The Fantasia International Film Festival has revealed its final wave of titles including the opening and closing films.

Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell will open the festival. The film stars stars Sophie Thatcher (Showtime’s Yellowjackets, COMPANION), Charles Melton (MAY DECEMBER, The CW’s Riverdale), Havana Rose Liu (LURKER, BOTTOMS), Kristine Froseth (SHARP STICK, AppleTV’s The Buccaneers), and Dougray Scott (MY OXFORD YEAR, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2).

Closing the festival is Zach Lipovsky’s and Adam Stein’s hotly-anticipated FREAKS PART II. Several years after a traumatic escape, we meet Mary (Amanda Crew, of HBO’s Silicon Valley and FREAKS) and her daughter Chloe (Lorelei Olivia Mote, of NBC’s Days of Our Lives and RIDDLE OF FIRE) as they live on the road, hiding their powers and identities. They are hunted by the Abnormal Defense Force, paramilitary police that specialize in ruthlessly exterminating “freaks” like them. Mary is fueled by revenge, determined to find the ADF officer (Lili Taylor, of THE CONJURING and OUTER RANGE) who killed her first child. 

Here are the full list of titles announced today:

VILLAGE OF EIGHT GRAVESTONES

Following the death of his mother – whom he hadn’t seen in years – young Tatsuya decides to visit the rural village where she lived. Along the way, he encounters private detective Kosuke Kindaichi, who had been searching for him at the behest of the Tajimi clan – a family burdened by a dark past. Tatsuya’s grandfather had once committed a gruesome massacre that left a deep scar on the villagers; consequently, they are now, to say the least, hostile toward Tatsuya and his family. When death strikes the locals once more, Detective Kindaichi must quickly find answers before the situation boils over. Takashi Shimizu, legendary creator of the JU-ON saga, delivers an entertaining, bloody horror thriller populated by eccentric characters and bizarre rituals. He brings to life the legendary Detective Kindaichi – a character created by author Seishi Yokomizo and featured in no fewer than 77 novels – while dropping visual and auditory clues for the audience to piece together the mystery behind the unfolding killing spree. VILLAGE OF EIGHT GRAVESTONES is fascinating folk-horror packed with tons of startling surprises. World Premiere.

THE MOUTHS

A rumor circulates about a cursed tree standing in the center of a supposedly haunted cemetery and a group of university students decides to tempt fate by visiting this legendary spot in the dead of night. Their courage quickly wavers in the face of the location’s eerie atmosphere and the deafening sound of cicadas. Things rapidly spiral out of control for the quartet as a waking nightmare, filled with ghostly figures and sudden disappearances, unfolds. Their recklessness comes at a price far steeper than they ever imagined. “What happened that night?” That’s the mystery the viewer must unravel in this terrifying new film by Takashi Shimizu (the SANA trilogy), brilliantly adapted from the novella A Questionnaire About the Mouth by renowned author Sesuji. Shimizu further cements his place in the pantheon of J-horror with a well-paced feature that relies more on genuinely unsettling supernatural apparitions than excessive jump scares. Fans of atmospheric horror will relish the excellent THE MOUTHS and its mind-bending, nerve-jangling finale. North American Premiere.

ATTACK ON PARADISE

Blasting full-throttle out of Belgium, Bob Colaers’ ATTACK ON PARADISE is one of the most pulverizing action films in ages. Newly released after seven years in prison, Suleyman (Saïd Boumazoughe, REBEL) only wishes to return to Antwerp’s Paradise apartment complex and spend time with his ailing mother. But Paradise no longer lives up to its name and has become overrun with gangsters and addicts. Druglord Prince Hamza (Achmed Akkabi, MOCRO MAFFIA) has taken over, placed himself at the top floor, and made Paradise his personal fortress. Just as Suleyman arrives, the cops raid the building, with no qualms of its below-the-poverty-line tenants becoming horrific collateral damage. People are dying everywhere and Suleyman only wants to keep his mother safe – but, to do that, he’s going to have to fight… Everyone… With anything he can get his hands on. Thrill seekers looking for mind-blowing fights and inventively staged, over-the-top action will have adrenalized fistfuls to enjoy, but what really makes ATTACK ON PARADISE stand out is star (and co-writer) Boumazoughe, who brings not just killer fighting skills and tremendous screen presence, but also makes Suleyman grounded and relatable, a genuine reluctant hero for today. World Premiere.

GROTESQQQUE

GROTESQQQUE is a completely original animation film from the brilliant mind of Atsushi Nishigori, known for his work as the director for THE IDOLM@STER and DARLING IN THE FRANXX, and Chief Animation Director behind, EVANGELION: 3.0+1.0 THRICE UPON A TIME, the smash hit that sparked a social phenomenon. This electrifying film embodies Nishigori’s ambition to create something he’s passionate about, with as much passion as he wants. Comprised of three episodes – “A(E)LIENS”, “YOROSHIKU★Girl”, and “NOCTURNE: NUIT GROTESQUE” – these distorted, uneven, yet infinitely beautiful stories melt together like a chimera, galvanized into motion by the enthralling original score accompanying the film. This poppy, edgy fusion of imagery and sound creates a unique world pulsing at the seams. Filled with aliens, gyarus (gals), and vampires… Atsushi Nishigori’s story of “GROTESQQQUE” girls is about to unfold! Animation Plus Section. World Premiere.

