Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
When it comes to genre-centric festivals, it doesn’t get much bigger than Fantasia. Based in Quebec, Canada, this venerable fest has been running since 1996 and through the years, it’s been a film haven for some of the biggest and best in the business. Included; Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo del Toro, James Gunn, Darren Aronofsky, Larry Fessenden, Quentin Dupieux, Jon Watts, and Neil Marshall just to name a precious few.
The 2024 Fantasia Film Festival will take place from July 18th through August 4th at various venues in the Quebec area. Per usual, festival programmers have meticulously looked through thousands of films–shorts and features–throughout the world in an effort to put together what looks to be another phenomenal lineup.
What are we at Cinemast.net most looking forward to? That’s a great question. And lucky for you the reader, we have the answer in the form of this look at several buzz-worthy titles we’re most excited about at Fantasia 2024 (in alphabetical order);
–FEATURE FILMS–
AZRAEL
Courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
Samara Weaving plays a woman in a post-apocalyptic world who must protect herself at all costs or she’ll be sacrificed to an ancient evil amongst the trees at the hands of a cult of mute religious fanatics. With a much-talked-about role in READY OR NOT (not to mention BILL AND TED FACE THE MUSIC), it’s clear that Weaving is certainly a star on the rise, but it should also be noted that AZRAEL was directed by E.L. Katz, the storyteller behind the thrifty (and effective) independent black comedy/horror show, CHEAP THRILLS. What’s more, this piece was written by Simon Barrett (YOU’RE NEXT, THE GUEST.) At the very least, there are enough creative horror hands involved in this to make it worthy of mentioning on this list.
BOOKWORM
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
In this family film, a precocious 11-year-old dreamer (played by Nell Fisher of EVIL DEAD RISE fame) spends her mundane days in beautiful New Zealand living vicariously through her books but ultimately, an unexpected crisis reunites her with her absentee father (played by Elijah Wood), and before long, this estranged pair is off on an adventure. Director Ant Timpson cut his teeth as a producer on considerably edgier fare like THE GREASY STRANGLER, TURBO KID, and DEATHGASM so it’ll be interesting to see his take on the kind of family movie that recalls titles like HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE. Consider me intrigued.
BRAVE CITIZEN
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
An ex-professional-boxer-turned-part-time school teacher takes matters into her own hands when bully culture grabs hold at her place of employment. Based on the webtoon of the same name, BRAVE CITIZEN looks to put a creative spin on a superhero story all while taking on the very real topic that is school violence. At the same time, this looks to be a stylish, kickass action movie from South Korea.
CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
This bloodsoaked Estonian import looks like the kind of movie that would make early-career Peter Jackson proud. The plot is thrust into motion when a couple are separated by a chainsaw-wielding maniac. It reportedly took director/co-writer Sander Maran a whopping 10 years to complete this splatterfest and for all the gore on display, CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING is also a musical! Yes, you read that right! Limbs being cut off at one moment, song and dance numbers the next. This looks to be backyard filmmaking at its very finest.
CUCKOO
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
A teen eventually discovers that things are not necessarily what they seem as she accompanies her parents to a resort in the Bavarian Alps. Listen…It’s hard to know what this movie is truly about but I’ll tell you, the trailer for CUCKOO has me intrigued in all the right ways. In fact, it’s one of my favorite trailers of the year and if the film is even half as good, horror fans are in for a treat. Bonus points for the casting of a gifted Dan Stevens as a shifty weirdo. Can’t wait to see this!
HELL HOLE
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
The family that films together, stays together. Just ask the Adams Family, the wonderful storytelling brood behind the indie horror gems, THE DEEPER YOU DIG. HELLBENDER, and WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS. With their latest effort, HELL HOLE, writers/directors/actors John Adams, Toby Poser, and Lulu Adams (Zelda Adams sat this one out due to college duties) return with this Serbian wilderness-set rock n’ roll monster tale about a U.S.-led fracking crew who discover a dormant creature gestating inside the body of a centuries-old French soldier. What happens next? Well, it wouldn’t take a scientist to realize that all hell is probably about to break loose. The Adams Family is known for taking chances with their outstanding genre films. Translation; Expect the unexpected in what is easily one of our most highly anticipated films from Fantasia 2024.
