Fantasia Fest 2014 announces full schedule!

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

The Fantasia International Film Festival, which is celebrating its 18th year of existence, has been slowly but surely revealing its full line-up. (See our last two updates HERE and HERE.) Today the fest reveals the rest of its schedule, and we’ve got the titles for you below.

Fantasia’s 2014 Camera Lucida section features:

APPLESEED ALPHA
Japan Dir: Shinji Aramaki
Super-soldier Deunan and her hulking cyborg companion Briareos stalk the shattered husk of New York City. A tour-de-force of digital design, APPLESSED ALPHA is essential kick-ass cyberpunk animation. North American Premiere

BAYONETTA: BLOODY FATE
Japan Dir: Fuminori Kizaki
Bayonetta, a lithe, powerful witch and mistress of the Bullet Arts, dispatches a host of bloodthirsty angels in a church. But what she cannot dispel are the mysteries of her own origin and purpose… Canadian Premiere.

THE FAKE
South Korea Dir: Yeon Sang-ho
The latest from Yeon Sang-ho, winner of Fantasia’s first Satoshi Kon Award with KING OF PIGS, targets corruption, Korean displacement policies that favour progress over the individual’s welfare, and the dark side of religion. Official Selection: AFI Fest 2013 Quebec Premiere.

HAL
Japan Dir: Ryotaro Makihara
An android assigned to console a grieving girl learns what being human means in this short, self-contained gem of emotionally resonant science fiction anime. North American Premiere.

HEAVENLY SWORD
USA Dir: Gun Ho Jang
Fierce redhead Nariko is the divinely ordained wielder of a legendary weapon in an exquisitely realized fantasy realm. The most anticipated game-to-film adaptation of the year has arrived, and you’ll find it at Fantasia first! Scripted by Todd Farmer and featuring the voices of Anna Torv, Alfred Molina and Thomas Jane. World Premiere.

HUNTER X HUNTER : PHANTOM ROUGE
Japan Dir: Yuzo Sato
The stage is set for secrets and conspiracies, fantastic wonders and furious action, as Yoshihiro Togashi’s hugely popular manga series HUNTER X HUNTER makes its big-screen anime debut. Canadian Premiere.

JACK ET LA MÉCANIQUE DU COEUR (Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart)
France-Belgium Dirs: Stéphane Berla, Mathias Malzieu
A graciously Gallic surrealist fairy-tale musical with a dash of Gothic macabre and a streak of steampunk tech, the Luc Besson-produced JACK ET LA MÉCANIQUE DU COEUR is a CG-animated cabinet of curiosities that kids and grown-ups alike can rummage through with delight. Official selection, Berlin Film Festival 2014, Gérardmer International Fantasic Film Festival 2014

THE DESERT
Argentina Dir: Christoph Behl
This Argentine addition to the post-apocalyptic genre is a stunning, suggestive huis-clos of unprecedented emotional charge. A beautiful look at human impulses that are wholly inescapable, even at the end of the world. Official Selection: Sitges 2013, Stockholm International Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere.

RED FAMILY
South Korea Dir: Lee Ju-hyoung
North Korean spies undercover as a “family” must contend with their unruly neighbours in this hard yet empathic drama packed with moral dilemmas and moments of ironic black humour, written and produced by Kim Ki-duk.. North American Premiere.

SEVENTH CODE
Japan Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
A young Japanese woman finds herself lost and alone in Russia, leading her into a sinister universe of international espionage. In SEVENTH CODE is Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s unexpected detour into the thriller genre. Canadian Premiere.

THOU WAST MILD AND LOVELY
USA Dir: Josephine Decker
Described by its gifted maker as “an intimate magical realist erotic thriller… a horror film, a farm drama, a comedy, a sexual romp, and a deep character study,” THOU WAST is indeed all these things rolled into one hallucinatory and unique journey. Stars Joe Swanberg and Sophie Traub. Official Selection: Berlin Film Festival 2014, Sarasota Film Festival 2014. On the same bill, we will be presenting Decker’s other feature film, BUTTER ON THE LATCH. Both will be Canadian Premieres.

WHEN ANIMALS DREAM
Denmark Dir: Jonas Alexander Amby
Marie, a young girl in an isolated fishing village, harbours a family secret — strange hairs, sharp teeth, remarkable strength when enraged. More than a simple chiller, the magnificent WHEN ANIMALS DREAM is a work of rare power and a stunning drama about adolescence. Official Selection: Semaine de la critique, Cannes 2014. North American Premiere.