PERMANENT DAMAGE

After World Premiering his debut feature LOWLIFE at Fantasia 2012, Seth A Smith returns to our screen with another look at humanity through a surrealist lens. Along with his debut feature, which takes on addiction, Smith tackles topics affecting society – TIN CAN (Fantasia 2020) and THE CRESCENT approach the pandemic, grief, and parenting in haunting ways. This time, the filmmaker puts his stamp on the housing crisis with PERMANENT DAMAGE. Full of madcap charm, this story of escaped convict Tommy Gods, battling a cruel landlord, becomes a surreal caper. Starring a surprisingly tender Calem MacDonald (KIDS VS. ALIENS, Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy), Olivia Scriven (Degrassi, MRS. AMERICA), and a gnarly Stephen Dorff (BLADE, HBO’s True Detective), with a cameo by Stephen McHattie (300, WATCHMEN), you’re about to witness one of the quirkiest ensemble casts since REPO MAN! Septentrion Shadows Section. World Premiere.

WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR

Miki, a 27-year-old working in an architectural firm, wakes up in her small apartment, pulled out of her sleepy memory. Her world is quiet and strange, but will soon be interrupted by a transformative experience spurred by a half-remembered wolf bite. As Miki searches for answers, she soon finds herself drawn into the woods, and to the center of a ritual at a shrine cared for by elderly maidens. Director Eriko Katagiri was the recipient of the Japan Horror Award, a prize previously won by the director of NEW GROUP and BEST WISHES TO ALL, and her film tackles feminine isolation and alienation in a unique and powerful way. Viewers who allow themselves to be carried into Miki’s mind will find themselves pulled into one of the most unique werewolf stories ever put to the big screen. Cinematographer Akiko Ashizawa (TOKYO SONATA, CREEPY), Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s frequent collaborator, lends the film a unique visual identity, creating images built in ephemera, silhouettes, shadows and nature. WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR isn’t just a great film, it’s the announcement of a bright new talent. Underground Section. World Premiere.

REGARDS PARALLÈLES

Jean-Jacques, Félicien, and Madeleine steal a car in a desperate attempt to escape their reality, only to find their pursuit of freedom unravel into an absurd, tender, and tragic journey. A much-welcomed UFO over the Quebec cinema landscape, REGARDS PARALLÈLES is the sophomore feature of Montreal filmmaker Vincent Bonin-Arena, following his Berlinale-selected debut NOUVELLE PERSONNE. A film that delights in constantly taking the viewer by surprise and unravelling conventions of the genre, it further signals the arrival of a major talent to follow. Think of 60’s Jean-Luc Godard mixed with André Forcier with poetic dialogue, inspired photography, and absurdist humor. The portrait of a generation without a sense of direction, but with hearts still full of love, hope and dreams. Starring Inès Defossé (APRÈS LE DELUGE), Maxime Genois (HUNTING DAZE), and Mattis Savard-Verhoeven (DEATH DOES NOT EXIST). Les Fantastiques Week-Ends Du Cinéma Québécois Section. World Premiere.

THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER

Arioka Castle proves resilient against siege from outside, but within its walls, a succession of baffling events threatens the resolve of its defenders. Four impossible occurrences, one for each season. Signs of divine intervention – or perhaps a very human conspiracy? To unravel these puzzles, Lord Murashige (Masahiro Motoki, DEPARTURES) must enter into a contest of wits with a man he’s chained in his own dungeon, the brilliant strategist Kanbei Kuroda (Masaki Suda, DON’T CALL IT MYSTERY). With CURE and PULSE, definitive early titles in the ‘90s J-horror wave, Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa proved himself a preeminent fright-meister with a knack for psychological chills, but he’s since applied his distinctive flavor to drama, science fiction, action, romance, and espionage. With his latest film THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER, adapted from Honobu Yonezawa’s prizewinning 2021 novel, Kurosawa explores the genre of jidai-geki, or the Japanese period film, and cradles within it a clever and outlandish mystery. The historical setting suits the filmmaker’s penchant for patience and precision, and its confounding intrigue keeps with his love of complex mind games. North American Premiere.

GODHEAD

In 2023, Fantasia fell in love with HIPPO, Mark H. Rapaport’s electrically weird coming-of-age debut feature. With his sophomore effort, GODHEAD, Rapaport plunges us back into his wickedly strange imagination, re-teaming with his HIPPO star Kimball Farley. This equally baffling and engrossing film examines the intertwining blood structures where fanaticism and obligation meet. The film follows eccentric twins (Farley and Sarah Coffey) who proclaim themselves prophets, blurring reality and delusion as they draw a priest into their supposedly divine mission. A darkly comic work that examines the limits of dogmatic belief, the film’s formal identity reflects themes of unreal truth and fanaticism in an increasingly fragmented world. Claustrophobic and uncertain, GODHEAD pulls us into the headspace of religious indoctrination. It’s an offbeat film for our offbeat audience, and a movie for the freaks trying to find their place in this unforgiving world. World Premiere.

JUNCTION ROW

Ashlea Wessel has directed festival-favorite shorts like 2018’s TICK and 2020’s WEIRDO, and rounded them out with segments in the 2024 horror anthology CREEPY BITS. Now, audiences can see the World Premiere of her feature debut, JUNCTION ROW. Canadian horror icon Katharine Isabelle (GINGER SNAPS, AMERICAN MARY, BACKROOMS) is Juno, a recovering addict who leaves a fringe housing compound for a better life, leaving her beloved Ruby (Natalie Brown, of FX’s The Strain and THE BREACH) behind. When she learns that Ruby has gone missing, Juno returns, only to find Junction Row has become a hotbed of criminal activity, but she encounters much more than menacing drug dealers on her mission to find Ruby. Isabelle continues to be a crowd-pleaser as an action star, and supporting roles by Glen Gould (Paramount+’s Tulsa King, AT THE PLACE OF GHOSTS) and Kyle Mac (Netflix’s Between, AppleTV’s Government Cheese) don’t disappoint. With distinct Lovecraftian dread, this creature feature, penned by Adam Cesare (CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD), Matt Serafini, and Wessel, conjures a story where the fear of the unknown isn’t confined to what lies above, but what waits beneath. Septentrion Shadows Section. World Premiere.

