these underdogs will have to combine their strengths in gaming if they’re to win this fierce competition. Director Dickson Leung Kwok-Fai makes sure you’re constantly locked in and immersed in the narrative, providing a stylish, high-energy experience that makes you feel like you’re part of the game—and an inspiring and genuine story loaded with a never-say-die spirit. World Premiere.

MICHEL GONDRY GETS CRAFTY FOR HIS LITTLE GIRL WITH MAYA, GIVE ME A TITLE

In high demand for his cleverness and creativity, French director Michel Gondry (THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP, BE KIND REWIND, and legendary music videos for the likes of Björk, Daft Punk, and the White Stripes) is often away from home for work. To keep connected with his beloved daughter Maya, he made nightly calls with requests for story titles, to prompt quick, rough little animations crafted with colored paper, markers, and scissors, always starring Maya herself, with MAYA, GIVE ME A TITLE assembling an assortment of these little vignettes. Whether she’s a mermaid, a ship’s captain, an earthquake investigator, or just herself shrunk by "cucumber-reducing solution", Maya’s tales are told in true Gondry style—wry, inventive, and tactile, favoring the excitement of process over polished final product. Oh, and it’s all voiced and narrated by Pierre Niney, star of last year’s Fantasia hit THE COUNT OF MONTE-CRISTO! My First Fantasia and Animation Plus Sections. North American Premiere.

GET YOUR RAINCOATS OUT FOR THE BOOK OF SIJJIN AND ILLIYYIN

A woman regularly belittled and bullied by her employers calls upon evil forces to obtain her vengeance in the most heinous of ways. Blending Islamic folk horror, ocular torture à la Lucio Fulci, and imagery evoking THE EVIL DEAD, Indonesian director Hadrah Daeng Ratu’s THE BOOK OF SIJJIN AND ILLIYYIN will satiate even the most ravenous fans of gore and ultraviolence. Writer Laila Lele offers a gut-churning script that plunges us into the heart of a waking nightmare in which even children aren’t safe - and can end up splattering the walls like miniature Jackson Pollock artworks. Viewer discretion is highly advised here, as Indonesia has become an inexhaustible source of terrifying works, generous in their offerings of gore, twisted tales, and fascinating Muslim mythology populated by djinns and other demons. All we can really do is sit back and take pleasure in discovering and exploring - to our own risk and peril! North American Premiere.

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE IN A VIOLENT CRESCENDO: ANNA KIRI

A young delinquent narrowly escapes a violent altercation with a local gangster after a robbery gone wrong. Anna (Catherine Brunet, FARADOR, IN MEMORIAM) seizes the chance to turn her life around, but soon realizes the price of freedom is high and the past is not so easily left behind. Francis Bordeleau’s second feature is a unique exploration of a young woman’s emancipation and a quest to find her voice through relationships and writing. Brunet’s performance is stellar and she is accompanied by an impressive cast including Charlotte Aubin (L’EMPEREUR, VIRAGE), Maxime de Cotret (LE PLONGEUR, FRONTIÈRES), Caroline Néron (STAT, ÉTERNELLE), and Anne-Marie Cadieux (SOLO, LES HOMMES DE MA MÈRE). A thriller in its own right, sometimes playful yet often tense and shocking, ANNA KIRI creates a sharp juxtaposition between the lowest rungs of the city, struggling to make ends meet, and the elegant if not outright elitist members of the literary scene. The two worlds attempt to coexist on screen, setting up a collision course with a wildly explosive conclusion. Les Fantastiques Week-Ends du Cinéma Québécois Section. World Premiere.

DAIGO MATSUI’S REWRITE REWRITES THE TIME-LOOP TALE

Fantasia alum Daigo Matsui returns this year with another hit, collaborating with talented screenwriter Ueda Makoto, who previously worked with Junta Yamaguchi on Fantasia-favorite time-loop films BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (2021) and RIVER (2023). REWRITE brings fresh ideas in the beloved genre, challenging and playing with its audiences’ minds. Transfer student Yasuhiko has had an amazing 21 days with Miyuki and their shared secret, that Yasuhiko comes from the future, binds them even closer. This seemingly cute, slightly sad, coming-of-age time-traveling romance somehow doesn’t work the way it should, though. What could be wrong? Are there more secrets to come? The outstanding performances include Elaiza Ikeda (SADAKO), Yuki Kura (SHOGUN), Ai Hashimoto (HOLD ME BACK), and J-pop idol Kei Adachi’s acting debut. If you had the chance, would you rewrite your past? North American Premiere.

THE NETHERLANDS BRINGS GOOD TIME THRILLS STRAIGHT OUTTA SPACE!

Best friends Amin (Shahine El-Hamus, THE PROMISE OF PISA) and Mitchell (Daniël Kolf of Netflix’s FOREVER RICH) work as street coaches in the lively neighborhood of Schijndrecht. It’s not exactly a flashy job, and that all changes when the people around them transform into creepy, slimy creatures due to an intergalactic intervention! Together with a motley crew of local residents, the duo gets the ultimate chance to prove themselves to their entire community, or at least, what’s left of it. It’s not every day that the Netherlands produces a big-budget sci-fi/horror/comedy, let alone one that tackles gentrification in such witty ways. Directed with style by Cannes Lion winner Michael Middelkoop  (TRAUMA PORN CLUB) and co-written by Fantasia alumni Nico van den Brink (MOLOCH, SWEET TOOTH), STRAIGHT OUTTA SPACE plays like an especially unhinged - and very, very Dutch - variation of ATTACK THE BLOCK by way of NIGHT OF THE CREEPS... with just a touch of NIGHT OF THE COMET! It’s full of personality, big set-pieces, and a ton of goopy, high-energy fun. North American Premiere.

