FANTASIA’S 25TH EDITION ANNOUNCES
FIRST WAVE OF PROGRAMMING FOR
UPCOMING VIRTUAL FILM FESTIVAL

Richard Bates Jr.’s KING KNIGHT, Tsutomu Hanabusa’s KAKEGURUI 2: ULTIMATE

RUSSIAN ROULETTE, Mark O'Brien’s THE RIGHTEOUS, Daigo Matsui’s REMAIN IN

TWILIGHT, Edoardo Vitaletti’s THE LAST THING MARY SAW, and Shunji Iwai’s THE 12 DAY TALE OF THE MONSTER THAT DIED IN 8
among the first titles announced for the festival’s 25th edition taking place August 5 - 25, 2021

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 // Montreal, Quebec -- The Fantasia International Film Festival is

proud to announce the first wave of programming for its upcoming 25th edition, set again to

take place as a virtual event accessible to audiences across Canada. The festival will run from

August 5 - 25, 2021 and will include scheduled screenings and premieres, panels, and

workshops, with films once again hosted on the leading-edge platform created by Festival Scope

and Shift72. As the summer approaches, Fantasia organizers will be following advice from local

health authorities in Montreal with respect to the possibility of adding a limited range of

physical events as well. In celebration of the key role that Japan’s culture has played across

Fantasia’s history, the festival’s 25th edition will be featuring an enhanced focus on Japanese

cinema.

Following the earlier news of the festival’s opening film, the world premiere of Julien Knafo’s

Quebec-set zomcom BRAIN FREEZE starring Roy Dupuis and Iani Bédard, details on the first

wave of feature films are revealed today, with the full lineup to be announced in late July.

STEADY YOUR GAZE FOR THE LAST THING MARY SAW

Brace yourself for THE LAST THING MARY SAW, a breathtaking period occult drama set in an

isolated farmhouse in the winter of 1843, where a young woman is under investigation

following the mysterious death of her family’s matriarch. It soon becomes apparent that ageless

forces are at play, from within and without. An eerie and hypnotic nightmare vision from

debuting writer/director Edoardo Vitaletti, starring Stefanie Scott (INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3),

Isabelle Fuhrman (ORPHAN), Judith Roberts (YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE), and Rory Culkin

(LORDS OF CHAOS). WORLD PREMIERE.

GO ALL-IN WITH KAKEGURUI 2: ULTIMATE RUSSIAN ROULETTE

Welcome back to Hyakkaoh Academy, where the students engage in compulsive gambling to

climb the social ladder, but this time around the return of a demented alumni will wreak a new

kind of havoc on the school. KAKEGURUI 2: ULTIMATE RUSSIAN ROULETTE, written and

directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa (PROJECT DREAMS), raises the stakes beyond money and clout

to a game of life and death. This highly creative, colorful, and thrilling manga adaptation makes

a reinvented poker game as engaging as a championship match. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

RICHARD BATES JR. INVITES YOU ON A GONZO SPIRITUAL QUEST

Richard Bates Jr. has been a longstanding member of the Fantasia Family with fest favourites

EXCISION, TRASH FIRE, TONE-DEAF, and SUBURBAN GOTHIC. We’re thrilled to announce his

return with the outlandish KING KNIGHT, an outsider’s outsider comedy starring Matthew Gray

Gubler and Angela Sarafyan as Thorn and Willow, husband-and-wife high priest and priestess of

a coven of witches in a small California community. When Willow unearths a secret from

Thorn’s past, their lives are thrown into turmoil in this kooky, clever treat, decked with a wild

cast that includes Nelson Franklin, Johnny Pemberton, Barbara Crampton, Ray Wise, Andy

Milonakis, and the voices of Aubrey Plaza and AnnaLynne McCord. WORLD PREMIERE.

DAIGO MATSUI REACHES INTO THE AFTERLIFE FOR REMAIN IN TWILIGHT

Six high school friends reunite for a wedding ceremony in the newest feature from Fantasia

favourite Daigo Matsui. They reconnect as if no time has passed, but there’s an unspoken

question lingering in the air, as one of them should not be there. Adapted from a stage play

inspired by the death of a real-life friend, REMAIN IN TWILIGHT takes audiences on a

bittersweet, grief-stricken journey at the crossroads between a buddy comedy and supernatural

drama. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

SOUTH AFRICAN GENRE CINEMA EXCELS IN INDEMNITY

The new wave of South African genre cinema continues to astonish in INDEMNITY, the feature

directorial debut of Gambit Films’ Travis Taute, co-writer and executive producer of Nosipho