THE LAST FOOTAGE?

Aside from a small handful of arthouse dramas screening at Locarno and such, the national cinema of politically isolated, conflict-plagued Myanmar remains all but invisible outside its borders. Few are aware of its lively, low-budget genre-film scene, circulating mostly online or on VCDs, but writer/director Arkar Soe Oo aims to change that with his innovative feature THE LAST FOOTAGE. Myanmar’s first found-footage horror film, shot entirely in first-person POV, is possibly the first Burmese chiller to hit the global genre-festival circuit. The events of THE LAST FOOTAGE unfold in almost-realtime, as the sun sets on the haunted Wingabar Forest and eerie howls pierce its night. That, the first-person perspective, and the absence of conventional horror gimmicks (rapid edits and bass-heavy scores, not to mention gratuitous gore and cruelty) make THE LAST FOOTAGE feel more like an immersive work of in-situ theatre. Or perhaps more accurately, like a gleeful romp with friends through a haunted-house attraction at a regional fair, with various creepy creatures leaping suddenly out of the darkness. World Premiere.

JIM QUEEN

Paris’ ultimate gay icon, Jim Parfait, reigns supreme over a world of adoring fans, fierce rivals, and impossibly sculpted bodies; until a mysterious STI begins transforming gay men into heterosexuals! As muscles disappear and social hierarchies collapse, Jim embarks on a wild, campy quest to find a cure before his life falls apart completely. The first feature from Bobbypills, Europe’s pioneering adult-animation studio, JIM QUEEN delivers a colorful, outrageous, and unapologetically Queer adventure from directors Nicolas Athané and Marco Nguyen. Beneath its gleeful barrage of kink, karaoke, and absurdist comedy lies a sharp satire of exclusion, identity, and liberation within contemporary Queer culture. Vibrant animation, infectious energy, and a killer soundtrack make this a future cult favorite. Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.

UNIDENTIFIED MURDER

25 years ago, a child named Tang Chi-Ho went missing at Tung Tau Hill. There was a glimpse of a mysterious beam from the sky, and then suddenly he vanished. There were a few theories, including the one in which he’s been abducted by aliens. Police officers tried their best to find him, but no luck. Years later, an influencer couple returns to the same location where this unfortunate event took place to film a prank video… What could go wrong? Jack Lee Chun-Kit and Kwok Ka-Hei’s UNIDENTIFIED MURDER is an absurdly entertaining black comedy that masterfully combines humor and mystery in a way that feels totally unique and fresh. Nominated for Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Director at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, it is one of the biggest and most surprising discoveries this year – if you aren’t already a fan of zany and wonderful Hong Kong cinema, you will be! Cheval Noir Competition. North American Premiere. 

INSECSTASY

Bathed in the glow of Dario Argento’s PHENOMENA and Lucky McKee’s MAY, Angus Silver’s INSECSTASY is for all the lonely perverts who’ve always wanted to be annihilated by the weight of their desire. A homage to 1970s erotic thrillers with a touch of creepy-crawly, INSECSTASY carries an offbeat, dark sense of humor and a violet-cast color scheme. Piercing the sterility of contemporary life with the disruptive transgression of eroticism, Silver’s film features dreamy fantasy sequences that interrupt and disrupt, drawing us expertly into its characters’ sensual and unusual interiority. Underground Section. World Premiere.

A NEW DAWN

Tomorrow, the Obinata family’s fireworks factory will be shuttered and demolished to make way for modern progress. Today, the two Obinata brothers and their childhood friend Kaoru are reunited after several years apart. Sentaro has asked her to help him get stubborn Keitaro to leave the premises as ordered, but Keitaro has other, very spectacular plans. An art-department veteran of films from Makoto Shinkai and Sunao Katabuchi, director Yoshitoshi Shinomiya is a traditional painter by training. In striking contrast to the slick, digital tools employed ever more frequently in Japanese anime, Shinomiya’s use of raw, hands-on techniques and remarkable lo-fi animation hacks informs and enriches his feature-film debut, A NEW DAWN, as does input from the French wing of his team in this intercontinental co-production. Together they’ve made a film of exquisite, even transcendent beauty, and turned this touching tale of ordinary lives into something truly extraordinary. A NEW DAWN premiered in official competition at the 76^th Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year and Fantasia is proud to bring the film to audiences on our continent. Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.

BUDDY

A brave girl (Delaney Quinn, IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU) and her friends must escape a kids television show, stalked by a homicidal mascot (Keegan-Michael Key, KEANU) in the wickedly deranged Sundance sensation BUDDY, the long-coming feature theatrical debut from Casper Kelly (TOO MANY COOKS, ADULT SWIM YULE LOG). Inspired in part by the filmmaker’s own childhood envy of the kids who got to live in the worlds of his favorite children’s shows, before he began to question their presented realities. A remarkable achievement in gonzo world-building, inventively shot, meticulously designed, and bubbling with imaginative scenarios that frequently re-invent themselves, BUDDY lands with singular impact, its conceptual outrageousness grounded by a terrific lead performance from the always-strong Cristin Milioti (HBO’s The Penguin) and a sharp supporting cast that includes Topher Grace (BLACKKKLANSMAN), Michael Shannon (THE SHAPE OF WATER), and Patton Oswalt (RATATOUILLE). From the producers of WEAPONS and COMPANION. International Premiere.

