If you haven’t been checking in with us lately, we’ve been covering the 28th Fantasia Film Festival here in Montreal! The festival ran from July 18th until August 4th, 2024 and included everything from screenings to workshops to book launches. Overall, there were more than 125 features and 200 shorts shown throughout the festival. 

In the end, we were able to attend screenings of 12 features and 6 shorts, but we also attended ‘Her Horror Legacy’, a panel discussion on women directing horror, and got to interview the cast and director of Witchboard (2024) on the red carpet! 

In this article, we’ll recap our entire experience at Fantasia, and we’ll also include reviews for the shorts we got to see, talk about the panel Adriana attended, and get her thoughts on the remastered version of Cube that she also got to see at the festival! 

July 19

Carnage for Christmas

dir. Alice Maio Mackay

Adriana: Carnage for Christmas was a strange but fun way to start off the festival, given that it’s the middle of summer! It was a cool introduction for me to Alice Maio Mackay, who I am still flabbergasted is only 19 years old and already has five features under her belt. Anyway, this was a fun, ultra-low-budget Christmas slasher with some interesting visuals and some solid performances. Read my full review for more thoughts on this Australian holiday slasher!

Elves on the Edge (Short)

dir. Abby Lloyd

Adriana: This short, in which a horny, Brooklyn-based elf gets it on with a Christmas tree after getting into a fight with her bandmates, is just as weird as it sounds! Writer/director/editor/star Abby Lloyd and her collaborator and composer Chris Retsina were in the house to introduce the short and provide some insight. It was apparently shot in two days on a true, self-funded, nothing budget. Gotta respect the hustle, even if the short wasn’t necessarily my thing. It was, however, the perfect accompaniment to Carnage for Christmas.

Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo) 

dir. Alexandre de La Patellière, Matthieu Delaporte

Shea: I started things off with a bang with the French film, The Count of Monte Cristo! There was a lot to like about this one, too. It was the longest of all the movies I saw at Fantasia this year, but you don’t feel that length at all. The timelessness of the story, the great production value, and some captivating performances make this a movie worth your time. This is one of the most adapted stories of all time and even when it’s not being adapted directly, the themes and beats are used in plenty of other movies. Somehow, in spite of all that, this movie manages to feel fresh and was a great way to kick off my first Fantasia experience. Read the full review for more of my spoiler-free thoughts! 

July 20

Shelby Oaks

dir. Chris Stuckmann

Shea: This was my most anticipated movie of the whole festival! I’ve followed the writer/director of this movie, Chris Stuckmann, on YouTube for nearly fourteen years. Chris announced that he was making his first feature and eventually went to Kickstarter to get the funds he needed to finish his movie. For helping ignite my passion and love for cinema, I was more than willing to back the movie on Kickstarter and support Chris on this journey.

After finally getting to see the movie at its world premiere, I’m happy to report that I was pleased with it! It wasn’t a perfect movie, but this is a great movie to start a career off with. I was most impressed with the confident direction from Stuckmann, because this didn’t feel like a feature debut at all. His genuine passion and love of film is apparent throughout Shelby Oaks, and I can’t wait to see what he makes next! Check out my full review for more of my spoiler-free thoughts!

July 21

Dark Match

dir. Lowell Dean

Shea: You probably know by now that I love movies, but you might not be aware that I’m also a big wrestling fan (and so is my brother Ty). This horror movie is about a small town wrestling promotion that gets a gig in a town off the beaten path that turns out to be the home to a cult. 

The movie stars some personal favourites of mine, including WWE legend and current AEW wrestler Chris Jericho and GTA 5 and Better Call Saul cast member Steven Ogg. This was also a Canadian production, to boot. So to say I was stoked for this one would be an absolute understatement, and boy did this one not disappoint! Writer/director Lowell Dean brought a purity of vision and a singular focus to this movie that paid off in spades. This isn’t meant to be some piece of high art, but it completely succeeded at what it was trying to do and what it wanted to be. The Fantasia crowd was fantastic at every screening I went to, but this was one of two theatrical experiences at the festival that will stick with me forever. The crowd was eating up every moment in the movie and that rowdy enthusiasm added to the wrestling movie experience we were watching together. If you’re not a wrestling fan, though, there’s more than enough here that you’ll still love (as long as you love over-the-top characters and brutal gore)! For my full spoiler-free thoughts, check out my review. 