Axis, Fantasia’s international; animation showcase, returns with features hailing from Belgium, France, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA.

And the rest of the pack:

1987
Canada Dir: Ricardo Trogi
From first job and first love to final exam and end of school, Ricardo Trogi’s autobiographical 1987, following his earlier 1981, vividly revisits the ups and downs of everyone’s teenage years. Montreal Premiere,

ANIMOSITY
USA Dir: Brendan Steere
Brandan Steere’s ghastly yet character-driven nightmare is one of those rare works of which it’s best to say as little as possible. It’s up to the viewer to discover what lurks in this profoundly cruel tale in which masks are lifted to expose an unspeakable horror. A brilliant debut. Produced by Roy Frumkes (STREET TRASH, DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD). WINNER: Best Actress and Best Horror Film, Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival. International Premiere.

BLACK BUTLER
Japan Dir: Kentaro Otani, Keiichi Sato
Shiori sold her soul to avenge her parents’ murder. She and her diabolical butler Sebastian are on a mission… The hit manga’s action-packed big-screen adaptation will thrill diehard fans and newbies alike. Quebec Premiere.

BLACK MOUNTAIN SIDE
Canada Dir: Nick Szostakiwskyj
Scientists in Canada’s remote wilderness uncover an ancient stone structure and unleash an inexplicable evil. A calculating and claustrophobic snowbound shocker that casts a spell of quiet madness, this powerful feature debut from Calgary-born Nick Szostakiwskyj is evocative of Larry Fessenden. World Premiere.

COLD EYES
South Korea Dir: Cho Ui-seok, Kim Byung-seo
One of South Korea’s absolute blockbuster hits of 2013, a fast-paced, relentless roller-coaster ride into the high-stakes world of criminal surveillance that will leave you absolutely breathless. Quebec Premiere.

THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA
USA Dir: Pete Schuermann
A tumultuous portrait of a talentless artist with disproportionate ambition, THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA pays vibrant tribute to an inglorious chapter in the history of genre cinema detailing the life of decadent hoodlum filmmaker Vic Savage and the disastrous making of THE CREEPING TERROR. Official Selection: Imagine Film Festival, Amsterdam, 2014. North American Premiere.

DAYS OF WRATH
South Korea Dir: Shin Dong-yeop
Fifteen years after the torments of his teenage days, Joon-seok seeks vengeance on his erstwhile tormentor, Chang-sik. A Korean revenge film that stands out starkly from its predecessors, bringing in a new perspective for which the genre thirsted. International Premiere.

DEAD SNOW: RED VS DEAD
Norway Dir: Tommy Wirkola
The bigger, bloodier sequel to the 2009 Nazi zombie cult hit from Norway, DEAD SNOW: RED VS DEAD sees the lone survivor of the first massacre teaming up with the Zombie Squad to confront the legions of living-dead SS soldiers… with their Soviet counterparts! Official Selection: Sundance 2014, Seattle International Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere

THE DEMON WITHIN
Hong Kong Dir: Dante Lam
Beware of the Festival of Hungry Ghosts! The Demon King Gang is creating havoc once again! Lock and load for some high-octane action and horror in a film-noir setting, from Dante Lam (BEAST STALKER, STOOL PIGEON). Quebec Premiere

DOCTOR PROCTOR’S FART POWDER
Norway Dir: Arild Fröhlich
Nilly and Lisa encounter the eccentric Dr. Proctor, whose new anti-baldness powder won’t put hairs on your head, but will put the wind in your sails! Pure and potent giggle-inducing goofiness, an over-the-top tale with a visual aesthetic to match, from the director of 2008’s beloved FATSO! International Premiere.

DYS-
Canada Dir: Maude Michaud
With their marriage in decline, a couple hole up in their condo as a virus sweeps through society outside. Can they survive the epidemic… and each other? A familiar theme, approached from an effective new angle. World Premiere.

EJECTA
Canada Dirs: Chad Archibald, Matt Wiele
Written by acclaimed author/screenwriter Tony Burgess (PONTYPOOL), this original concept for an alien-themed horror film stars the great Julian Richings and is half nail-biting found-footage terror and half suspense-laden conspiracy thriller. From the team behind this year’s THE DROWNSMAN. World Premiere.