SICKO 

Happily married couple Azamat and Tancho live a carefree life until Azamat is forced to face his mounting debts. In desperation, they come up with a scheme to fake Stage 4 cancer for Tancho and raise money through crowdfunding. To their surprise, they go viral within days and collect enough money to pay off their debts, but are plunged into a journey of escalating madness. Directed by emerging talent Aitore Zholdaskali and featuring standout performances from Ayan Utepbergen (THE RISING HAWK), Dilnaz Kurmangali (ZHAZA), Azat Zhumadil (SHEKER), and Aida Kurmangaliyeva (BISHARASHKI), SICKO exposes the ugliness that emerges when people become consumed by money. Official Selection: Rotterdam Film Festival 2026. North American Premiere.

BLAISE

Fans of cringe comedy will be in heaven with this unique, uncomfortable blast of adult animation, praised by Première Magazine as the funniest film at this year’s Cannes. Imagine a distinctly French take on Scandinavian “comedy of embarrassment” films, or a much drier Curb Your Enthusiasm. Directed by Dimitri Planchon and Jean-Paul Guigue (Arte’s Silex and the City), based on the former’s cult comic book, BLAISE is the story of the desperate-to-be-loved Sauvage family, voiced by Léa Drucker (INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE), Jacques Gamblin (CONNEMARA), and Timéo. What begins as a hilarious domino effect of social disasters, a comedy of manners and misunderstandings, blossoms into something distinctly more charged. You’ll die of embarrassment for these characters and the absurd, life-altering situations their neuroses land them in, yet BLAISE casts reflections that resonate more profoundly as its non-heroes make direly consequential choices out of a desperate need to feel even vaguely liked. Produced by Alexandre Gavras (NO OTHER CHOICE, THE SUCCESSOR). Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.

BEASTS CLUTCHING AT STRAWS

A young streamer working at an internet cafe discovers a bag containing 100 million yen and must seize it for the sake of his family. Ebato, a corrupt police officer riddled with debt to a cruel yakuza and his botanical torture partner, is planning a massive fraud scheme. A prostitute beaten by her husband befriends a femme fatale colleague who seems to know the ropes of organized crime. The fates of all these disparate characters will collide in a mind-blowing fireworks display. BEASTS CLUTCHING AT STRAWS is a captivating neon-noir thriller and a delirious, cynical black comedy featuring several epic, manga-esque sequences. Supported by an exceptional cast led by Ouji Suzuka, the brilliant Hideo Jojo surpasses himself in terms of direction and ideas to make this adaptation of Keisuke Sone’s famous novel, winner of the prestigious Edogawa Rampo Prize, an instant classic. Cheval Noir Competition. North American Premiere.

LA PLACE

As anyone who’s ever had to drive in the city will know, parking space is a precious commodity. On a day that would have been like any other, Brigitte (Christine Beaulieu, L’OEIL DU CYCLONE, LA FONTE DES GLACES) and Jonathan (Maxim Gaudette, POLYTECHNIQUE, INCENDIES) arrive at a dinner party, only for a stranger to block their way, leaving them unable to park and stranded the road. The couple confront the mysterious man (Benoit Gouin, QUÉBEC-MONTRÉAL) but something is amiss and Jonathan becomes increasingly affected. Louis Godbout’s latest feature, LA PLACE is a tense, beautiful, and touching depiction of the ways the smallest interactions can snowball into unimaginable consequences and forever alter one’s destiny. Les Fantastiques Week-Ends Du Cinéma Québécois Section. North American Premiere.

BOWELS OF HELL

For those who believe they’ve seen everything cinema has to offer, here comes Brazilian madmen Gurcius Gewdner and Gustavo Vinagre’s BOWELS OF HELL, unquestionably the grossest film of Fantasia 2026 – and also one of its wildest, most unpredictable, and hilarious. It’s not entirely a scatological humor fest, because BOWELS is also a surprisingly touching story about parents and children, and the struggle to focus on the people in your life that matter the most. It’s also filled with some of the most disgustingly inventive kills seen in any movie in some time, and it should come as little surprise that even the legendary Bruce LaBruce shows up at one point. When you gotta go, you gotta go… but in this film’s haunted São Paolo apartment complex, “go” means that your time is most certainly up! Produced by Rodrigo Teixeira, the Oscar-nominated producer of THE WITCH, I’M STILL HERE, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, and THE LIGHTHOUSE, BOWELS OF HELL is an unexpectedly layered mix of family drama, social satire, cranked-to-eleven grossout horror, and poop jokes told with energy, wit, and style, coming to the continent after blowing minds and stomachs at the Rotterdam Film Festival. North American Premiere.

BLISS: BEYOND THE EDGE OF TIME 

Drawing inspiration from the I Ching (Book of Changes), the Taiwanese animated anthology BLISS: BEYOND THE EDGE OF TIME combines sci-fi with deeply rooted traditions and brings together six extraordinary directors to explore the relationship between humanity and technology from various perspectives. From limited time versus infinite bonds to a debate about what faith really is, this modern take on The Ship of Theseus examines humans’ self-righteous attempts to protect animals, reimagined soul-recalling rituals, and what it takes to face the end of the world with a rare sense of lightness. BLISS combines Eastern philosophy with modern speculation, offering thought-provoking reflections on the timeless questions that lie underneath technological change and questions how people navigate uncertainty in this rapidly changing world. Animation Plus Section. North American Premiere.

