At the start of the month The Fantasia Film Festival announced a massive new assortment of feature films for its 24th edition, along with details on scheduled panels, talks, tributes, and special events.
Fantasia attendees lovingly recall that the Kentucky-raised writer/director/musician was one of the first major international guests to attend Fantasia for the fest’s third edition in 1998, when it launched the International Premiere of VAMPIRES. In conjunction with awarding him a Fantasia Lifetime Achievement Award, the festival will also present a masterclass from Carpenter, where he’ll discuss everything from his own festival origin story to his awe-inspiring career, touching on HALLOWEEN, THE FOG, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, THE THING, STARMAN, THEY LIVE, and many more. In addition, the fest will explore his recent resurgence as a touring musician and play you his latest spine-tingling single!
On February 19th of this year, South American cinema lost its boldest visionary with the passing of José Mojica Marins, one of the most original and inspired voices in the history of genre film. A master of confrontational filmmaking who conquered numerous obstacles, Marins’ creations are radical lightning bolts of transgression made in defiance of Brazil's then-dictatorship, whose collective glow will continue to influence and astonish generations to come. Fantasia had the honor of bringing Marins to the fest twice and of bestowing him with a Lifetime Achievement award. He will be greatly missed.
In recognition of Marins’ passing, Fantasia will be presenting three of his works –
AT MIDNIGHT I’LL TAKE YOUR SOUL (1964), THE STRANGE WORLD OF COFFIN JOE (1968), and THE END OF MAN (1971).
In addition, the festival will also present a live talk with Brazilian filmmaker Dennison Ramalho (THE NIGHTSHIFTER), co-screenwriter of Mojica’s acclaimed 2008 Coffin Joe comeback film, EMBODIMENT OF EVIL. He will reminisce on his own history growing up inspired by the man, as well as his relationship with his friend and collaborator.
Fantasia International Film Festival - Third Wave Titles
ANYTHING FOR JACKSON Dir. Justin Dyck Canada World Premiere
A WITNESS OUT OF THE BLUE Dir. Fung Chih-Chiang Hong Kong Canadian Premiere BABY: THE SECRET DIARY OF A MOM TO BE Dir. Luk Yee-Sum Hong Kong North American Premiere
BRING ME HOME Dir. Kim Seung-woo South Korea Quebec Premiere
CHASING DREAM Dir. Johnnie To Hong Kong Canadian Premiere
CLAPBOARD JUNGLE Dir. Justin McConnell Canada Quebec Premiere
COSMIC CANDY Dir. Rinio Dragasaki Greece Canadian Premiere
THE DAY OF THE BEAST Dir. Álex de la Iglesia Spain World Premiere - 4K Restoration DINNER IN AMERICA Dir. Adam Lehmeier USA Quebec Premiere
FEELS GOOD, MAN Dir. Arthur Jones USA Quebec Premiere
FREE COUNTRY Dir. Christian Alvart Germany Canadian Premiere
HAIL TO THE DEADITES Dir. Steve Villeneuve Canada World Premiere
HUNTED Dir. Vincent Paronnaud France / Belgium World Premiere
IVAN, THE TERRIRBLE Dir. Mario Abbade Brazil World Premiere
JUMBO Dir. Zoé Wittock France Quebec Premiere
KAKEGURUI Dir. Tsutomu Hanabusa Japan Canadian Premiere
LAURIN Dir. Robert Sigl Germany / Hungary Canadian Premiere - 4K Restoration
LEGALLY DECLARED DEAD Dir. Yuen Kim-Wai Hong Kong North American Premiere
THE LEGEND OF BARON TO’A Dir. Kiel McNaughton New Zealand North American Premiere
MARYGOROUND Dir. Daria Woszek Poland International Premiere
MONSTER SEAFOOD WARS Dir. Minoru Kawasaki Japan International Premiere MORGANA Dirs. Isabel Peppard & Josie Hess Australia North American Premiere
THE MORTUARY COLLECTION Dir. Ryan Spindell USA Quebec Premiere
NO LONGER HUMAN Dir. Mika Ninagawa Japan Quebec Premiere
NO WAY HOME Dir. Buddy Giovinazzo USA World Premiere - 4K Restoration
PAPER TIGERS Dir. Bao Tran USA World Premiere PATRICK Dir. Tim Mielants Belgium Canadian Premiere
PERDIDA Dir. Jorge Michel Grau Mexico / Columbia International Premiere
ROM Dir. Tran Thanh Huy Vietnam North American Premiere
SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD Dir. Sam Quah China Quebec Premiere
STING OF DEATH Dir. William Grefé USA World Premiere - 2K Restoration
SURVIVAL SKILLS Dir. Quinn Armstrong USA International Premiere
WILDLAND Dir. Jeanette Nordahl Denmark North American Premiere
TEXAS TRIP – A CARNIVAL OF GHOSTS Dirs. Steve Balestreri & Maxime Lachaud France World Premiere
WOMAN OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS Dir. Takeshi Kushida Japan Quebec Premiere WOTAKOI: LOVE IS HARD FOR OTAKU Dir. Yuichi Fukuda Japan North American Premiere
YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE Dirs. David Darg & Price James USA Canadian Premiere