FRAGMENT IS A GUT-WRENCHING FILM SHOWCASING NEWCOMERS WITH UNDENIABLE TALENT

The emotional and powerful FRAGMENT follows the lives of two teenagers intertwined in a devastating way. Jun-gang (Oh Ja-hun) takes care of his little sister while being threatened with eviction, while Gi-su (Moon Seong-hyun) lives alone since his father was killed… by Jun-gang’s father. Will they be able to resist the vicious cycle brought on by such a sordid crime? FRAGMENT explores pain, trauma, and conflict in a profound and intense way that stays with you long after the credits roll. With this shattering first feature, pondering the heartbreaking choice between vengeance and redemption with acute maturity, writer/director Kim Sung-yoon has already known significant success on the festival circuit, receiving three prizes at his World Premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in 2024 and another win in Florence in 2025. Carried by the stellar performances of three exceptional young actors, this dramatic suspense story is sure to leave no one indifferent. North American Premiere.

DARK LAUGHS AND WARM HEARTS IN KAZAKH SCI-FI ADVENTURE STINKER

In a remote corner of Kazakhstan, three unlikely characters cross paths: a despairing old man, a grouchy shopkeeper, and an alien just trying to get home. With the gentle help of a curious granddaughter, walls begin to break down, but with a government motorcade soon to arrive - and a bumbling cop hot on their tails - can this misfit group somehow hold together? Renowned for his roles in SLOW HORSES (2022) and MCMAFIA (2018), Yerden Telemissov makes his directorial debut with STINKER, a darkly funny yet surprisingly sweet sci-fi adventure. Featuring excellent performances from Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Alpeis and acclaimed stage actress Irka Abdulmanova alongside Chingiz Kapin (DISSOLVE) and Dulyga Akmolda (SWEETIE, YOU WON’T BELIEVE), STINKER is a quirky and touching journey into what it means to accept “the other” - no matter how strange they may seem. North American Premiere.

FOR STYLISH SCI-FI ANIME THRILLS, ALL YOU NEED IS ALL YOU NEED IS KILL!

Innovative in its gameplay-based narrative, the Japanese science-fiction novel ALL YOU NEED IS KILL by Hiroshi Sakurazaka was a landmark in 2004. In the decade that followed, the time-looping alien-invasion tale was adapted into a manga and as the Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt Hollywood blockbuster EDGE OF TOMORROW. It’s taken yet another decade, but the kick-ass anime feature it so rightfully deserved is finally here. Repetition may be the mechanism of this recurring story, but this version keeps the franchise fresh by retracing the events from the point of view of the original’s “Player Two”, the sullen, red-haired Rita. It’s a visually striking, wildly dynamic, and incredibly intense piece of work, as one would expect from the intrepid team at STUDIO4°C. Director Kenichiro Akimoto delivers his vision of this modern classic with panache, fierce and fluid action, and a look all its own. Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.

A RIOTOUS STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENT ART UNFOLDS AS THE TROMA TEAM OCCUPY CANNES

This moving, hilarious, and inspirational documentary follows legendary filmmaker (and creator of THE TOXIC AVENGER) Lloyd Kaufman - recipient of this year’s inaugural Indie Maverick Award at Fantasia - leading the Troma Team’s fight to sustain independent art amidst an industry that increasingly removes any space for outsiders. Known for deliriously boundary-pushing works of maximalist insanity, NYC-based Troma Entertainment may be the last surviving truly independent film studio. They’re also at risk of going extinct. After 40 years of selling films at Cannes, OCCUPY CANNES follows them on what could be their final trip, as their notoriously crazy publicity stunts are consistently shut down by the authorities while they encounter endless obstacles in spaces they once had a place at. The film is presented through the lenses of Kaufman’s daughters, director Lily-Hayes and director of photography Charlotte, whose unparalleled access to Troma frees them to pose questions that no other filmmakers could: Does Kaufman’s defiant stance attract buyers or ostracize Troma from the industry’s inner circle? Can Troma survive in an ever-shifting and consolidating entertainment industry? Can any independent artist survive? Documentaries From the Edge Section. World Premiere.

HAUNTED MOUNTAINS: THE YELLOW TABOO TAKES A HIKE INTO HELL

A couple’s peaceful hiking trip takes a wrong turn and becomes a nightmare when a mysterious force targets Yu Hsin, repeatedly taking her life in horrifying ways. Chia Ming, unfortunately, is trapped in a time-loop and forced to witness her death over and over again, always powerless to stop it. What went wrong? Why Yu-Hsin? Directed by emerging filmmaker Tsai Chia Ying and adapted from one of the scariest urban legends of Taiwan, HAUNTED MOUNTAINS: THE YELLOW TABOO, depicts not just traditional horror, but its layered narrative explores love, grief, and the emotional burdens we all carry. With a powerful cast including Jasper Liu (MORE THAN BLUE), Angela Yuen (CHILLI LAUGH STORY), and Tsao Yu Ning (PIERCE), HAUNTED MOUNTAINS: THE YELLOW TABOO brings not just the scares, but a reflection on the ties that bind us. International Premiere.