TRISTES TROPIQUES 

A group of abandoned children have been raised in the rainforest and trained to be killers by an organization run by the “Master.” Now they’ve grown up, but following an incident that strongly affects all of them, they start to become suspicious towards one another and swear bloody revenge. They must get ready for the biggest fight of their lives. Award-winning filmmaker Park Hoon-jung (V.I.P., Fantasia 2018; THE WITCH: PART 1. THE SUBVERSION, Fantasia 2018; and THE CHILDE, Fantasia 2023) returns to Montreal with a terrific ensemble cast, brutal gore, a gritty tone, and mind-blowing action sequences. TRISTES TROPIQUES is packed with exhilarating shootouts, top-notch swordfights, and everything you want in a revenge thriller. Fans of badass Korean genre cinema are in for a treat! North American Premiere.

ROMIN

Romin (Anthony Dionne, CREATURES) stumbles upon a mysterious object in a Quebec forest. Together with his sister Maya (Rosalie Pépin, VACARME), his sketchy pal Jeff (Jassen Charron, IL ÉTAIT UNE FOIS LES BOYS), and his new classmate Booker (James Edward Metayer, NOÉMIE DIT OUI), Romin heads to a village in the north, following in the footsteps of a missing archaeologist to find out more about the artifact. It turns out that, having touched it, Romin is struck by a curse that will kill him unless he returns it to the cave from whence it came, in the Bahamas. Directed by actors Anthony Dionne and Jassen Charron, ROMIN is an INDIANA JONES-style adventure featuring plenty of suspense and action, including some truly astonishing stunts. Amid the various twists and turns, more serious themes, such as grief, are explored with great tact and care. World Premiere.

THE GALACTIC GHOUL

In his feature-debut, Québécois filmmaker Simon Harrison embraces space with THE GALACTIC GHOUL, a roaring space opera about a great escape from a horrific prison planet under the rule of Queen Xaltalusia XXIII, played by Katherine Isabelle (GINGER SNAPS, BACKROOMS). In a film that aims for the heart with ingenuity and laughs, THE GALACTIC GHOUL is a playful low-budget/high-concept tribute to space operas and the endurance of the human spirit. Les Fantastiques Week-Ends Du Cinéma Québécois Section. World Premiere.

AFTER SCHOOL (The Netherlands) – dirs. Merijn Scholte Albers and Tobias Smeets
There’s been a lot of talk about the lack of quality movie comedy these days, but the Netherlands did not get that memo, because AFTER SCHOOL is, to put it simply, utterly hilarious. Directors Albers (co-founder of the Dutch comedy YouTube channel Mastermovies) and Smeets (a co-writer on Fantasia 2025’s STRAIGHT OUTTA SPACE) have crafted a terrific tale of self-respect, public humiliation, friendship, and revenge that gets funnier – and nastier – as it goes. AFTER SCHOOL is so hilarious throughout that it may surprise you to learn that it’s also a sharp examination of toxic masculinity on all sides (yeah, really!). Canadian Premiere.

BAGWORM (USA) – dir. Oliver Bernsen
An anxious, socially inept doomer steps on a rusty nail and plunges into an acetaminophen-filled spiral of fungus, tetanus, and unintentional incelmaxxing. Stylishly grimy and gross-out hilarious, like a cross between the filthy comedy of RATS! and the uncomfortable sleaze of ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS, BAGWORM will have you gagging and laughing with glee and disgust. Official Selection: Sitges Film Festival 2025, SXSW 2026, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2026. Quebec Premiere.

BLADES OF THE GUARDIANS (Hong Kong/China) – dir. Yuen Wo-Ping
A bounty hunter (Wu Jing) fights off other martial artists in the desert, in this rousing, dynamic wuxia adventure of truly epic proportions from legendary action choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping.

COCOON – ONE SUMMER OF GIRLHOOD (Japan) – dir. Yukimitsu Ina
Commissioned by NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, the first production from Sasayuri, a new studio founded by longtime Ghibli talent Hitomi Tateno, adapts Machiko Kyo’s tragic manga about the final days of war. On a tiny island at the very southern tip of the Japanese archipelago, life for wide-eyed San, her cool friend Mayu, and other girls brought there by the Army could almost be mistaken for paradise… but the awful truth isn’t far off. The enemy is coming, and some things will be lost forever. Animation Plus Section. Canadian Premiere.

COLONY (South Korea) – dir. Yeon Sang-ho
Fresh off its recent Cannes launch, Fantasia will showcase the Canadian Premiere of COLONY, the stunning new feature from celebrated South Korean genre auteur Yeon Sang-ho (TRAIN TO BUSAN, Fantasia 2016; SEOUL STATION, Fantasia 2016; and THE KING OF PIGS, Fantasia 2011). Se-jeong (Gianna Jun, of ASSASSINATION and MY SASSY GIRL), a biotechnology professor, attends a biotech conference that turns into blood-soaked terror, and a fight for survival against mindless, cannibalistic attackers infected with a rapidly mutating virus. Canadian Premiere.

DANCE FREAK (USA) – dirs. Alan Resnick and Robby Reckleff 
An infectious virus causes a pulsing, uncontrollable urge to move, dance, and destroy in this outrageous dark comedy about the power of dance and the violent alienation of contemporary life. From Alt-comedy legend Alan Resnick and his Wham City collaborator Robby Rackleff, who also co-stars, with a cast that includes Stavros Halkias (BUGONIA, LET’S START A CULT), Sarah Sherman (Saturday Night Live), and Conner O’Malley (RAP WORLD). Official Selection: Tallahassee Film Festival. Underground Section. Canadian Premiere.