THE FATAL ENCOUNTER
South Korea Dir: Lee Jae-kyoo
This powerful, tragic political thriller retells an oft-told tale of true history, of an attack on the so-called “King of Misfortune” in 1777 Korea. A superior slice of silks-and-swordplay, sultry, sumptuous, sophisticated — and savage. Quebec Premiere.

FAULTS
USA Dir: Riley Stearns
A washed-up, cash-strapped former “deprogrammer” of cult victims (Leland Orser) is asked to do an intervention on a young woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who’s deeply ensnared in a cult that calls itself “Faults”. A slow-burning, thoroughly engaging huis clos, a smart and assured essay on the creation and breakdown of faith, a gripping meditation on the manipulation of certainty and doubt. Official Selection: SXSW 2014. International Premiere.

THE FIVES
South Korea Dir: Jeong Yeon-shik
Wheelchair-bound Eun-a seeks vengeance on the serial killer who slew her family, and assembles a group of desperate misfits to execute her plan. A gripping, fast-moving team spin on the familiar Korean revenge-thriller formula. Canadian Premiere.

FOUR CORNERS
South Africa Dir: Ian Gabriel
Recalling CITY OF GOD, this South African gang-related crime drama — shot in locations where the media or even the authorities aren’t allowed to tread — is a magnificently staged motion picture filled with breathtaking realism. Official Selection: Sydney Film Festival 2014. Quebec Premiere.

GOAL OF THE DEAD
France Dir: Benjamin Rocher, Thierry Poiraud
Experimental steroids turn a surly football fan into a mutant zombie hooligan, whose vomit spreads the infection on the eve of a major stadium game. Divided in two segments, the first directed by Benjamin Rocher (LA HORDE) and the second by Thierry Poiraud (ATOMIK CIRCUS), you better have your umbrella handy when the spraying starts. North American Premiere.

THE GREEN INFERNO
USA Dir: Eli Roth
HOSTEL creator Eli Roth’s return to the director’s chair is a cannibal nightmare in the Amazonian jungle, in the classic Italian style, true to the form both in terms of graphic content and the themes of civility vs. civilization. Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival 2013, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2014. Quebec Premiere.

GUARDIAN
Indonesia Dir: Helfi Kardit
After THE RAID: REDEMPTION (2011) and THE RAID 2 (2014), Indonesia serves up GUARDIAN, an old-school action flick is which a mother pressures her daughter to master the martial arts following the murder of her father. International Premiere.

GUN WOMAN
Japan Dir: Kurando Mitsutake
Japanese actress Asami is a junkie hooker transformed into a ruthless assassin in this ultraviolent action flick. If you’re into gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and floods of blood, set your sights on GUN WOMAN. Canadian Premiere.

HASEE TOH PHASEE
India Dir: Vinil Mathew
As his wedding approaches, Nikhil must take care of his fiancé’s younger sister in this romantic comedy from India — a solid piece of entertainment filled with funny moments, rich dialogue, fantastic performances and delicious tunes!

HONEYMOON
USA Dir: Leigh Janiak
For all of the strange places HONEYMOON is willing to go, its success lies in its scariest moments being entirely human. Bubbling just underneath the distressing question of, “How well do I know who I married?” is another dreadful prospect: “Am I enough for this stranger?”. Official Selection: Tribeca 2014. Canadian Premiere.

THE HOOLIGAN FACTORY
UK Dir: Nick Nevern
A dynamic, parodist plunge into that particularly male, regional and unique tradition of disturbing the peace, the football hooligan. A hell of a good time for sports fans and aficionados of British comedy alike. North American Premiere.

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME
Venezuela Dir: Alejandro Hidalgo
Creepy, touching and truly extraordinary, Venezuela’s first full-on genre film production plays like Latin American Richard Matheson story told through the prism of del Toro and Amenábar. Winner: Audience Award, Best Film, Mérida Venezuela Film Festival 2013, Official Selection: Fantasporto 2014. North American Premiere.

HWAYI: A MONSTER BOY
South Korea Dir: Jang Joon-hwan
Kidnapped by five criminals in his infancy, Hwayi has spent the last decade shacked up in the woods, learning how to be a cold-blooded killing machine. An exploration of evil from the creator of the cult classic SAVE THE GREEN PLANET! North American Premiere.