Dumisa’s Fantasia-award-winner NUMBER 37 (and director of the originating short) and a writer

and director on the hit Netflix series BLOOD & WATER. A subversive, high-tension action thriller

that follows a fireman (Jarrid Geduld) with an anguished past who finds himself on the run for a

crime he has no memory of, the knockout feature speaks to the horrors of the international

arms trade and the use of trauma itself as a weapon. Co-starring Gail Mabalane (BLOOD &

WATER), Andre Jacobs (BLACK VENUS), Nicole Fortuin (FLATLAND), and Tshamano Sebe (8, a

Fantasia 2019 breakout premiere). WORLD PREMIERE.

MASASHI YAMAMOTO THROWS THE PARTY OF THE SUMMER IN WONDERFUL PARADISE

Punk iconoclast Masashi Yamamoto is back with WONDERFUL PARADISE, a demented spin on

the unwanted-guest scenario that builds and builds until all notions of cinematic realism are

thrown out the window and social constructs – of family, class, and Japanese decorum - are

skewered by mayhem. Moving out of their house in the wealthy suburbs of Tokyo, the Sasayas

find the transition made all the more complicated after their daughter posts an open party

invite online for anyone to join, inviting a parade of estranged family, jilted lovers, and

supernatural surprises into their lives. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

A SPANISH-BASQUE MASTERPIECE TAKES VAMPIRE CINEMA TO POIGNANT NEW HEIGHTS –

STARE INTO ALL THE MOONS

Spain. 1876. A young girl (Haizea Carneros) is severely injured when a religious orphanage is

bombed during the third Carlist war. On the verge of death, she is healed by a mysterious

woman (Itziar Ituño) whom she perceives to be an angel. They are soon separated, the child left

to fend for herself - for decades upon decades. With ALL THE MOONS, director Igor Legarreta

masterfully employs the tenets of vampire lore as the basis for an intimate epic dealing with

themes of life and death, love and loneliness, devotion and intolerance. Impeccably crafted, it

ranks among the best of vampire cinema. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE.

APPEARANCES CAN BE MISLEADING IN THE ACTION-PACKED CAUTION, HAZARDOUS WIFE

Based on the beloved TV series by the same name, Toya Sato’s CAUTION, HAZARDOUS WIFE

stars Haruka Ayase (REAL) as an amnesiac housewife living a quiet life with her perfect husband

(Hidetoshi Nishijima, CREEPY). As her memories begin to return, she discovers an unexpected

and dangerous side to herself she never predicted. Combining first-rate fight choreography with

a winning comedic charisma from Ayase, CAUTION, HAZARDOUS WIFE is an absolute must-see

for any action fan. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

A NEW CANADIAN HORROR CLASSIC IS BORN – THE RIGHTEOUS

Actor turned director Mark O'Brien (READY OR NOT, ARRIVAL) makes his feature debut with the

slow-burn, character-driven occult chiller THE RIGHTEOUS, one of the year's most thrilling genre

discoveries that takes full advantage of Newfoundland's maritime otherworldliness while

blending timeless themes with an inventive and exciting filmmaking approach. A former priest

who left the church to start a family is gripped by tragedy after his child's death, and the life of

him and his wife are thrown into further chaos upon the arrival of a mysterious young stranger.

The film is written and directed by O'Brien, who also co-stars in the film alongside his READY OR

NOT castmate Henry Czerny and a terrific Mimi Kuzyk (LOST AND DELIRIOUS). WORLD

PREMIERE.

NOT QUITE DEAD YET BRINGS A WHOLE NEW LOOK AT THE AFTERLIFE

A death metal singer must team up with the ghost of her recently deceased father to uncover a

scheme underway at the company he left behind... and miraculously save his life! A punchy,

playful, and pleasingly morbid comedy romp, NOT QUITE DEAD YET mixes up a quick-paced

concoction of corporate intrigue, family melodrama, and supernatural silliness. With deft

timing, first-time director Shinji Hamasaki orchestrates an outstanding cast of sympathetic

characters interpreted by stars Suzu Hirose (CHIHAYAFURU), Ryo Yoshizawa (BLEACH), and

Shinichi Tsutsumi (THE MOLE SONG). NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

BABY MONEY WILL MURDER YOU WITH TENSION

After a botched burglary, a pair of criminals take refuge in the house of a single mother as they

wait on their getaway driver to hash an escape plan in Mikhael Bassilli and Luc Walpoth’s

phenomenal BABY MONEY. Mounting suspense, textured characters, and jolting storytelling

come together in this powerhouse, pulse-racing crime thriller. Led by a remarkable cast that

includes Danay Garcia (FEAR THE WALKING DEAD), Taja V. Simpson (THE OVAL), Michael Drayer

(MR. ROBOT), and Joey Kern (GOOD BEHAVIOR) alongside newcomer Vernon Taylor III, an

exceptional special-needs talent. WORLD PREMIERE.