A MAGIC REALIST FAIRY TALE UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU’VE EVER SEEN: CIELO

Eight-year-old Santa (Fer Monserrat), a plucky Indigenous girl, seeks to rescue her mother from violence and poverty. With unlikely allies, she performs miracles across Bolivia’s sublime landscapes, where survival becomes a sacred, elemental act of love and divine ritual. CIELO, directed by Alberto Sciamma (JERICHO MANSIONS, KILLER TONGUE) and featuring an extraordinary lead performance from its gifted young star, presents itself as an achingly beautiful elemental tale, packed with the sacred energy of magical realism, despite its darker themes. Ultimately, this is a mythopoetic story - THE FLORIDA PROJECT, if it were retold by Clarissa Pinkola Estés - one which re-fashions the traditional Hero’s Journey into an ode to feminine resistance as an act of love in the face of violence. A modern fairytale unlike anything you’ve ever seen, CIELO World Premiered at the Fantasporto Film Festival earlier in the year, winning three awards at its very first bow. North American Premiere.

MONTREAL MILLENNIAL SLACKERS VERSUS GENTRIFICATION IN MESSY LEGENDS

Adapting their iconic short film MESSY LEGEND for their feature debut, Montreal icons Kelly-Kay Hurcomb and James Watts bring a slacker comedy for the modern age to Fantasia with MESSY LEGENDS. Following a group of disaffected millennials clinging to the past, the film takes place over one night along Montreal’s St. Laurent strip. Desperate, funny, and awkward, the movie captures the city in a state of flux, as the rising cost of living and inaccessible housing slowly erode the artsy slacker culture that once flourished in the city. For the former disco-pant wearers and OG fans of The Unicorns, MESSY LEGENDS aims for the hearts of former cool millennials unable to let go of what once was and never will be again. Underground Section. World Premiere.

GARO: TAIGA MARKS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOKUSATSU FRANCHISE

Since the 1980s, director, screenwriter, and designer Keita Amemiya (KAMEN RIDER, ZEIRAM) has brought his special touch, full of surprising innovations and peculiar fascinations, to the universe of tokusatsu—Japanese sci-fi cinema and television. For the last twenty years, Amemiya’s main focus has been his ever-expanding world of GARO, an ongoing chronicle of otherworldly conflict resplendent with gothic gravitas and gruesome monsters, mystical symbolism, and elegant steampunk accents. This latest work reveals the story of Taiga Saejima, who, like his descendants after him, assumes the lupine aspect and magical armor of Golden Knight Garo to battle the demonic Horrors. Entirely accessible to newcomers to the franchise, GARO: TAIGA marks its 20th anniversary in grand style. World Premiere.

THE SILVER SCREEN TURNS PINK FOR BARBIE BOOMER

67-year-old Sylvie is a passionate Barbie collector. To make sure that her collection lasts over time, she decides to donate some of her childhood dolls to the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City, which agrees to evaluate the proposal. But will she be able to cope with the grief of separation, especially as the physical condition of her best friend Linda, also a Barbie collector, is affected by severe illness? BARBIE BOOMER is an incredibly moving new documentary by Marc Joly-Corcoran (QUE LE FAN SOIT AVEC TOI). Les Fantastiques Week-Ends du Cinéma Québécois and Documentaries from the Edge Sections. World Premiere.

ADDITIONAL THIRD WAVE TITLES

QUEENS OF THE DEAD (dir. Tina Romero)
AU PIED DU MUR (Canada) – dir. Alexandra Elkin
From Red Rock Canyon to Yosemite, filmmaker Alexandra Elkin follows two seasoned climbers in their seventies, Jack Lambert and Dierdre Wolownick, who push the boundaries of age in the extreme sport of climbing. Between breathtaking ascents and personal transformation, AU PIED DU MUR is an inspiring human adventure where fear becomes a driving force, and each summit reached redefines the very notion of limits. Les Fantastiques Week-Ends du Cinéma Québécois Section. Montreal Premiere.

CONTACT LENS (China) – dir. Lu Ruiqi 
Paying homage to Chantal Akerman’s JEANNE DIELMAN, CONTACT LENS, the feature debut of Lu Ruiqi, portrays a woman aching to break free - searching for a transformative becoming as she escapes the rituals and expectations of her existence. Official Selection: Tallinn Black Nights 2024, Fantaspoa Fantastic Film Festival 2025. Underground Section. Canadian Premiere.

DOLLHOUSE (Japan) – dir. Shinobu Yaguchi
Director and screenwriter Shinobu Yaguchi (SWING GIRLS) takes an intelligent and effective approach to horror cinema in this downward spiral involving an evil doll. Official Selection: Fantasporto 2025, Hong Kong International Film Festival 2025. Canadian Premiere.

FUCKTOYS (USA) – dir. Annapurna Sriram
Written, directed by, and starring Annapurna Sriram (BILLIONS), FUCKTOYS reimagines the classic Fool’s Journey through a radically queer, maximalist lens, following a sex worker living in “Trashtown” who discovers she’s been cursed. Hilarious, raw, and full of soul, it’s a glitter-coated, piss-soaked fairytale for the forgotten. Winner of a special jury award at SXSW 2025. Official Selection: Seattle International Film Festival 2025, Boston Underground Film Festival 2025. Canadian Premiere.

GOOD BOY (USA) – dir. Ben Leonberg
A curious and resourceful dog senses something supernatural is threatening his owner in this one-of-a-kind ghost story that features one of the greatest canine performances in movie history. Already one of the most talked-about genre films of 2025, and for good reason. Official Selection: SXSW 2025, Overlook 2025, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2025. Quebec Premiere.

HI-FIVE (South Korea) – dir. Kang Hyung-chul
Five people receive superpowers and mysterious tattoos from a body donated for organ transplants. However, they’re not the only ones whose lives have been changed. A cult leader gains the ability to absorb the life energy of others, and he’s now coming after these individuals to steal their powers. Writer/director Kang Hyung-chul (SWING KIDS) delivers a ridiculously hilarious and action-packed superhero extravaganza with an incredible all-star cast. Quebec Premiere.