DRAG (USA) – dirs. Raviv Ullman and Greg Yagolnitzer
Two sisters (Lizzy Caplan and Lucy DeVito) find themselves trapped in a remote house when one of them throws her back out during a robbery attempt and the owner (John Stamos!) unexpectedly returns in this twisted dark comedy from producer Danny DeVito. DRAG successfully takes a simple premise and goes the distance with it, well into unexpected places that keep twisting the knife and ramping up the sinister laughs. Official Selection: SXSW 2026, Overlook 2026, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2026. Canadian Premiere.

THE FOX (Australia) – dir. Dario Russo
In this darkly comic folktale, an affable foxhunter (Jai Courtney) encounters a talking Fox (voiced by Olivia Colman) who offers him an opportunity to transform his fiancée (Emily Browning) into the perfect woman. Riotously funny and brilliantly subversive, THE FOX pops with puppeteered animal characters and committed human performances from a cast that includes Damon Herriman, Claudia Doumit, Zlatko Burić and the voice of Sam Neil as an especially gruff magpie. Official Selection: Adelaide Film Festival 2025, SXSW 2026. Winner: Best Narrative Feature, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2026. Quebec Premiere.

THE JOURNEY TO GYEONG-JU (South Korea) – dir. Kim Mi-jo
For a mother and her three surviving daughters, what starts out as a mission of vengeance becomes an unpredictable and personal voyage of love, loss, and redemption. If LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE were told as a tale of retribution. Director Kim Mi-jo brilliantly mixes elements of family drama, dark humor, and revenge thriller into a surprisingly emotional and layered character-driven story. After her incredible performance in PARASITE, Lee Jung-eun brings poignant depth to her lead role here as a grieving mother. The bond she has with co-stars Kong Hyo-jin (CRUSH AND BLUSH), Park So-dam (SPECIAL DELIVERY), and Lee Yeon (JUVENILE JUSTICE) is truly special. Official Selection: Hawaii International Film Festival 2025. Canadian Premiere.

THE LEADER (USA) – dir. Michael Gallagher
Tim Blake Nelson (O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS) and Vera Farmiga (THE CONJURING, THE DEPARTED) give fervent performances as the leaders of the Heaven’s Gate cult in this penetrating study of the largest mass suicide in American history. Featuring Jim Parsons (CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, Broadway’s Titaníque) in an effective against-type role as the cult’s most loyal acolyte, this haunting and compelling saga of a nearly-30-year-old tragedy has painfully relevant things to say today about how susceptible minds can be twisted toward blind allegiance. Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2026. Canadian Premiere.

MATAPANKI (Chile) – dir. Diego “Mapache” Fuentes
After gaining alcohol-fueled superpowers, Ricardo, a young punk from the outskirts, sets out to change society, but one brutal mistake will ignite an international conflict, with him at the eye of the storm. With aesthetic allusions to the great Gakuryu Ishii, MATAPANKI captures an underlying rage and – instead of fueling hatred –feeds into a radical spirit and creative energy that’s inspiring without being cloying. An absolute pleasure to watch with a crowd, this raucous, revolutionary work of cinema should inspire you to take to the streets and create the world you want to live in. Official Selection: Berlin International Film Festival 2026, Slamdance 2026, Fantaspoa 2026. Underground Section. Canadian Premiere.

PAPAYA (Brazil) – dir. Priscilla Kellen
Passionate about flying, a tiny papaya seed in the Amazonian forest must keep moving to avoid rooting. Through perseverance, she discovers the power of her roots, triggering a revolution that transforms her world and fulfills her dreams in an unexpected way. A stunning animated masterpiece by Brazilian filmmaker Priscilla Kellen, vibrantly colorful, profoundly moving, and resonant with ecological concerns, PAPAYA is a tale told without dialogue so as to be a feast for all. It’s an important film about the world we live in, the issues we collectively face and how a small seed could change the face of the earth. Mon Premier Fantasia and Animation Plus Sections. Canadian Premiere.

THE PERIL AT PINCER POINT (UK) – dirs. Jake Kuhn and Noah Stratton-Twine
In this beautiful, monochromatic absurdist comedy, a layabout sound recordist is sent to a remote island at the behest of the tyrannical filmmaker, P.W. Griffin. With a dash of THE WICKER MAN, a sprinkle of Guy Maddin, a hint of HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS, and a generous helping of Roger Corman, THE PERIL AT PINCER POINT is a delightfully eccentric love letter to British cinema. With an artisanal, handmade aesthetic and an improvisational spirit, filmmakers Noah Stratton-Twine and Jake Kuhn blend tactile ingenuity with gleeful absurdity to create a singular cinematic experience that makes going to the movies fun again. Official Selection: SXSW 2026. Underground Section. Canadian Premiere.

RECLUSE (USA) – dir. Henry Chaisson
When a sound recordist is summoned back to her childhood home to care for her father, a famous artist rumored to have dabbled in the occult, she must confront the unearthed demons of her family’s past and contend with the house’s dark, malevolent energy. The eerie feature directorial debut of Henry Chaisson (writer of ANTLERS and SERVANT) stars Sasha Frolova (THE EMPTY MAN), Toby Poser (MOTHER OF FLIES), Xander Berkeley (TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY), and Kimball Farley (HIPPO). Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2026. Canadian Premiere.