Hell is a Teenage Girl (Short)

dir. Stephen Sawchuk

Shea: Before Dark Match began, we were treated to a short film called Hell is a Teenage Girl. I admit, I’ve seen very few shorts in my life but the few that I did see at Fantasia did not disappoint, including this one! This one had a very Blumhouse vibe to it, as it matched the tone of a lot of the horror movies that the studio has produced over the years. This was a fairly standard horror/comedy/slasher, but the premise was a fun little wrinkle that I think would work if it was ever stretched out into a feature. Overall, I thought this was a fun short that had some potential to be a fun feature film to watch during the Halloween season!

July 24

Mangeur d’Âmes (The Soul Eater)

dir. Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo

Shea: One of my bigger question marks of the Festival was The Soul Eater. When we got accredited to cover the festival, I read about every single feature they were showing and tried to narrow my list down. The synopsis for this movie said, “​​When violent and gruesome deaths start plaguing a small mountain village, an old legend about a malevolent creature resurfaces.” That, combined with the buzz from earlier screenings of the movie, made me lock this one in, and I didn’t regret that choice!

This was more of a police procedural with a few spooky sequences in it, but I found myself intrigued by the initial mystery the movie sets up. Unfortunately, I found a bit of the answers the movie provides a bit unsatisfying, but the gore effects, some incredibly beautiful shots, and a very satisfying ending were enough to overcome the odd narrative cliche or less-than-thrilling reveal. Check out my full spoiler-free review to read more of my thoughts! 

Réel (Short)

dir. Rodrigue Huart

Shea: Preceding The Soul Eater, was my second short of the festival, Réel. This was definitely a standout, just for how different it was than the other ones I saw. Set in 1852 Coutances, this movie is shot and shown entirely through the camera of a modern cell phone that two women find in a field. Honestly, the thing I thought of as the movie unfolded was the opening scene from Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King when Smeagol and Deagol fight over the ring. It was a creative idea for a short, and the cast had a lot of work to do beyond just worrying about their performance as they also shot the short film when they would pick up or interact with the phone. I thought this was a neat little distraction before the movie and appreciated how different it was compared to the others I saw. 

July 26

Witchboard (2024) + Red Carpet

dir. Chuck Russell

Shea: Our coverage of Witchboard started just outside the theatre at the Fantasia Film Festival red carpet! This was my very first time on a red carpet, so the nerves were a little high. Luckily for me, I met Josh Korngut from Dread Central as we waited for the cast and crew to appear on the carpet. I thoroughly enjoyed talking about all things horror with Josh, and I’m incredibly grateful to him for his help and for making me feel like I belonged there. Be sure to check out Josh and Dread Central, if you haven’t already!

On the red carpet, I had the chance to speak to writer/director Chuck Russell, who made some of my favourite movies growing up, including The Mask, Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob, and The Scorpion King, as well as stars Madison Iseman and Charlie Tahan. All three were incredibly gracious and I appreciated them taking the time to talk to me. You can check out all of those interviews here!

As for the movie itself, I mean, come on. It was a hoot! Chuck Russell proved he has a particular skill set when working in this genre with Nightmare 3 and The Blob, and his return to horror after all these years proves he hasn’t lost his touch. The biggest standout of the movie for me, though, was the incredible performance by Jamie Campbell Bower as the eccentric occult expert Alexander Babtiste. He really has a next-level energy about him that means his presence alone is felt when he isn’t even doing anything. When he is doing something, though, he’s having a good time with this role and it shows. While the movie has a few minor narrative aspects that didn’t quite work for me, this was another fun horror romp! You can read all of my thoughts in my spoiler-free review. 