HOLY NIGHT: DEMON HUNTERS (South Korea) – Dir. Lim Dae-hee
Legendary action powerhouse Don Lee (THE ROUNDUP) leads a team of exorcists against a criminal gang of devil worshipers and the demons they summon. This adaptation of the 2024 webtoon perfectly mixes genuine horror scenes, hard hitting brawls, and hints of well-calculated humor to create the ideal supernatural action film. Quebec Premiere.

OBEX (USA) – dir. Albert Birney
Conor’s life takes a turn for the fantastical as he is transported into the video-game world of OBEX, where he must rescue his kidnapped dog and come to terms with the grief buried deep inside himself. An extraordinary new creation from the co-director of STRAWBERRY MANSION and SYLVIO. Official Selection: Sundance 2025, Chicago Critics Film Festival 2025. Canadian Premiere.

OMNISCIENT READER: THE PROPHECY (South Korea) – Dir: Kim Byung-woo
An ordinary office worker suddenly finds his favorite apocalyptic web novel unfolding in real life before his eyes. Director Kim Byung-woo (TAKE POINT) offers a spectacular, action-filled fantasy, as meta as could be, blending deadly games, video game-style superpowers, kaiju, and even a stay inside a giant fish. Canadian Premiere.

$POSITIONS (USA) – dir. Brandon Daley
Local loser Mike ((Michael Kunick, WOLVES AGAINST THE WORLD), desperate and overwhelmed, turns to crypto to keep from drowning in debt. Instead, he finds himself in a spiral of bad decisions in this darkly comedic tale of addiction and family that will have you gripping your seat as you’re laughing out loud. Official Selection: SXSW 2025, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2025. Quebec Premiere.

IT ENDS (USA) – dir. Alex Ullom
In one of 2025’s major genre breakouts, four college friends find themselves on an infinite, unending road, forcing each of them to decide how to confront their fate in an unnerving journey into the unknown. Writer/director Alex Ullom and his gifted cast work miracles and offer a compelling, constantly intriguing, and often terrifying road trip into adulthood. Official Selection: SXSW 2025, Overlook 2025. International Premiere.

REDUX REDUX (USA) – dirs. Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus 
Desperate to avenge her daughter’s murder, Irene Kelly (Michaela McManus) journeys through parallel dimensions to repeatedly track down and annihilate her killer (Jeremy Holm). A tense sci-fi vengeance thriller unlike any other, REDUX REDUX is the latest creation by Kevin and Matthew McManus, the Peabody award-winning writers and producers of AMERICAN VANDAL and COBRA KAI, and writers/directors of FUNERAL KINGS (Fantasia 2012) and THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND (Fantasia 2020). Official Selection: SXSW 2025. Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2025. Canadian Premiere. 

STUNTMAN (Hong Kong) – dirs. Herbert Leung Koon-Shun and Albert Leung Koon-Yiu
When an old-school, high-risk Hong Kong action director is hired for a modern, safety-first production, which style will win out? First-time directors Albert and Herbert Leung hit a bullseye, capturing the insane beauty of Hong Kong’s Golden Age of action films in modern times while keeping it brilliantly refreshing. Nominated for best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards. Official Selection: Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2024, Hawai’i International Film Festival 2024. Quebec Premiere.

SWEETNESS (Canada) – dir. Emma Higgins
They say you should never meet your idols, and Emma Higgins’ first feature offers up a pitch-black coming-of-age tale to teach this lesson. Rylee (Kate Hallet, WOMAN TALKING), a troubled teenager, is presented with an unimaginable situation: her pop idol, Payton (Herman Tømmeraas, RAGNAROK), is a low-key drug addict and she’s taken it upon herself to help him get sober after he accidentally hits her driving under the influence. Co-starring Justin Chatwin (ANOTHER LIFE), Aya Furukawa (THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER), Amanda Brugel (THE HANDMAID’S TALE), and Steven Ogg (DARK MATCH). Official Selection: SXSW 2025. Septentrion Shadows Section. Canadian Premiere.

SUGAR ROT (Canada) – dir. Becca Kozak
A girl at an ice cream shop is assaulted and becomes horrifically pregnant with some... thing that begins to turn her into ice cream in this burst of in-your-face, offensive, punk body horror. A relentless sensory onslaught—depraved, delicious, and unafraid to plunge into the darkest, dankest corners of the imagination. A bold and sticky scream of rebellion, SUGAR ROT tells a fiercely feminist story about autonomy, capitalism, and pleasure. Official Selection: FogFest 2024, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2025, ShockStock 2025. Underground Section. Quebec Premiere.

THELMA’S PERFECT BIRTHDAY (Latvia/Luxembourg) – dir. Reinis Kalnaellis
A little penguin girl’s wish for the best birthday ever leads to an adventure full of strange surprises and new friends. A weird, wonderful, and award-winning animated journey for the little ones, it blends 3D animation and lovely, hand-painted ink-wash artwork in an innovative and immersive way. Official Selection: Mill Valley Film Festival 2024, Tallinn Black Nights 2024, Annecy 2025. My First Fantasia and Animation Plus Sections. Canadian Premiere.

TOUCH ME (USA) – dir. Addison Heinmann
From the director of HYPOCHONDRIAC comes a singular work that breakdances seamlessly from tentacle sex and practical exploding heads to beautifully touching monologues and heartbreaking reflections on trauma and toxic relationships. Two codependent best friends become addicted to the heroin-like touch of an alien narcissist who may or may not be trying to take over the world. With Olivia Taylor Dudley (SHE DIES TOMORROW), Jordan Gavaris of ORPHAN BLACK, and Lou Taylor Pucci (SPRING). Official Selection: Sundance 2025, SXSW 2025. Canadian Premiere.