KABISERA
Philippines Dir : Alfonso Torre III
Following a haunting dream, a felon-turned-fisherman finds a shipment of methamphetamine — and soon finds himself trapped in a nightmare. One of the most powerful, lasting genre films to come out of the Phillipines in recent year. Quebec Premiere.

KRRISH 3
India Dir: Rakesh Roshan
Hrithik Roshan once again jumps into his superhero costume to deliver the long-awaited KRRISH 3. Rakesh Roshan hasn’t changed a thing in the delicious recipe that has turned India’s Krrish into a planetary hero.

LATE PHASES
USA Dir: Adrián García Bogliano
The tight-knit retirement community of Crescent Bay is harbouring something truly sinister in its midst… From the director of HERE COMES THE DEVIL comes a true love letter to ’80s monster-movie buffs and all those hankering for a good old-fashioned werewolf picture. Official Selection: SXSW 2014, Stanley Film Festival 2014

LEROY THE SPACE COWBOY
USA Dir: LeRoy McCoy
An unclassifiable, oddball DIY outsider epic, shot over a period of 15 years in the filmmaker’s backyard, starring its mad creator LeRoy McCoy- as virtually every character in the film! World Premiere.

METALHEAD
Iceland Dir: Ragnar Bragason
Director Ragnar Bragason, one of Iceland’s most acclaimed directors (CHILDREN, PARENTS, TV’s NIGHTSHIFT), and award-winning lead actress Thorbjörg Helga Dyrfjörd (THE DEEP) join forces to produce a fascinating, nuanced portrait of familial grief, rural life, and religion that ultimately subverts the concept of the stereotypical macho metalhead and celebrates the subculture of alienation that defines the genre. Quebec Premiere.

THE MOLE SONG – UNDERCOVER AGENT REIJI
Japan Dir: Takashi Miike
Disgraced cop Reiji Kikukawa is sent undercover to infiltrate the most powerful yakuza clan in Japan. With its marvellously absurd humour and contagious energy, THE MOLE SONG marks Miike’s magnificent return to comedy! Quebec Premiere.

MR. GO
South Korea/China Dir: Kim Yong-hwa
Teenage Weiwei brings her gorilla with a powerhouse swing to the Asian baseball scene, to save her family’s debt-ridden circus. Korea’s first 3D blockbuster, an ambitious pan-Asian production, hits a home run! Canadian Premiere.

NUIGULUMAR Z (Gothic Lolita Battle Bear)
Japan Dir: Noboru Iguchi
Get ready for sugar and spice and everything nice — set on maximum slice and dice! Cosplay and kawaii collide with Japanese sci-fi superheroics and zombie gore in GOTHIC LOLITA BATTLE BEAR! Canadian Premiere.

THE ONE I LOVE
USA Dir: Charlie McDowell
Mark Duplass and Elizabeth Moss are an unhappy married couple at a therapeutic retreat who make a startling discovery that catapults them into the realm of the bizarre. A delightful rom-com huis-clos of the most unexpected kind. Official Selection: Sundance 2014

PATCH TOWN
Canada Dir: Craig Goodwill
A couple flee a sinister living-doll factory in this riotous Canadian musical overflowing with wry humour and striking dystopian visuals in the vein of Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Quebec Premiere

PREMATURE
USA Dir: Dan Beers
GROUNDHOG DAY’s déja-vu meets AMERICAN PIE’s dirty jokes in Dan Beers’s debut teen-comedy feature. The variations on the premise are ingenious and the narrative arc absolutely delirious! Official Selection: SXSW 2014. Canadian Premiere.

PRESERVATION
USA Dir: Christopher Denham
Three people drive out to the woods for an isolated camping trip. The game changes and, stripped of their wireless lifelines, they must pull together against an unseen, ruthless and heavily armed threat. A visceral white-knuckle thriller from Christopher Denham, whose phenomenal 2008 debut HOME MOVIE World Premiered here. Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2014. International Premiere.

PROM NIGHT
Canada Dir: Paul Lynch
Special unveiling of Synapse Films’ stunning 2K restoration of the 1980 disco slasher cult classic starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Leslie Nielson.

REAL
Japan Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
The Escher-like subconscious mindscape of a loved one becomes a spirit-laden underworld to explore in this bizarre, surreal, supremely beautiful sci-fi melodrama from Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Quebec Premiere.