Dark Mommy (Short)

dir. Courtney Eck

Shea: This was perhaps the most mixed of all the shorts I saw at Fantasia. It was a bit on the longer side (for a short) and I felt they didn’t do quite enough with all that extra time. It follows a 911 dispatcher that works the night shift as odd calls come in and weird things start happening outside the station. The ultimate reveal at the end of the short was neat and the effects/costume work was great, but the elongated build did nothing for me, and I was keen for things to get going. 

July 27

Her Horror Legacy: A Discussion on Women Directing Horror Movies (Panel)

Adriana: I was quite sad to have to miss the official book launch for Heidi Honeycutt’s I Spit On Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies that took place on July 26th, so I was determined to attend this follow-up panel discussion, moderated by Honeycutt, on the 27th. The panel featured fourteen contemporary filmmakers, many of whom had movies screening at this year’s festival or previous editions, and sought to “shed light on the vital role women directors play in shaping the landscape of horror cinema and its culture.”  

This was absolutely one of the biggest highlights of the whole festival for me. I bought a copy of Honeycutt’s book and was blown away at the chance to hear directly from so many women working within the industry. I learned a lot and got to add several independent women filmmakers to my radar, which is awesome!

The unfortunate throughline of the panel was how difficult it is for women directors to actually get funding and how they are still, to this day, being put in boxes and not given the same chances. The flip side of that, however, is the sheer resilience it takes to create what you want in face of those obstacles. Every woman on that stage fought her way there, and, as a woman who would maybe like to direct a horror movie one day, I can’t think of anything more inspiring than that. Getting to hear their stories and even chat with some of them after the panel was beyond cool, and the takeaway for me was not about the hardship—it was about how important it is to trust your own creative vision in spite of that hardship and to find those likeminded people who will boost you up and celebrate your vision. Big kudos to Heidi Honeycutt for continuing to celebrate women filmmakers in panels like this and through her own Etheria Film Festival.

July 30

Baby Assassins Nice Days

dir. Yugo Sakamoto

Shea: A last minute addition to my Fantasia plans became one of the highlights of the whole festival for me! This is a Japanese movie about two teenage girls from Tokyo who happened to be world class assassins. This is the third Baby Assassins movie in almost as many years, and while I haven’t seen the first two, this one was so good that they immediately went to the top of my watchlist. 

With a straightforward setup, two powerhouse leads, a stellar supporting cast, and fight scenes that outclass $100 million blockbusters, Baby Assassins Nice Days isn’t just a great movie—it’s a must watch for anyone that considers themselves an action movie fan. 

The range of emotions this movie pulled out of me stands as a reminder that you don’t need millions of dollars to create an unforgettable theatrical experience. You just need to give talented people a chance to create something truly special. You can read my spoiler-free review for the movie here, but just watch this one if you get the chance!

Cube (1997)

dir. Vincenzo Natali

Adriana: I first saw Cube many years ago with my brother, and I remember enjoying it greatly, but seeing it again, newly remastered in 4k, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up. Not every aspect of it has aged perfectly, but it’s a Canadian cult classic for a reason. With an ingeniously simple, Black Mirror-esque premise (or should Black Mirror be called Cube-esque?), it manages to tell a tense tight story that’s been iterated on so many times in the almost thirty years since its release. I’m really so impressed by what Natali was able to achieve with a cube-and-a-half of a set, some good actors, and a sharp, darkly funny script. If you haven’t seen or heard of Cube, it’s an underrated gem that I highly recommend!

Vincenzo Natali and star David Hewlitt were there to introduce the film and do a Q&A after. Natali also received Fantasia’s 2024 Canadian Trailblazer Award. I’ve admired Natali’s work since first watching Cube and particularly appreciate his TV credits in shows like Hannibal, Orphan Black, and Westworld, so I think it’s very well deserved.

In the Q&A, Natali talked about feeling the oppressive weight of the “algorithm” these days and then praised Fantasia and its audience for being so unabashedly weird, suggesting that weirdness is the way we fight back against the algorithm. I couldn’t agree more, and I just love that Fantasia celebrates and honours the weird as much as it does. 

