Marvel’s Ant-Man and Miss Hokusai to open 2015’s Fantasia Film Festival

Montreal’s great Fantasia International Film Festival has just announced the first batch of films for their 19th edition this summer, set to run from July 14 – August 4.

The opening films include Marvel’s Ant-Man starring Paul Rudd, and Miss Hokusai, the eagerly awaited animated biopic of the daughter of artist Katsushika Hokusai. 

The festival’s full lineup will be announced July 4th, with another batch of confirmed titles to be revealed in June. In the meantime, below is the list of titles released today.

BIG MATCH
South Korea – Dir: Choi Ho

Lee Jeong-jae (THE THIEVES), Shin Ha-kyun (THIRST) and K-Pop star BoA enters a dangerous death game in this high octane action comedy where a Mixed Martial Arts fighter must play a deadly urban chess confrontation created by a Machiavellian mastermind. Canadian Premiere.

CRUMBS
Ethiopia/Spain/Finland – Dir: Miguel Llansó

Ethiopia’s first sci-fi feature also happens to be a post apocalyptic black comedy, an eccentric love story and a brilliant blast of politically-charged surrealism that exists in a space between Alex Cox and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Probably the single most unusual and unforgettable film you will see anywhere this year, screening in our Camera Lucida section. Official Selection: Rotterdam International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

DEATHGASM
New Zealand – Dir: Jason Lei Howden

Behold, the riotous heavy metal Kiwi splatter-comedy-horror-monster-demon-freakout the world’s been begging for has arrived. Packed with lunatic gore reminiscent of early Peter Jackson and volume-11 riffage harkening back to that same era’s most ferocious metal, DEATHGASM absolutely shreds. In every sense. Official Selection: SXSW, Stanley, Fantaspoa. Canadian Premiere.

THE DEMOLISHER
Canada – Dir: Gabriel Carrer

An unstable repairman tending to his crippled wife – an ex-cop brutalized by gang violence – sneaks out at night to unleash his rage on any criminals he can find. An atmospheric and poetic reinterpretation of the urban Vigilante Film as a psychological examination of trauma. World Premiere.

EXPERIMENTER
USA – Dir: Michael Almereyda

Gifted indie trailblazer Almereyda (NADJA, CYMBELINE) turns his unconventional gaze towards the controversial social experiments of Stanley Milgram (brilliantly portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard). Co-starring Winona Ryder, Anton Yelchin, Taryn Manning, John Leguizamo and Anthony Edwards. Official Selection: Sundance, Seattle International Film Festival, Beijing International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

FATAL FRAME
Japan – Dir: Mari Asato

A deadly curse hits a gothic style convent in this brilliant atmospheric adaptation of the hit horror video game Fatal Frame, where flawless storytelling and character development, a creepy ambiance taking advantage of every inch of its location and a haunting music score bring the audience back to the golden age of J-Horror. Official Selection: Stockholm International Film Festival. North American Premiere.

FULL STRIKE
Hong Kong – Dir: Derek Kwok, Henri Wong

When ex cons discover their love for badminton, they ask a fallen former champion to lead them to victory. Derek Kwok and Henri Wong co-direct this hilarious comedy centered on over-the-top characters reminiscent of Stephen Chow’s spectacular SHAOLIN SOCCER. Canadian Premiere.

THE GOLDEN CANE WARRIOR
Indonesia – Dir: Ifa Isfansyah

Aging female warrior Cempaka is the most respected fighter in the Golden Cane clan, but she must now find a successor among her disciples. Coming on the heels of the wildly popular THE RAID series, this flawlessly executed epic actioner by Ifa Isfansyah is here to confirm Indonesia’s place in the leading nations of martial arts cinema. Canadian Premiere.

LA LA LA AT ROCK BOTTOM
Japan – Dir: Nobuhiro Yamashita

Nobuhiro Yamashita, director of the contemporary classic LINDA LINDA LINDA, is back in musical comedy/drama territory with a fighter attitude! Rising super star Fumi Nikaido (WHY DON’T YOU PLAY IN HELL?) and J-Pop sensation Subaru Shibutani, member of Kanjani Eight, shine in this remarkable underdog tale. Official Selection: Rotterdam International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

OBSERVANCE
Australia – Dir.: Joseph Sims-Dennett

His job is to observe, observe a beautiful woman. Soon enough, he discovers his gig implies more than he ever asked for. A poignant and terrifying thriller in the vein of Polanski’s REPULSION, Among first 2015 Camera Lucida selections to be announced, OBSERVANCE promises to haunt your nightmares. World premiere.

POSSESSED
Spain – Dir: Sam Ortí Martí (AKA Sam)

An instant-classic of wickedly fun (and imaginatively grotesque) stop-motion comedy/horror that many have described as PARANORMAN meets WALLACE & GROMIT by way of SOUTH PARK, POSSESED is the manic creation of Goya-nominated anima-lunatic Sam Ortí Martí, featuring the voices of Santiago Segura, Anabel Alonso and Nacho Vigalondo. Official Selection Sitges, Athens Animfest, Canadian Premiere.

THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE
USA – Dir: Perry Blackshear

A smart, haunting psychological horror masterpiece that Verite Film hailed as “unbearably tense and profoundly moving”. Despite having only been playing on the fest circuit for five months, THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE has already won awards at Slamdance, SF Indiefest, IFF Boston and the Nashville Film Festival. International Premiere

THE VISIT
Denmark – Dir: Michael Madsen

Is Earth ready for an alien visitation? Michael Madsen”s fascinating follow-up to INTO ETERNITY reflects on this interrogation through a simulation with scientists and philosophers. A powerful and groundbreaking documentary. Official Selection: Sundance, Hot Docs. Quebec Premiere.