SCARED SHITLESS
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
A plumber has to deal with something far worse than a toilet issue upon arriving at an apartment complex for a job. This disgusting horror comedy looks to deliver everything you’d want and more from a movie called SCARED SHITLESS. Laughs, gore, monsters, poop, etc. Yep…This one looks to be a shit show of the highest caliber and quite frankly, I can’t wait to see it!
SHELBY OAKS
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
Following a record-breaking Kickstarter fundraising campaign, famed YouTube content creator Chris Stuckmann arrives with his feature-length directorial debut, SHELBY OAKS, a tale of a woman who, while searching for the whereabouts of her missing sister, comes to realize that the imaginary demon from their childhood might in fact be real. This highly anticipated film features a cast that includes the likes of genre film fan favorite Keith David (THEY LIVE, JOHN CARPENTER’S THE THING.) What’s more, SHELBY OAKES was executive produced by the great Mike Flanagan who knows a thing or two about horror having had a major hand in OCULUS, DOCTOR SLEEP, GERALD’S GAME, and the streaming service hits, “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass.” Of course, all eyes are on Stuckmann, a likable YouTube personality who is now realizing his lifelong dream of becoming a filmmaker. We’re greatly looking forward to this one!
THE G
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
This movie looks to be the crime/thriller companion piece to the 2024 gem, THELMA. Only instead of a lovable June Squibb leading the charge, THE G is fronted by brooding badass, Dale Dickey. This film revolves around Anne Hunter (played by Dickey), a harsh-tongued individual who is looking to turn the tables on her treacherous legal guardian. An always dependable Dickey isn’t exactly a household name but if you’ve seen her memorable turns in movies like WINTER’S BONE and A LOVE SONG, then you already know that she should be.
WITCHBOARD
Image courtesy of the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival
After what feels like an eternity away from the genre film world, director Chuck Russell (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 3: THE DREAM WARRIORS, THE MASK, ERASER, and the exceptional 1988 remake of THE BLOB) returns with a new spin on Kevin Tenney’s 1986 horror film, WITCHBOARD. In this updating of an 80s cult classic, a couple get more than they bargained for when they soon discover that the strange circular pendulum board they have in their possession is much more than a worthless antiquity. Russell’s involvement alone has me beyond curious for this one.
–SHORT FILMS–
HOWL AT THE DEAD
A horror comedy in which a family moves to a haunted house inhabited by a supernatural presence that only animals can see. Well, as fate would have it, this particular family has a pet dog. I love horror, I love comedy, and I love dogs so this one looks to be a match made in Heaven.
MEAT PUPPET
After missing his girlfriend’s graduation, a man-child finds his soul imprisoned by a puppet and ultimately, in order to save his relationship, he’ll need to make some important decisions in life. They had me at “Meat Puppet.”
PLASTIC SMILE
In addition to bringing their feature HELL HOLE to Fantasia 2024, John Adams and Toby Poser (half of the amazing Adams Family) also have a short film called PLASTIC SMILE up for the offering. In this segment from the new Screambox series, TALES FROM THE VOID, a young girl escapes the trials and tribulations brought upon by her addict parents by turning to aid from a porcelain doll called Betsy. It should be noted, though, that this is no ordinary doll.
PRETTY SAD
Set in what looks to be the 50s, a glamorous woman attempts to put her life back together after enduring an episode of vicious violence. I’m loving the look of the film but right out of the gate, one of its most intriguing attributes is that it was directed by the gifted Jim Cummings, the independent darling behind the likes of THUNDER ROAD and THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW.
ROGER IS A SERIAL KILLER
No list of must-see Fantasia titles would be complete without a film that’s serial killer-centric in nature. In this short film from writer/director Don Swaynos, a podcaster implicates her stepfather in a series of unsolved murders. This all makes for an intriguing podcast episode but it doesn’t make for a very nice family reunion. This one sounds like dark fun and the inclusion of horror queen Barbara Crampton (RE-ANIMATOR) should only elevate the proceedings.
Watch for Fantasia 2024 coverage here at Cinemast.net and for more information on this legendary festival, click here.
