Archive for Fantasia Festival Podcast

105 results.

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia: The Galactic Ghoul, The Peril at Pincer Point & The Last Footage

by on August 5, 2026 at 5:59 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Festival season is wrapping up and we’re finishing off our Fantasia coverage with three more movies.

Sarah checked out the world premiere of The Last Footage, Myanmar’s found-footage horror from writer-director-editor Arkar Soe Oo. It’s shot entirely in first-person through a pair of camera glasses, plays out in near-real time, and follows a group of friends heading to an inherited rubber plantation that turns out to be significantly more haunted than expected. Classic horror tropes, not much gore, no score leads to almost documentary-style tension. Perfect Friday-night watch if you’re into that Blair Witch-adjacent vibe and don’t mind a little cheese.

I caught the Canadian premiere of The Peril at Pincer Point from Jake Kuhn and Noah Stratton-Twine. Grainy black-and-white, early-2000s energy, and the entire thing is basically an elaborate inside joke about sound recording and indie film-making. A London sound designer gets sent to a crab-infested island to capture the perfect audio for some pretentious indie horror and ends up mind chasing ghost noises and angelic vocals. The actual sound design is excellent (as it better be), the runtime is breezy, and it feels like watching your friends make a movie that only they find hilarious. Hardcore Fantasia weirdos only.

Then we both watched the Canadian premiere of The Galactic Ghoul, Simon Harrisson’s gloriously low-budget space-opera goof starring Vincent Hoss-Desmarais in two roles and Ginger Snaps legend Katharine Isabelle as evil intergalactic royalty. Hardware-store costumes, over-the-top camp acting, and the kind of cheesy practical effects that only work when the entire movie is committed to the bit. Best experienced with a group of people who refuse to take anything seriously for 85 minutes. Sarah was less convinced. The rest of us had a blast.

See you next year at Fantasia International Film Festival!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 2nd 2026 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , ,
 Comment 

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia: Colony & Black Zombie

by on July 31, 2026 at 1:02 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Podcast, Podcasting

Sarah and I are still at it for the 30th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. Healing is pain, as Sarah keeps reminding me, but we’re still getting out to movies.

On July 29th we actually split up because two interesting films were screening at the same time. Sarah decided to go full intellectual and catch the documentary. I went for the zombies-in-a-mall option. Both were worth talking about.

First up is Colony, the latest from Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan). A bioterrorist unleashes a fungal-style zombie virus inside a big Seoul office-mall complex that gets locked down. The infected have a hive mind and keep evolving, which gives the usual siege setup some fresh wrinkles. Gianna Jun plays a sharp professor who’s basically the Ripley of the piece — competent, figuring things out on the fly, holding it together. It’s action-packed, loaded with practical effects, and looks more expensive than it likely was. At just over two hours it does throw in a few extra speed bumps that maybe weren’t needed, but if you like high-octane zombie movies in the 28 Days Later vein, this is an easy recommendation.

Sarah, meanwhile, saw Black Zombie, a Canadian-Haitian co-production documentary about the actual origins of the zombie. It starts with Haitian voodoo culture and the plantation history, then tracks how the concept mutated through early cinema (White Zombie), Romero, and into the modern biochemical versions we know today. It also digs into how Western pop culture has pretty thoroughly misrepresented and vilified voodoo along the way. Slash from Guns N’ Roses even shows up as one of the talking heads. Educational, well-made, and especially interesting if you’ve ever wondered why “zombie” can mean so many different things depending on the movie. Bilingual and an easy watch for anyone who likes docs about horror genres.

Two very different films about zombies, both solid. We’ll keep going as long as the festival (and Sarah’s leg) allows.

Go see some Fantasia.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 2nd 2026 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , ,
 Comment 

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia: The Mouths & I Love Paris

by on July 29, 2026 at 4:35 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Podcast, Podcasting

Sarah and I are still grinding deep within the 30th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. We’re not getting to as many screenings as we’d like (broken leg will do that), but we’re still hitting a solid mix of the classic Fantasia checkboxes.

Fresh episode of 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia is up, and this one covers two strong ones.