THE SEOUL GUARDIANS (South Korea) – dirs. Kim Jong-woo, Kim Shin-wan, and Cho Chul-young
This thrilling, award-winning documentary recounts the events surrounding the imposition of martial law in Korea in December 2024, and the peaceful uprising of civilians against dictatorship. The film masterfully conveys the urgency, disbelief, and visceral fear of a new dictatorship felt by Koreans in that decisive moment, using footage from both inside and outside the walls of the National Assembly. Official Selection: Rotterdam Film Festival 2026, Hot Docs 2026. Documentaries from the Edge Section. Quebec Premiere.

WE’RE NOTHING AT ALL (Hong Kong) – dir. Herman Yau
Inspired by the 1998 Wuhan Bus Blast in China, Herman Yau’s WE’RE NOTHING AT ALL follows three men from different backgrounds whose lives connect after a Valentines’ Day bomb attack. The film continues the director’s longstanding commitment to presenting marginalized communities and the unseen struggles of sexual minorities with empathy and humanity. Official selection: Hong Kong International Film Festival 2026, Audience Choice Award. Quebec Premiere.

Restoration Premieres, Rare Prints and Special Screenings:

Fantasia’s long-standing showcase of classic film restorations and rare 35mm screenings returns with big-screen showings of landmark works from Takashi Miike. Robert Lepage, Paul Morrissey, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei, Marcela Fernández Violante. Takeshi Koike, Tibor Takács, Chang Cheh, and more.

CITY WAR (Hong Kong, 1988) – dir. Sun Chung
Superstars Chow Yun-Fat and Ti Lung reunite on screen after the mega-success of A BETTER TOMORROW I and II, in this rarely seen Hong Kong action classic. Directed by veteran Shaw Brothers action maestro Sun Chung (HUMAN LANTERNS, AVENGING EAGLE), who was like a nasty wuxia Ringo Lam of the 1970s. CITY WAR is loaded with humor, strong characters, intense drama, and brutal, totally nuts gunfights. World Theatrical Premiere of Shout! Factory’s New 4K Restoration, Courtesy of Radial Entertainment and AGFA.
 
LE CONFESSIONAL (Canada, 1995) – dir. Robert Lepage
Robert Lepage’s landmark first feature is set in the 1950s, while Hitchcock was shooting I CONFESS, and the 1980s, when two brothers with nothing in common set out to find one of their biological fathers. A rarity in this digital age, the film will be presented as it should be, with an archival 35mm print. Special 35mm Screening celebrating Robert Lepage’s Denis-Héroux Award.

THE DELINQUENT (Hong Kong, 1973) – dirs. Chang Cheh and Kuei Chih-Hung
A young man’s fists erupt furiously against thugs in this classic, jointly directed by two legendary Hong Kong filmmakers: action legend Chang Cheh (5 VENOMS, ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN) and horror master Kuei Chih-Hung (KILLER CONSTABLE, BOXER’S OMEN). Filled with breathtaking action including a bloody, wild climax choreographed by Lau Kar-Leung (DRUNKEN MASTER 2) and Tang Chia (AVENGING EAGLE), who revolutionized the style of cinematic kung fu, this time with an extra edge of roughness. A true classic, now newly restored from the original negative, ready to blast with Shaw Scope excitement. World Premiere of Arrow Films’ New 2K Restoration.

FORTY DEUCE (USA, 1982) – dir. Paul Morrissey
New York City, 1982. Street hustler Ricky (Kevin Bacon, reprising his Obie Award-winning role) devises a plan to shake down a wealthy john (Orson Bean, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH) in order to make a drug buy in this vivid snapshot of a pre-gentrification NYC from legendary underground director Paul Morrissey (FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN), adapted from Alan Bowne’s off-off-Broadway play. Bacon proves in this early performance that he was a talent to watch, and his fellow hustlers are all memorably real and convincing. Difficult to see for decades, FORTY DEUCE has been newly restored, returning in full-grime glory. World Premiere of Vinegar Syndrome’s New 4K Restoration.

FULL BLAST (Canada, 1999) – dir. Rodrigue Jean
As the only factory in a small Acadian town is hit with an indefinite strike, a group of friends try to make a living and survive, notably by reforming their old band. But the bonds between them are no longer what they once were, in this town where time does not heal wounds. Rodrigue Jean’s debut feature film. Special Screening celebrating Louise Portal’s Denis-Héroux Award.

GOZU (Japan, 2003) – dir. Takashi Miike
Few names are as necessary to Fantasia’s 30th anniversary as that of Takashi Miike, Japan’s innovative master of marginal, often maniacal cinema, whose work was first introduced to the West with our 1997 North American Premiere of FUDOH. His enormous filmography is full of strange and startling material, but few of his films are as delightfully confounding as 2003’s GOZU. A gangster’s search for his boss’ missing body becomes an odyssey into deeply disturbing absurdity in this fever dream that defies deciphering. World Premiere of New Wave Films’ New 4K Restoration, Courtesy of Radiance Films.
 
HAYOP KA! (Philippines, 2021) – dir. Avid Liongoren
Fantasia is thrilled to revisit HAYOP KA!, a feature that could have been a gamechanger for animation in the Philippines, had it not had the misfortune of coming out just as the pandemic hit (Fantasia’s 2021 presentation of the film was relegated to an online screening), and only a limited lifespan on Netflix. Fortunately, the heroic preservationists at Deaf Crocodile have rescued the film from obscurity with a forthcoming Blu-ray release, and so director Avid Liongoren (whose new film ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH makes its North American debut at Fantasia this year) gets a proper festival screening at last. An energetic and affectionate satire of racy television soap operas, told with colorful, eye-catching cartoon animals, HAYOP KA! is a funny, sexy farce with a great big, throbbing organ… by which we mean its heart! Animation Plus Section. Special Screening, Courtesy of Deaf Crocodile Films.
 
