Fantasia International Film Festival: A Cinematic Extravaganza of Unparalleled Diversity and Creativity!
The Fantasia International Film Festival, an annual celebration of all things imaginative and extraordinary, has once again taken the film world by storm. Held in the vibrant city of Montreal, Canada, this iconic festival is currently running this year July 20th to August 9th and has become a mecca for cinephiles, genre enthusiasts, and filmmakers alike, offering a unique platform for showcasing innovative, daring, and boundary-pushing films from across the globe.
With its inception in 1996, Fantasia has grown exponentially in size and reputation, earning its place as one of the most prestigious genre film festivals in the world. Over the years, it has become renowned for its diverse selection, encompassing a wide array of genres, including horror, science fiction, fantasy, animation, action, and beyond. This extensive mix ensures that there is something for everyone, making it a true celebration of cinema’s boundless possibilities.
Get ready to immerse yourself in a cinematic wonderland at the 2023 film fest, where an extraordinary lineup of choice movies awaits your eager eyes. This will be the first year Severed Cinema will be covering some of the films from this year’s selection which showcases an array of genres, mind-bending narratives, and visually stunning masterpieces. From chilling body horror tales thought-provoking science fiction journeys that challenge the very fabric of reality, the festival has something to entice every cinephile. So, buckle up and prepare to be captivated by some of the films that showcase the boundless possibilities of storytelling. Here are some of the movies that have sparked our interest at this year’s fest:
Fantasia Choice Selections:
Blackout (Dir. Larry Fessenden) – In a small upstate New York town, artist Charley Barrett (Alex Hurt) checks out of the motel that’s been his recent home and sets out on a series of personal missions. These include exposing the corruption of ruthless developer Hammond (Marshall Bell), and reconciling with former lover Sharon (Addison Timlin), Hammond’s daughter. Another is connected to his tragic secret: Charley is a werewolf, recently infected with the curse and responsible for a series of gruesome murders.
Booger (Dir. by Mary Dauterman) – If your best friend just died, if you lost their cat and you’re coughing up furballs… you might need an escape. In Mary Dauterman’s feature debut, Booger, Anna is in this exact position. Her best friend, Izzy, just passed away, her landlord won’t stop calling about the rent, and she’s on the brink of losing her job. Home alone, Anna gets bit by Izzy’s grumpy cat, Booger, who jumps out of a window. As everyone around Anna tries to help her work through her grief, Anna’s singular focus is on finding her dead best friend’s cat and every day, she feels stranger and stranger. She’s hungry for canned fish, she keeps swallowing her hair, and her predatory instincts are out of control.
Evil Judgement (Dir. Claudio Castravelli) – After breaking up with her misogynist boyfriend (Jack Langedijk), Janet (Pamela Collyer) takes a swing at becoming a sex worker when she learns how lucrative it can be. However, due to a crackdown on the mob, along with the general ignorance on behalf of the police force, a homicidal maniac is allowed to escape into the shadows as he terrorizes Janet, killing her best friend (Nanette Workman!) and leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Taking justice into her own hands, Janet sets out to catch the serial killer by any means necessary.
New Normal (Dir. Jung Bum-shik) – Six short, interrelated stories with multiple references to classic films unfold before one’s astonished eyes in a jubilant crescendo culminating in a hilarious finale, a kind of Machiavellian therapy for anyone who has ever worked in customer service and had their life ruined by annoying customers. Now let’s try to piece it all together into a more or less coherent narrative.
The Sparring Partner (Dir. Ho Cheuk-Tin) – Ten years ago in Hong Kong! A local double homicide has been dominating the news for weeks. Young Henry Cheung and his buddy, Angus have murdered and dismembered his parents. Cheung has openly confessed after being exposed. But his accomplice’s involvement is much hazier. His mental state was taken advantage by the cops when they forced a confession out of him. Moreover, Cheung may have forced him into the crime. A motley team of jurors have been summoned to decide their fates, which is proving far trickier as anticipated due to the constant media attention. Now the facts are no longer proving to be as black and white as before, so how guilty are they?
À pas furtifs (Dir. Raphaël J. Dostie) – Julien visits his older sister, Sarah, who leads a cloistered life in a residential tower and no longer wants to see anyone. He discovers with terror that she has taken refuge in a hermetic world, surrounded by frightening terrariums.
Divinity (Dir. Eddie Alcazar) – In a barren future wasteland — the ruins of California, perhaps? — Jaxxon Pierce (Stephen Dorff, Cecil B. Demented) has attained immortality, both literal and figurative. Following in his father’s footsteps, the pharmaceutical mogul has dedicated his life to the furthering and commercialization of Divinity, a civilization-altering substance that grants its jacked, meat-headed users’ eternal youth — to devastating effects for humanity. Yet, Faustian bargains come at a great price and the hourglass has run out of sand. A mysterious, seductive woman penetrates the madman’s fortress, and two cosmic brothers descend from the heavens to abduct Jaxxon.
*Movie summaries provided by Fantasia International Film Festival 2023 (fantasiafestival.com)