QUEENS OF THE DEAD (USA) – dir. Tina Romero
Director Tina Romero takes the ghoul genre invented by her father in a new direction when a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn on the night of a giant warehouse party. Now, an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies must use their unique skills to fight back against the undead. Starring Katy O’Brian (LOVE LIES BLEEDING), Riki Lindhome (THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW), Jaquel Spivey (MEAN GIRLS), and comic icon Margaret Cho, who all bring their over-the-top roles to life with energy and a core of humanity that has us hoping they’ll survive this new night of the living dead. Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2025, Chattanooga Film Festival 2025. International Premiere.

THE VIRGIN OF THE QUARRY LAKE (Argentina) – dir. Laura Casabe
Young Natalia (Dolores Oliverio) turns to witchcraft to give herself an upper hand against a changing world. A supernatural, feminine coming-of-(r)age film that captivates with enormous power, THE VIRGIN OF THE QUARRY LAKE is based on the writing of acclaimed Argentinian horror author Mariana Enriquez. It stands completely alone, both as a provocative work of horror and as a remarkable exploration of the volcanic emotions of teenhood conveyed through a visceral genre lens. Official Selection: Sundance 2025, TIFF Next Wave 2025. Quebec Premiere.

FANTASIA RETRO!

Fantasia’s long-standing showcase of classic film restorations and rare 35mm screenings returns with big-screen showings of landmark works from John Woo, Pupi Avati, Mamoru Oshii, Paul Morrissey, Koji Shiraishi, George Mihalka, Ching Siu-Tung, Robert Butler, and more.

NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER (dir. Robert Butler)
ANGEL’S EGG (Japan, 1985) – dir. Mamoru Oshii
Can two broken souls in a broken world keep a mysterious, perhaps divine egg intact? A rare, early work from two of the biggest names in anime, Mamoru Oshii (GHOST IN THE SHELL) and Yoshitaka Amano (FINAL FANTASY), emerges from the shadows at last in a special 40th anniversary 4K restoration.

THE BATTLE WIZARD (Hong Kong, 1977) – dir. Pao Hsueh-Li
A bookworm (Danny Lee, THE KILLER) drinks the blood of a serpent and becomes invincible in this outlandish kung fu-meets-STAR WARS classic, now miraculously restored in its fully uncut version. World Premiere of Arrow Films’ New 2K Restoration.

BULLET IN THE HEAD (Hong Kong, 1990) – dir. John Woo
In 1967, three Hong Kong friends (Tony Leung, Jacky Cheung, and Waise Lee) on the run flee to Vietnam to make their fortune, only to face the horrors of war and the pain of betrayal. John Woo’s 1990 masterwork. Canadian Premiere of Shout! Factory’s New 4K Restoration.

A CHINESE GHOST STORY III (Hong Kong, 1991) – dir. Ching Siu-Tung
Award-winning director Ching Siu-Tung (HEROIC TRIO, SHAOLIN SOCCER) and writer-producer Tsui Hark return with another wild joyride where laws of gravity are jettisoned in favour of exhilarating kung fu involving flying monks and monsters, mixed with a kinky subtext. Canadian Premiere of Shout! Factory’s New 4K Restoration.

THE DEVIL’S BRIDE (Lithuania, 1974) – dir. Arūnas Žebriūnas
Biblical myths and Baltic folklore meet fuzz guitar, funky bass, and a big, bold brass section in the Soviet Union’s first rock-opera movie, a rare gem of Lithuanian cinema gorgeously restored at last! North American Premiere of the Lithuanian Film Centre’s New 2K Restoration. Presented by Deaf Crocodile.

FUNKY FOREST (Japan, 2005) – dirs.  Katsuhito Ishii, Hajime Ishimine, and Shinichiro Miki
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, a defining work of Japan’s millennial new wave of outrageously original pop cinema, guaranteed to confuse, amuse, repulse, and excite you returns to the Fantasia screen. Presented in celebration of the filmmakers attending the festival to present their latest project at the Frontières Market.

HOSTILE TAKEOVER (Canada, 1988) – dir. George Mihalka
Police surround a hydroelectric plant where an armed accountant (David Warner) is holding his boss (Michael Ironside) and colleagues (Kate Vernon, Jayne Eastwood) hostage while they all work overtime during the Thanksgiving vacation. Released in some territories as OFFICE PARTY. Special Presentation of Library and Archives Canada (LAC)’s New 4K Scan.

HOUSE WITH THE LAUGHING WINDOWS (Italy, 1976) – dir. Pupi Avati
A brilliant, unsettling outlier for the Italian giallo from the great Pupi Avati (ZEDER). A haunting meditation on art, madness, and the failure of reason against pagan chaos, set in a village where silence conceals a disturbing legacy. Canadian Premiere of Arrow Films’ New 4K Restoration.

MIXED BLOOD (USA, 1985) – dir. Paul Morrissey
A drug-dealing matriarch who lives with her son and his gang of juvenile delinquents starts a brutal turf war in Alphabet City in this long-unavailable cult classic from the legendary Paul Morrissey (FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN, TRASH). A family film in the same sense as John Waters’ similarly acerbic FEMALE TROUBLE. World Premiere of Vinegar Syndrome’s New 4K Restoration.

