12th Jul2022

Preview: Fantasia International Film Festival 2022

by Alain Elliott

Fantasia International Film Festival is my absolute favourite film festival each and every year. It not only has the best movies based on quality but it has such a fantastic mix of genres and brilliant originality from the filmmakers that is unlike any other film festival. From big Hollywood movies to debut low-budget affairs and everything in between. This year’s festival is the 25th edition and my only issue in writing a preview piece is that unless I wrote about every single movie, then I know I’m going to miss mentioning something I’d love.

With that said, here are 15 movies I will be checking out this year…

  • Polaris – The opening movie at this year’s festival and a World Premiere. Set in 2144, this snow-covered post-apocalyptic movie looks like no action film you have ever seen before. Following a human child, Sumi, raised by Mama Polar Bear ( a real polar bear stars!), Sumi escapes a hunting party and stumbles across Frozen Girl. The two attempt to head to safety towards the Polaris star. With an all female cast, Polaris is a film that has the true spirit and originality of Fantasia at its roots.
  • The Witch Part 2: The Other One – From the writer of I Saw The Devil, Park Hoon-jung, the first The Witch movie (The Subversion) was criminally under seen. It’s right up there with my favourite movies of the last ten years and it feels like I’ve waited forever for this sequel. Like the first (a film that I’m sure has influenced Stranger Things) this sequel looks to feature lots of blood, gore and insane fight scenes in a really unusual superhero-like movie.
  • Island of Lost Girls – A very different kind of family film sees three young sisters get trapped in a sea cave with hundreds of sea lions and elephant seals. The three girls did all their own stunts and you’ll wonder how some of this was filmed, it looks truly incredible.
  • A Life on the Farm – The exact kind of movie you’ll see at Fantasia and almost nowhere else! When you think found-footage, most people will think horror but this is not what you’ll be thinking. A documentary on farmer Charles Carson, who before his death self-shot his life on the farm. Found on VHS tape, now the World can see what he filmed, with added comments from his friends and family.
  • Goodbye, Don Glees! – Based on the poster alone this looks like a very cool animated coming-of-age story. Beyond that this movie asks what regrets would you have if the world ended tomorrow? This looks to be a fantastical story about friendship and growing up.
  • Glorious – I love a good single-setting movie and Glorious is set in the not so glamorous location of a toilet. Starring Ryan Kwanten and J.K. Simmons, Glorious, from director Rebekah McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring) blends sci-fi and horror with plenty of originality.
  • Freaks Out – There’s little I need to say about Freaks Out because it’s Circus sideshow performers vs Nazi’s in 1942 Italy from the director of They Call Me Jeeg (Gabriele Mainetti). This promises to be over two hours of the most crazy superhero action!
  • Coupez! – Do we need a French remake of the near perfect Japanese comedy horror One Cut of the Dead? I’m not so sure but that is exactly what we’re getting with Coupez! and reviews from Cannes were positive so I’ll definitely be checking it out.
  • Alienoid – Alienoid has a whole lot going for it. This South Korean blockbuster features sword fights, explosive action, aliens and big fighting CGI robots. It looks completely insane in the best possible way.
  • Whether the Weather is Fine – Like so many Fantasia movies, this blends genres to create something consistently original. Set in the aftermath of a typhoon, Miguel is searching for his mother and friend. Rumours of a ship taking survivors to safety complicates things more in this oddly beautiful survival movie.
  • Speak No Evil – Horrifying Sundance this year, Speak No Evil now comes to Fantasia. Centred on a families encounter with stranger, the words of people who have seen this film are linked with the best horror movies – uncomfortable, dread, scary and gruelling. I can’t wait to see this one!
  • Space Monster Wangmagwi – An almost unseen 1967 Korean giant monster film called Space Monster Wangmagwi. Does anything else need to be said?!
  • Skinamarink – A strange dream-like experimental film about two children who wake up in the middle of the night and realise their father is missing and the doors and windows in the house have vanished. Skinamarink looks to be one of the creepiest movies at Fantasia.
  • Sadako DX – 1999s Ring is one of the scariest and most important horror movies ever made. It’s sequels have ranged in quality but I can’t say I ever thought the franchise would head down the comedy route. But maybe laughing at itself while still producing scares might just work.
  • The Roundup – Starring the charismatic and instantly watchable Ma Dong-seok (Train to Busan, Eternals), The Roundup is full of crazy stunts and action sequences. Fantasia brings more of the best South Korean cinema to a wider audience.

I would say ‘that’s it’ but there’s so much more to see at Fantasia 2022. Go check it out at fantasiafestival.com and don’t miss out!

Off

Comments are closed.