Cuckoo

dir. Tilman Singer

Adriana: Speaking of weirdness, after Cube, I met up with Shea, and we both got to see Cuckoo! This bonkers thriller definitely left an impression, even if it also left us a bit baffled. The movie tries to juggle a lot, and mostly succeeds, thanks to a committed performance from Hunter Schafer and scene-stealer extraordinaire Dan Stevens, as well as plenty of style. It may be a bit too kooky for everyone to get on its wavelength, but it was a super enjoyable ride nonetheless! Read the full review for more. 

Dream Creep (Short)

dir. Carlos A.F. Lopez

Adriana: Preceding Cuckoo was a short called Dream Creep. It has a simple premise, one location, with just two actors, and it felt really slick and well-made. There’s a dark sense of humour running through here and some pretty visceral moments of body horror, which made it a blast to watch with an engaged crowd. This was definitely one of my favourite shorts of the festival!

July 31

Timestalker

dir. Alice Lowe

Shea: This was the last movie I reviewed for Fantasia 2024, and it was probably the most different of the whole lot! The synopsis reads, “Timestalker follows hapless heroine Agnes through time as she repeatedly falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death, gets reincarnated a century later, before meeting him again and starting the cycle anew.” In my review, I called Timestalker an anti-romantic comedy and I still think that’s an appropriate way to think about the movie. There is infatuation here, but the romance itself is intentionally light, which provides a lot of laughs throughout. The real story with this movie, though, is with the writer, director, and star, Alice Lowe. There’s a lot to like about her writing and directing work in this movie, but it was her performance as the lead character Agnes that stands out the most to me. She’s an incredible comedic actress, and I hope to see her in more stuff in the future! 

While I felt like there was more potential in the premise of the movie, Lowe still created something unique and unlike anything else I’ve seen lately, too. Overall, I enjoyed this movie and I think most people would too!

August 2

Azrael

dir. E.L. Katz

Adriana: Shea and I met up once again to catch Azrael together. I knew very little about it going in, except that it starred Samara Weaving, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it has an experimental bent, in that it featfures almost no dialogue. That’s no easy feat to pull off, so it’s amazing this movie works as well as it does. Aside from that, it’s also one of the coolest movies I saw, with plenty of action, gore, blood, creepy bad guys, and witchy cult stuff! What’s not to like? Check out my full review to learn more about this bloody, post-apocalyptic thriller. 

Martillo (Short)

dir. Alejandra Parody, Ben Sottak

Adriana: All of the shorts I saw were really well-matched with the features they were presented with, and this one is no exception. Where Azrael was the most metal movie of the bunch I saw, Martillo was likewise the most metal short film. Set in Cartagena, Colombia in 1666, in the era of the Spanish Inquisition, the film cleverly uses the generic conventions of horror to engage with themes of colonialism, freedom, and anarchy. I thought it was super well-done, with some truly excellent VFX. Overall, this was a cool little slice of satanic horror, with a lively introduction from the creators. 

August 4

Oddity

dir. Damian Mc Carthy

Adriana: Last but not least, Shea and I, with a couple of our dear friends in tow, attended the final screening of the final night of Fantasia, and it did not disappoint. The Fantasia crowd, as usual, proved it’s one of the best, making every laugh, jump scare, and reveal in Oddity feel earned. If you haven’t read my review, Oddity kind of blew me away! I just had such a blast and felt more tense and immersed than I have in a very long time while watching a horror movie. That everyone in our group felt the same way just goes to show what a gem this is, and how much a difference a great audience can make. 

Final Thoughts

Shea: This was my first Fantasia Film Festival experience and I absolutely loved it. Overall, I watched 13 different movies in theatres in 19 days and I think I will be watching even more during the festival next year! From meeting new people to sharing unforgettable movie experiences with friends and the enthusiastic crowds at Fantasia, this festival was truly unforgettable for me.

Adriana: I couldn’t have said it better myself! Looking forward to whatever next year has to offer.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our coverage of the Fantasia Film Festival and want to thank the organizers for giving us the opportunity to cover such an amazing event. Bon cinéma!