A DOSE OF ART KABUKI TO HEAL OUR SOULS

While theatres were shut down due to COVID-19, young Kabuki-actor Kazutaro Nakamura

decided to unite with many unique artists to create ART KABUKI, a compelling filmed

performance under the subject of ‘Play, Beauty and Life’. A visually stunning modern take on a

centuries-old, traditional art form, Nakamura succeeds exceptionally at inspiring hope and joy

through creativity in these difficult times. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

HELLBENDER IS AN OCCULT INSPIRATION

An occult, coming-of-age film unlike any you’ve seen, HELLBENDER is the extraordinary new

creation from the Adams Family (John Adams, Toby Poser, Zelda Adams), the gifted filmmaking

family behind 2019’s indie sensation THE DEEPER YOU DIG. It further affirms their stature as

singular poets of the genre, making soulful and wholly original works with a one-of-a-kind look

and feel, this time in the dreamy story of a lonely teenage girl (Zelda Adams) who finds

guidance in her family’s suppressed supernatural lineage. HELLBENDER imaginatively explores

questions of identity, instinct, and power roles in youth and parenthood alike. An uncanny film

that’s all at once haunting, heartfelt, freakish, and fun. WORLD PREMIERE.

ESTONIA BRINGS THE STRANGENESS – KRATT IS HERE!

12 years after BURATINO, SON OF PINOCCHIO, Rasmus Merivoo has returned to filmmaking

with KRATT. In a small Estonian village, two kids (Nora and Harri Merivoo, the director's own

children), hoping to get out of farm work, bring the local legend of The Kratt - a Terminator-like

demonic spirit that must always be fed work, or else - to life so they can escape their chores,

but in doing so they may bring about the destruction of all human life on earth! It's pretty safe

to say that no other movie at Fantasia 2021 will reach KRATT's delightful preposterousness—

unless another Estonian dry comedy/fantasy/political commentary comes along to outplace it.

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

A TWISTING AND TRANSFIXING JOURNEY INTO ULTRASOUND

After his car breaks down, Glen (Vincent Kartheiser, MAD MEN) spends one hell of an odd night

with a married couple, setting into motion a chain of events that alter their lives plus those of

several random strangers. That’s the official synopsis of Rob Schroeder’s ingenious

ULTRASOUND and it’s best we don’t say a word more without running the risk of ruining the

film’s endlessly twisty surprises that easily make it one of the most engrossing and unexpected

genre creations of the year. Co-starring Breeda Wool (MR. MERCEDES), Chelsea Lopez (ARE WE

NOT CATS), Tunde Adebimpe (RACHEL GETTING MARRIED), Rainey Qualley (OCEAN’S 8), and

Bob Stephenson (LADY BIRD). INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE.

FANTASIA UNDERGROUND UNLEASHES AN AWARD-WINNING, iPHONE-SHOT SCI-FI COMEDY

First title revealed for the 2021 Fantasia Underground section

Born out of an acting workshop and shot on an iPhone, the charmingly inventive BEYOND THE

INFINITE TWO MINUTES focuses on a small group of friends trying to make sense of a time loop

that gives them a two-minute insight into the immediate future. A directorial debut from

newcomer Junta Yamaguchi, the film plays like ONE CUT FROM THE DEAD meets TENET and

uses meager resources to create a hilarious and crowd-pleasing film that’s already wowed

audiences and won awards at BIFFF and Fantaspoa. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

FIRST TITLE REVEALED FOR THE FANTASIA’S DOCS FROM THE EDGE SECTION

INLAND EMPIRE meets EVIL DEAD in bizarre VHS documentary

The 80s were the most fruitful years for direct-to-video oddities and in Uruguay, ACT OF

VIOLENCE IN A YOUNG JOURNALIST, by Manuel Lamas, is the strangest of them all. Never seen

outside of its country of origin, the film has been celebrated as a cult film (à la THE ROOM) by

homegrown cinephiles and camp aficionados, while its origins have remained shrouded in

mystery for decades... Until now! The behind-the-scenes mystery thickens in Emilio Silva Torres’

feature debut STRAIGHT TO VHS as we tag along on a quest with eccentric characters and

through creepy locations to find the man behind one the oddest VHSes ever made.