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (USA, 1993) – dir. Henry Selick
It’s Christmas - and Halloween - in July! Celebrate a very special evening at Fantasia with genre cinema’s most iconic composer, Danny Elfman, which includes the presentation of a Career Achievement Award, the World Premiere of Eddie Alcazar’s wild animated short film BULLET TIME (scored by Elfman, of course), and a rare big screen screening of Henry Selick’s kooky, spooky stop-motion musical masterpiece which - over three decades after its release - remains a beloved icon around the world.

LOOKING FOR AN ANGEL (Japan, 1999) – dir. Akihiro Suzuki
A late-1990s queer classic that sheds light on a vision of Japan rarely seen on the big screen. Intimate and honest, the movie follows two friends in search of meaning after the death of their friend Takachi, a young porn star from a small rural town. Underground Section. Canadian Premiere of Kani Releasing’s New 2K Restoration.

NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER (USA, 1980) – dir. Robert Butler
Take a wild ride through one of the scuzziest, seamiest entries in the late ‘70s / early ‘80s New York City crime-film canon as James Brolin tears Manhattan apart to rescue his daughter, kidnapped by a twisted psycho after mistaking her for the child of a wealthy businessman. From the director of TURBULENCE. World Premiere of Kino Lorber’s New 4K Restoration.

NOROI: THE CURSE (Japan, 2005) – Koji Shiraishi
In celebration of Koji Shiraishi (SADAKO VS KAYAKO, HOUSE OF SAYURI) attending the festival to present his new project at the Frontières Market, Fantasia is proud to host a special 35mm screening of his cult horror classic NOROI: THE CURSE.

PINBALL SUMMER (Canada, 1980) – dir. George Mihalka
George Mihalka’s first feature film celebrates the summer of 1980 with its colorful arcana, funky, whiter-than-white music, gleaming cars, customized minivans, and fashion victims. PINBALL SUMMER is an ode to free-spirited youth, shot on Montreal’s South Shore in Oka Park and at La Ronde.

A CAVALCADE OF SPECIAL LIVE EVENTS

Fantasia is proud to reveal the following exciting array of special live events occurring across its 29th edition, all presented completely free-of-charge.

GEORGE MIHALKA MASTERCLASS (July 22nd, 2:00PM)
- Pop-Up Exhibition
I AM FRANKELDA: PUPPETS AND NIGHTMARES
BBAM! Gallery
This summer, Fantasia is proud to present the North American premiere of I AM FRANKELDA, Mexico’s very first stop-motion animated feature film. To mark the momentous occasion, the festival is hosting a very special pop-up exhibition, a chance to come face to face with Frankelda, Herneval, and all the other “stars” of the film. Brothers Roy and Arturo Ambriz, co-directors of I AM FRANKELDA and founders of the studio Cinema Fantasma, generously share the puppets of their film’s protagonists and supporting characters—a chance to examine their magnificent creations up close!

• Friday July 18, 4:00PM-7:00PM (opening)
• Saturday July 19, 12:30PM-6:00PM
• Sunday July 20, 12:30PM-6:00PM

ARTIST TALK: ANNE-MARIE GÉLINAS
Sunday July 20, 2:00PM, Reggies
A master class with Anne-Marie Gélinas is an illuminating look at the power of cinema: it’s about sharing a vision of the world and the power of images while simultaneously a look back at an international career. From 1995 to the present, it’s a journey through a golden age of cinema that is free, uninhibited, multi-ethnic, and universal in scope, but always with a sense of identity and Quebecois values. We’ll take a look back at those early days and the founding elements of her career as a producer. We’ll discuss FLOTS, her next film to be directed by Éric Tessier, based on a book by Patrick Senécal, and we’ll look back at her genre films, including SLAXX, RADIUS, TURBO KID, and MARS ET AVRIL - and of course we’ll be talking about Kim Nguyen’s adventure REBELLE! We’ll also be discussing her documentary productions, including CHIENNE DE VIE. Trailers of her films will precede the discussion, and questions from the audience will be welcomed at the end.

MERMAIDS, MENNONITES, AND MATRIARCHS: AN ARTIST TALK WITH SHEILA MCCARTHY
Moderated by Carolyn Mauricette
Monday July 21, 5:00PM, Cinéma du Musée
If you’ve watched Canadian film or television, you’d have to be living under a rock if you didn’t recognize a certain pixie-haired actress with sparkling green eyes: the mercurial Sheila McCarthy. Gracing stage and screen for decades, from her breakout role as Polly in Patricia Rozema’s I’VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING, to EMILY OF NEW MOON, to the Oscar-winning WOMEN TALKING, plus genre hits ANTIVIRAL, LEVEL 16, DIE HARD 2, ANYTHING FOR JACKSON, THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, and the Fantasia 2025 selection THE WELL, this multiple-award-winning actress-turned-director has a storied career that we’ll delve into—from her early days as a dancer to becoming one of the most beloved Canadian performers ever.

BULLET TIME BREAKDOWN WITH DANNY ELFMAN
Moderated by Jeff Waye of Third Side Music
Thursday July 24, 3:00PM, Cinéma du Musée
It takes a film composer as playful and imaginative as Danny Elfman to match the manic energy and goofy excellence of BULLET TIME, the new animated short by Eddie Alcazar (DIVINITY, Fantasia 2023). On the afternoon following its World Premiere at Elfman’s Cheval Noir Career Award event at Fantasia, the composer discussed making BULLET TIME happen, and creating music that makes animation and genre cinema come alive.