RUROUNI KENSHIN – KYOTO INFERNO
Japan Dir: Keishi Otomo
Long awaited sequel of the live action movie RUROUNI KENSHIN (2012) has finally arrived! Based on the best-selling manga series of the same title, this two-part film revolves around Kenshin’s desperate struggle to protect the nation and the people he loves from the conspiracy of Shishio, a former government assassin and Kenshin’s notorious successor, to overthrow the government. International Premiere.

THE SNOW WHITE MURDER CASE
Japan Dir: Yoshihiro Nakamura
Playing out like an endlessly fragmented retelling of RASHOMON for the digital age, the latest from Yoshihiro Nakamura (FISH STORY, GOLDEN SLUMBER) is a strikingly modern whodunit. Quebec Premiere.

SPACE STATION ‘76
USA Dir: Jack Plotnick
Can the crew of Omega 76 handle their emotional baggage and dysfunctional relationships as a deadly asteroid hurtles towards them? Retro-kitsch comedy and straightfaced soap opera collide in this stellar pastiche the 1970s space-base genre, starring Patrick Wilson and Liv Tyler. Official Selection: SXSW 2014 International Premiere.

THE SPY: UNDERCOVER OPERATION
South Korea Dir: Lee Seung-jun
Elite operative Agent Kim must keep a second Korean War from breaking out — and his marriage from breaking apart! Equal parts zany rom-com and intense thriller, THE SPY is a mirthful mash-up of gritty gunplay and goofball gags. Canadian Premiere.

THE SUSPECT
South Korea Dir: Won Shin-yeon
A North Korean super-soldier turned defector is drawn into a morally murky maelstrom of secrets, lies and sudden, furious yet precise violence. A tough, tight political action thriller with a soul. Canadian Premiere.

THERMAE ROMAE II
Japan Dir: Hideaki Takeuchi
Time-travelling Roman bathhouse architect Lucius returns! Funnier, more grandiose and irreverent, this second journey from Ancient Rome to modern Japan, care of director Hideaki Takeuchi, is frankly spectacular. International Premiere.

TIME LAPSE
USA Dir: Bradley King
A janitor stumbles across a machine that takes photos of the future, 24 hours ahead. A captivating sci-fi thriller evoking the golden days of Hitchcock and THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Winner: Best International Feature, London Independent Film Festival 2014, Official Selection: Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere.

UZUMASA LIMELIGHT
Japan Dir: Ken Ochiai
Old Kamiyama the swordfight-death specialist is a legend around Kyoto’s Uzumasa Studios, but his star, however small it ever was, has dimmed. A journey into the inner workings of Japanese pop entertainment, in its golden era and today. Canadian Premiere.

WETLANDS
Germany Dir: David Wnendt
Bursting with kinetic energy, WETLANDS has become a festival underdog across the world. It’s a bold, great time, an in-your-face eccentric romp that smartly challenges social taboos with punk rock zeal and a whole lot of heart. Official Selection: Locarno 2013, Sundance 2014.

WOLFCOP
Canada Dir: Lowell Dean
No one is above the claw when WolfCop’s on duty! A high-flying, hard-drinking, blood-spraying burst of Canuxploitation awesome, capturing the off-the-rails energy of the classic VHS era that spawned it. Quebec Premiere.

THE ZERO THEOREM
UK-Romania Dir: Terry Gilliam
Qohen Leth is determined to crack the Zero Theorem and discover the reason for all existence, provided he can work without distraction. But those distractions keep coming. Terry Gilliam’s latest will finally be lighting up a Canadian screen! Official Selection: Venice Film Festival 2013, Fantastic Fest 2013, Glasgow Film Festival 2014. Canadian Premiere.

ZOMBEAVERS
USA Dir: Jordan Rubin
A siege on a secluded cabin pits sexy coeds and frat-boy bros — and a few eccentric older characters — against the ugly, furry, glowing-red-eyed hordes that emerge from their dam to feast on human flesh. Official Selection: Tribeca Film Festival 2014. International Premiere.

ZOMBIE TV
Japan Dir: Maelie Makuno, Naoya Tashiro, Yoshihiro Nishimura
Ever dreamed of zombie-only cable TV, broadcasting all things putrefied, decomposing and brain-hungry, 24 hours a day, all year round? A severed-tongue-firmly-planted-in-rotten-cheek, all-you-can-eat zombie-party anthology from Yoshihiro Nishimura and co. Canadian Premiere.