HONG KONG GODFATHER (Hong Kong, 1985) – dir. Johnny Wang Lung-Wei
Imagine Peckinpah’s THE WILD BUNCH combined with John Woo’s films, but with nastier, sharper weapons and lots of kung fu. HONG KONG GODFATHER is a rarely-seen triad actioner with a totally bonkers bloodbath ending. Director Johnny Wang Lung-Wei, who was famous for playing baddies in many Shaw films (KID WITH THE GOLDEN ARMS, BOXER’S OMEN), also serves as action choreographer, writer, and supporting actor in his second feature, and goes all-out in this intense gangster tale filmed in the final year of Shaw Studios, when budgets were slashed but martial-arts creativity was still thriving. Unavailable and long out of print on physical media. Special 35mm Screening.
 
LES LOUPS (Canada, 2014) – dir. Sophie Deraspe
Élie (Evelyne Brochu), a young woman from Montreal struggling with an identity crisis, travels to a fishing village in the Magdalen Islands at the height of the ice melt, during the seal-hunting season. ANTIGONE, director Sophie Deraspe’s third feature, also stars Louise Portal. Special Screening celebrating Louise Portal’s Denis-Héroux Award.
 
METAL MESSIAH (Canada, 1978) – dir. Tibor Takács
The long-lost Canadian glam musical sci-fi gem returns to the screen. After learning of an evil rock promoter’s plan to use heavy metal to keep society sedated in a cycle of hedonistic pleasure, a stylish metallic alien arrives on Earth to save humanity and rock out! Running along a similar wavelength as PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, but with the arthouse noir flair of ALPHAVILLE, Tibor Takács’ retrofuturist rock opera examines the power of political capitalism and its stranglehold on freedom, true pleasure, and individualism, as the film puts a magnifying glass to what we consume, where it comes from, and the hidden agendas behind mass media. From the director of THE GATE! World Premiere of Canadian International Pictures’ New 4K Restoration.
 
PONTYPOOL (Canada, 2008) – dir. Bruce McDonald
A brazen radio host (Stephen McHattie) and his team are besieged in their church-basement studio when their town falls victim to a language virus in Bruce McDonald’s bold and singular Canadian horror classic. Based on the acclaimed novel by Tony Burgess, PONTYPOOL is a film that relies on imagination, language, and the mystery of hive mentality, much like the radio play, WAR OF THE WORLDS. With a standout performance by the great McHattie (also on the Fantasia screen in this year’s PERMANENT DAMAGE) sharing the frame with his real-life partner Lisa Houle, PONTYPOOL embodies the spirit of independent filmmaking, exploring identity, reinventing the zombie, and signaling virality before it became a “thing.” Septentrion Shadows Section. Special Screening celebrating Bruce McDonald’s Canadian Trailblazer Award.
 
POSSIBLE WORLDS (Canada, 2000) – dir. Robert Lepage
George Barber is a mathematician caught up in a series of recurring dreams in which he encounters a mysterious woman whose identity changes from dream to dream. From Robert Lepage, POSSIBLE WORLDS is a genre film with implications that will keep you thinking long afterwards. Starring Tom McCamus, Tilda Swinton, Sean McCann, Rick Miller, and Gabriel Gasco. Special Screening celebrating Robert Lepage’s Denis-Héroux Award.
 
REDLINE (Japan, 2009) – dir. Takeshi Koike
REDLINE isn’t just a milestone memory for Fantasia, where it first screened 15 years ago. It’s an absolute anime classic, a one-of-a-kind whirlwind of super-charged thrills and a visual overload that demands a watch on the festival’s biggest screen. Based on a story by Katsuhito Ishii, maverick of punk-surrealist cinema, it was the first full feature from Madhouse Studio’s Takeshi Koike, who’d provided animated sequences for Ishii’s live-action films TASTE OF TEA and FUNKY FOREST: THE FIRST CONTACT. Combining Koike’s graphic style with the unleashed liberties afforded to Ishii and his co-writers by the animation medium, REDLINE is a rocking, shocking rager that stomps on the accelerator and pushes past all permissible limits. Animation Plus Section.
 
STUDIO Q (Mexico, 1980) – dir. Marcela Fernández Violante
In this meta-cinematic masterpiece from director Marcela Fernández Violante – who, at the time of its production in 1979, was just the third female feature director in the Mexican film industry since 1935 – a telenovela star (Juan Ferrara) finds himself trapped in the soap opera he acts in, with all attempts at connecting with external reality leading him back into the soap opera. An allegory about the impossibility of human agency reflected through the chaotic world of television, this ultra-rare, mind-bending treasure is often loving referred to as the cinematic grandmother of THE TRUMAN SHOW. World Premiere of Severin Films’ New 4K Restoration.
 
THRILLING BLOODY SWORD (Taiwan, 1981) – dir. Chang Hsin-Yi
An utterly ludicrous fantasy martial-arts movie from 1981 Taiwan, thought to be lost for nearly 40 years. THRILLING BLOODY SWORD is a wuxia version of MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE meets Snow White and Seven Weirder, Non-Singing Dwarfs, infused with the same craziness as last year’s Fantasia gem BATTLE WIZARD and Tsui Hark’s classic ZU: WARRIORS FROM THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN, and some added kinkiness. Do you have the fortitude to dive into 90 minutes of psychedelic Ancient China, with flexible gravity and action set pieces designed by the legendary Chiang Sheng (5 DEADLY VENOMS)? World Premiere of Error 4444’s New 4K Restoration.