- Panel Discussion
ART LIVES! CANADIAN OUTSIDER CINEMA VS. THE MACHINE
With panelists Ethan Eng, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Avalon Fast, Terry Chiu, Maurane, Annie Wren, Kelly Kay Hurcomb, and James Watts
Moderated by Vincenzo Nappi
Thursday July 24, 5:00PM, York Amphitheatre
We live in a time where filmmaking is often described as being more accessible than ever. The phrase “Just make a movie with your iPhone” is repeated by those who have never been forced to consider it. But when rent is due and $30K, $20K, or even $10K is the kind of money that could derail your entire life, that supposed accessibility begins to feel like a mirage. For filmmakers whose ideas fall outside the bounds of government grants or mainstream tastes, a debut feature can feel more distant than it has ever been. However, from this tension brought on by capitalism and conformity comes a new wave of Canadian filmmakers defying the norm and making uncompromising films unique to their visions. Discussing the realities of DIY filmmaking, staying true to your vision, keeping filmmaking accessible, and navigating both indie and professional distribution are filmmakers Ethan Eng (THERAPY DOGS), Lea Rose Sebastianis (PLEASE LOVE ME), Terry Chiu (OPEN DOOM CRESCENDO), Avalon Fast (HONEYCOMB), Maurane (ME AND MY VICTIM), Annie Wren (STEAL MY LIFE), and Kelly Kay Hurcomb and James Watts (MESSY LEGENDS). Q&A with filmmakers will follow.

- Book Launch Event
FEAR, FEMINISM, AND THE AMERICAN WITCH FILM: AUTHOR TALK WITH PAYTON MCCARTY-SIMAS
Saturday July 26, 3:00PM, York Amphitheatre
It might sound obvious to suggest that the witch is a feminist symbol in 2025–– but that hasn’t always been the case. In this talk, marking the release of author and film critic Payton McCarty-Simas’ second book, That Very Witch: Fear, Feminism, and the American Witch Film, Payton will delve into the evolution of the witch as a figure in horror cinema. Touching on everything from Second Wave feminism to the Satanic Panic, from the #MeToo Movement to QAnon and beyond, they will examine the political interplay between feminist activism and American genre film culture, unpacking films big and small along the way.

This is a special book launch event for Payton McCarty-Simas’ THAT VERY WITCH: FEAR, FEMINISM, AND THE AMERICAN WITCH FILM (Luna Press Publishing), with copies available for purchase from the author.

GEORGE MIHALKA MASTERCLASS
Moderated by Marc Lamothe and Elza Kephart
Sunday July 27, 2:00PM, Reggies
George Mihalka’s body of work is massive, and his place in the hearts of Quebec and Canadian cinephiles is indelible. Listening to George speak is more than just a lesson in cinema. The world knows him for MY BLOODY VALENTINE and BEIJING EXPRESS, and Quebecers adore him as much for his films (notably SCANDALE, LA FLORIDA, L’HOMME IDÉAL and Les Boys IV) as for his cult TV series (including SCOOP 1, SCOOP 2, and OMERTA LA LOI DU SILENCE). Marc Lamothe, programmer and curator of the Denis-Héroux Award, and Elza Kephart, director and environmental activist, will lead this lively discussion that will cover George’s beginnings, his craft, and all of his major local and international films and TV series. Presented by the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC).

THE MAYOR OF TROMAVILLE SPEAKS: AN ARTIST TALK WITH LLOYD KAUFMAN
Moderated by producer, film critic, and journalist Heather Buckley (Black Mansion Films)
Friday August 1, 4:30PM, Cinéma du Musée 
Join us for a very special artist talk with the inimitable director, screenwriter, producer, distributor, and entrepreneur Lloyd Kaufman, co-founder of Troma Entertainment, creator of THE TOXIC AVENGER and recipient of our inaugural Indie Maverick Career Award. Many films these days are independent, but Kaufman and Troma are among the most independent of them all, battling the status quo each day and every step of the way. And while it’s definitely not easy, they make it all look like so much fun. At this talk, Kaufman will discuss the mountains of resourceful filmmaking adventures that have lit up his extraordinary 51-year (and counting!) career, from the creation of landmark exploitation film oddities and the eternal struggles to get wildly excessive, against-the-grain movies financed, shot, and sold in an overwhelmingly corporatized landscape, to his early discoveries of a slew of talents including James Gunn, Trey Parker, and Matt Stone. You won’t want to miss this!

INTRODUCING THE JURIES AND COMPETITIONS OF FANTASIA’S 29th EDITION

CHEVAL NOIR COMPETITION

Jury President:
PASCAL PLANTE
Director, Screenwriter

ETHAN ENG
Director, Screenwriter, Actor

ALISON FOREMAN
Film Critic, Journalist

PAYTON MCCARTY-SIMAS
Author, Programmer, Film Critic

GEORGE SCHMALZ
Vice President of Repertory and International Distribution, Kino Lorber, Co-Founder of Dekanalog

NEW FLESH COMPETITION FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE

Jury President:
CHRIS NASH
Director, Screenwriter, Prosthetic Make-Up Effects Artist