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE.

FANTASIA’S CAMERA LUCIDA SECTION UNVEILS FIRST TITLES

Isolation, global crises, and shifting belief systems are at the heart of the Camera Lucida section

this year, Fantasia’s sidebar dedicated to showcasing boundary-pushing, auteur-driven works at

the intersection of genre and arthouse cinema

Like so many actors, Takumi Saitoh (playing a version of himself) is out of work due to COVID-19.

He sits at home, and wonders what to do. Until kaiju expert Shinji Higuchi (ATTACK ON TITAN,

SHIN GODZILLA) smartly suggests he buy capsule monsters online to defeat the virus. As film

productions shut down across Japan, maestro Shunji Iwai turned to Zoom, the online lingua

franca of these pandemic times, for THE 12 DAY TALE OF THE MONSTER THAT DIED IN 8. An

ambitious slice of lockdown-life where fact, fiction, and inner worlds blend together. NORTH

AMERICAN PREMIERE.

Since birth, Uno (Luciano Pedro Jr.) – son of a taxi man – has had the peculiar ability of talking to

cars. Together with his unhinged uncle he sets out to modernize his father’s fleet for a new

conscientious age. Enter Carro Rei, the sentient car of the future.... and an apt emblem for its

undoing. Casting a critical light on Brazil’s ongoing populist nightmare and the limits of

progressivism in a machine-driven, late-capitalist framework, Renata Pinheiro’s KING CAR takes

place in an ominous junkyard universe. A film of the moment, wherein our machine fetish

becomes a self-fulfilling tragedy. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

Canadian genre experimentalist Seth A. Smith (LOWLIFE, THE CRESCENT) returns to the section

with TIN CAN, a timely, yet thoroughly unpredictable science-fiction-cum-survival-thriller and a

marvel of Sci-Fi design. In a world being ravaged by a mysterious fungal infection, Fret is the

leading parasitologist studying to control it - until she’s kidnapped and wakes up in a

human-sized tin can. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

In AGNES, the latest from prolific filmmaker Mickey Reece (CLIMATE OF THE HUNTER), a

dissident priest and a bright-eyed neophyte are sent to investigate rumours of demonic

possession at a convent. Both will be met with temptation as the strange goings-on test their

faith, as well as that of one specific nun in residence. This structurally daring film tests the

narrow-minded restrictions of (self) narrative and memory, as well as those of institutional

religion. Starring Hayley McFarland (THE CONJURING), Jake Horowitz (THE VAST OF NIGHT), and

Ben Hall (MINARI), and featuring Sean Gunn, Rachel True, Chris Browning, and Molly C. Quinn.

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE.

All titles will compete for the AQCC-Camera Lucida prize, awarded by a jury of critics from the

Québec’s Critics Association (AQCC), member of the FIPRESCI.

AXIS REVEALS A DUO OF ANIMATED DELIGHTS!

Axis, Fantasia’s animation section, announces first two titles hailing from opposite ends of the

globe that prove animation is for the young and the old

Beastly behaviour abounds in Avid Liongoren’s HAYOP KA! THE NIMFA DIMAANO STORY, a

steamy soap opera satire from the Philippines. The decidedly adult-oriented animation, which

boasts a fully Filipino cast and crew, follows Nimfa the cat as she searches for true love and

happiness and must decide between the two dogs in her life. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

Midnight mischief is afoot in LITTLE VAMPIRE, the latest film adaptation from France’s Joann

Sfar (THE RABBI’S CAT), who both created the original children’s comic and helm’s the magically

monstrous and endearingly morbid feature about the unlikely friendship between a never-aging

vampire and a human boy. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

_____________________________________________

The 25th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival will be presented by Videotron in

collaboration with Desjardins, and will be made possible thanks to the financial assistance of the

Government of Quebec, SODEC, Telefilm Canada, the City of Montreal, the Conseil des arts of

Montreal and Tourisme Montréal.

A second wave of Fantasia 2021 titles will be announced in June with the full lineup to be

revealed in late July, with ticket sales commencing shortly afterwards.

For more information, visit us on the web at www.fantasiafestival.com