#FANTASIA: FANTASIA FESTIVAL 2021 PREVIEW
By Justin Waldman & Amanda Gilmore
Fantasia Festival 2021 officially kicks-off on Thursday August 5, 2021 through Wednesday, August 25, 2021, now in its 25th year, with an incredible line up of films and features!
Our Team's Justin Waldman and Amanda Gilmore had an opportunity to preview some of the amazing films to premiere at the Montreal-based Festival, celebrating genre Film! See some of their recommendations. Throughout the Festival, we will be sharing their reviews on what to ...
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#FANTASIA: “FOR THE SAKE OF VICIOUS”
By Amanda Gilmore
A kind-hearted nurse Romina (Lora Burke), a revenge-infused Chris (Nick Smyth), and a suspicious hostage Alan (Colin Paradine) are forced to defend themselves against random and violent intruders on Halloween night.
Directors Gabriel Carrer and Reese Evenshen have created a non-stop thrill ride with For The Sake Of Vicious. Screenwriter Evenshen has written three well-developed character’s with clear goals while constructing ...
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#FANTASIA: “THE DARK AND THE WICKED”
By Amanda Gilmore
When Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) come home to visit their mother (Julie Oliver-Touchstone) and slowly dying father (Michael Zagst) on their secluded rural farm, they quickly learn that something evil is lurking among them.
The Strangers Writer-Director Bryan Bertino is back with a bone-chilling horror Film that mixes grief with a terrifying possession story. The Occult-Horror theme of the devil seeking the ...
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#FANTASIA: FINN WOLFHARD – IN CONVERSATION WITH JAY BARUCHEL
By Amanda Gilmore
It's clear that Vancouver-born actor Finn Wolfhard is a talented guy. At the young age of 17, he's a successful musician and actor, solidifying his career through performances as Mike in Stranger Things and Richie in IT. But now he's making his transition from in front of the camera to behind it. His Short Film Night Shifts, which he wrote and directed, premiered at Fantasia Festival 2020 and has been garnering buzz. It's about two old friends connecting unexpectedly ...
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#FANTASIA: “THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND”
By Amanda Gilmore
A strange force is thriving just off the coast of Block Island and it’s creating terrifying experiences among residents and wildlife.
Brother duo Kevin and Matthew McManus have written and directed a brilliant piece of Supernatural Horror. They impressively expand on this genre to involve our real-life fears surrounding technology and our environmental crisis. As if that wasn’t enough to terrify an audience, the brothers go further to skillfully ...
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#FANTASIA: “ALONE”
By Amanda Gilmore
Recently widowed Jessica (Jules Willcox) begins a journey back to her hometown when a cold-blooded killer begins hunting her down.
Alone works thanks to Director John Hyams building ample amounts of tension in each scene through staging and sound, along with Wilcox’s captivating performance as a woman fighting to survive. However, for those looking for a twist or something new being brought to a popular genre they won’t find it here. As ...
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#FANTASIA: “BLEED WITH ME”
By Amanda Gilmore
While feeling like a third-wheel on a weekend getaway with friend Emily (Lauren Beatty) and Emily’s boyfriend (Aris Tyros), Rowan (Lee Marshall) begins having horrifying visions during the night of Emily. However, Rowan can’t tell if these visions are fact or fiction.
First-time Feature Writer-Director Amelia Moses has created a gripping isolation Horror film. The remote settings, the indoor fire-lit cabin and ...
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#FANTASIA: “UNEARTH”
By Amanda Gilmore
Struggling farmer George (Marc Blucas) sells part of his property to the gas and oil industry to save his family. What he doesn’t realize is that the fracking is going to unleash an invisible terror from below.
Directors John C. Lyons and Dorota Swies along with co-writer Kelsey Goldberg mix genre horror with real-world terror in Unearth. The first half of the Film plays out as a Drama about fracking. The current hardships rural independent farmers are experiencing in ...
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#FANTASIA: “DETENTION”
By Amanda Gilmore
Based on the Video Game of the same name, Detention is set in 1962 during Taiwan’s White Terror period. It follows Fang (Gingle Wang) and Wei (Tseng Chin-hua) who have been trapped alone at midnight in their high school.
First-time Feature Writer-Director John Hsu has made a striking Fantasy-Horror genre film. As with the Video Game, the real-world horror those experienced during the White Terror period perfectly moulds within fantastical elements of the ...
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