JIM BRUNZELL
Director of Festivals and Theatrical, Dark Star Pictures

LOUISE BUCKLER
Head of Marketing, Arrow Films

DEIRDRE CRIMMINS
Film Critic, Programmer

ANELLE DEGHANI
Sales Agent (Head of Sales), The Coven

JEAN-FRANÇOIS LEBLANC
Director, Screenwriter

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION

Jury President:
KANIEHTIIO HORN
Director, Actor, Screenwriter, Producer

RÉMI FRÉCHETTE
Director, Screenwriter, Editor

CAROL NGUYEN
Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor

EVAN O’BRIEN
Junior Executive, NEON

WYLIE RUSH
Director, Screenwriter

SATOSHI KON AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION

Jury President
RACHEL SAMSON
Animation Filmmaker

SAM CHOU
Animation Director and Showrunner

CHIMWEMWE MILLER
Voice Actor

NORTHERN EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR FILMMAKING

Jury President
ELZA KEPHART
Writer, Director

JOE LIPSETT
Freelance Film and Television Critic

CAM MAITLAND
Film and Content Specialist, Hollywood Suite

OLIVIA NORQUAY
Film Programmer, Dave Barber Cinematheque

ALANNA THAIN
Professor of Cinema and Cultural Studies, McGill University

AQCC COMPETITION

ELIJAH BARON
Film Critic, AQCC Vice-President

MIGUEL DE PLANTE
Film Critic, Editor, Director

LOUIS-PAUL RIOUX
Mediafilm Senior Collaborator

FANTASTIQUES WEEK-ENDS DU CINÉMA QUÉBÉCOIS

Jury President
JP BERGERON
Actor, Director

ISABELLE GIROUX
Actor

HÉLÈNE THÉBERGE
Director of The Abitibi-Témiscamingue International Film Festival

CHEVAL NOIR 2025 COMPETITION TITLES

BLANK CANVAS: MY SO-CALLED ARTIST JOURNEY (Japan) – dir. Kazuaki Seki
THE BOOK OF SIJJIN AND ILLIYYIN (Indonesia) – dir. Hadrah Daeng Ratu
CIELO (UK / Bolivia) – dir. Alberto Sciamma
DEATH DOES NOT EXIST (Canada) – dir. Félix Dufour-Laperrière
THE FORBIDDEN CITY (Italy) – dir. Gabriele Mainetti
I FELL IN LOVE WITH A Z-GRADE DIRECTOR IN BROOKLYN (Japan) – dir. Kenichi Ugana
I LIVE HERE NOW (USA) – dir. Julie Pacino
MOTHER OF FLIES (USA) – dirs. John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser
NEW GROUP (Japan) – dir. Yuta Shimotsu
STINKER (Kazakhstan) – dir. Yerden Telemissov
TERRESTRIAL (USA) – dir. Steve Pink
THE VERDICT (South Korea / Indonesia) – dirs. Lee Chang-hee and Yusron Fuadi
THE WELL (Canada) – dir. Hubert Davis
THE WOMAN (South Korea) – dir. Hwang Wook

NEW FLESH 2025 COMPETITION TITLES

FIND YOUR FRIENDS (USA) – dir. Izabel Pakzad
FLUSH (France) – dir. Grégory Morin
FOREIGNER (Canada) – dir. Ava Maria Safai
FUCKTOYS (USA) – dir. Annapurna Sriram
HAUNTED MOUNTAINS: THE YELLOW TABOO (Taiwan) – dir. Tsai Chia Ying
HELLCAT (USA) – dir. Brock Bodell
IT ENDS (USA) – dir. Alex Ullom
LAST WOMAN ON EARTH (South Korea) – dirs. Lee Jong-min and Yeum Moon-kyoung
NESTING (Canada) - Chloé Cinq-Mars
NOISE (South Korea) – dir. Kim Soo-jin
THE SCHOOL DUEL (USA) – dir. Todd Wiseman Jr.
THE UNDERTONE (Canada) – dir. Ian Tuason
THE WAILING (Spain / Argentina / France) – dir. Pedro Martín-Calero
YA BOY KONGMIN! THE MOVIE (Japan) – dir. Shibue Shuhei

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM 2025 COMPETITION TITLES

BARLEBAS (Belgium / Netherlands) – dir. Malu Janssen
BEAR (Australia) – dir. Rebecca Parker
CHAEHWA (South Korea) – dir. Hong Seung-gi
THE COLLECTOR (USA) – dir. Scott Leberecht
CONFESSION (Japan) – dir. Mai Nakanishi
EVER AFTER (Austria) – dir. Helen Hideko
FLOOR (South Korea) – dir. Jo Ba-reun
HOTEL ACROPOLE (France) – dir. Sarah Lasry
HOW TO OPEN THE DOOR (South Korea) – dirs. Park Ji-wan and Joan Hui Ji-yey
KILL TRADITION (Malaysia) – dir. Juliana Reza
LAST CALL (USA) – dir. Winnie Cheung
LET’S SETTLE THIS! (New Zealand) – dir. Jack Woon
LOVE MACHINE (USA) – dir. Jon Clark
MAGAI-GAMI (Japan) – dir. Norihiro Niwatsukino
MOM, STAY DEAD (South Korea) – dir. Lee Na-hee
PROXY (Japan) – dir. Artem Skiy
THE REBIRTH (USA) – dir. Connie Shi
SHRIMP FRIED RICE (Canada) – dir. Dylan Pun
SONIC BEAT (Japan) – dir. Shunta Seki
SOUNDS OF GLASS (Canada) – dir. Morgan Abele
STRIP MALL (Canada) – dir. Andrew Appelle
LE TOUR DE CANADA (Canada) – dir. John Hollands
WHERE ROOTS GO (South Korea) – dir. Heo Ga-young
WEIRD TO BE HUMAN (Poland / France) – dir. Jan Grabowski

The 29th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is presented by MELS in collaboration with Concordia University and made possible by the financial support of Telefilm Canada, the Société́ de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), the Ministère du Tourisme, the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation, the city of Montreal, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, and the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC).

The festival would like to thank all its private partners, friends of the event, as well as official suppliers, venues, and all participating filmmakers, sales agents, and distributors for their invaluable support.

For the very latest in up-to-date information on this year’s screenings and events, please follow the Fantasia International Film Festival on Facebook, X/Twitter, Bluesky, and Instagram.