First is The Mouths, the North American premiere from Takashi Shimizu. Classic Japanese horror setup: a cursed tree outside a cemetery, a group of teens daring each other to touch it for a courage test, and then the usual (and very well-executed) fallout. Hollow eyes, streaky hair, excellent practical makeup and effects. The film is framed as a series of first-person accounts given to an investigating officer, which lets it play with both the supernatural side and the interpersonal drama between the characters. It leans into that familiar “you kind of brought this on yourself” Japanese horror energy. If you like the original Ju-On or Ringu, this is an easy recommendation. Short, breezy, and does the genre proud.

Then we get to the one that might be my favorite film of the festival so far (and one of my favorites of the year): I Love Paris. World premiere. It’s an underground music-scene mockumentary that happens to have vampires in it. Think What We Do in the Shadows energy, but less cartoonish and more grounded in the actual Parisian music world. Paris (played by Aminata Thiboult, who is fantastic) is an up-and-coming French artist who becomes a vampire mostly by accident and then has to figure out how to still chase a festival slot when she can only work at night. The vampire lore is kept deliberately light — no super strength, no fancy courts, just the inconvenience of living forever and needing blood. The music-scene side is so strong it could almost stand alone as a comedy about trying to make it. Bilingual, full of very French humor, and the main performance is a delight.

Two very different vibes, both worth your time if you’re hunting down movies off the beaten path.

We’ll keep watching. You keep listening. Go see some Fantasia films.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 2nd 2026 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
 Comment 

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia: Nightborn, Godhead & Ancestral Beasts

by on July 25, 2026 at 5:31 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Podcast, Podcasting

Sarah and I are well into the 30th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. The fest runs until August 2nd, and we’re doing our best to catch as many films as possible while keeping these chats spoiler-light and pretty honest.

This time around we covered three very different movies. Sarah still refers to them as “the baby one,” “the black and white one,” and “the indigenous one,” which somehow works.

First up is Nightborn (Finnish title Yön lapsi), directed by Hanna Bergholm and starring Rupert Grint. A young couple moves into her grandmother’s old cottage in the Finnish countryside, hoping to start a family. Things get tense fast. It’s a folklore-flavored take on the “is the baby evil or is the mother losing it” setup, full of constant baby crying that acts like its own soundtrack. Super effective, really stressful, and a solid cozy-horror watch if you’re into that vibe. Easy recommend, especially once it hits Shudder.

Next is Godhead from Mark H. Rapaport (who brought HIPPO to Fantasia before). This one’s a striking black-and-white film about two eccentric twins who show up claiming to be prophets and put a priest in a brutal moral bind. The cinematography is gorgeous — every frame looks intentional. Sarah watched this one solo and had mixed feelings. She liked the setup and the look, but the dialogue and performances felt a bit theatrical and didn’t fully land for her. It’s interesting, just not a slam dunk.

Finally we get to Ancestral Beasts, the world premiere from Tim Riedel. An Indigenous woman leaves the city for her auntie’s rural cabin, looking for some peace. What starts as a quiet character piece slowly builds into something much more unsettling. Think generational trauma and grief given a horror twist, with strong practical effects and a slow-burn “is this real or is this her mind?” tension that pays off really well. Solid Canadian horror with a clear point of view. Worth seeking out.

More movies coming soon. Go see some Fantasia.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 2nd 2026 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off on 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia: Nightborn, Godhead & Ancestral Beasts

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia: After School & Dance Freak

by on July 22, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Podcast, Podcasting

Sarah and I are still deep in the 30th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival here in Montreal.

It’s time for the second episode of 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia. As usual, we’re keeping it loose, chatting about the movies we’ve seen, and trying not to spoil anything big. Our dog Clementine made us do a few extra takes again, but we got there.

In this episode we talk about two very different Canadian premieres. First up is After School (also known as Straf), a Dutch dark comedy directed by Merijn Scholte Albers and Tobias Smeets. It follows Edwin (Rutger de Bekker), a music teacher who’s a total pushover and gets himself into deeper and deeper trouble after a bad decision with a nightmare student. It’s super tense, cringe-inducing in the best way, and genuinely one of the funniest straight comedies we’ve seen in a while. There’s a second screening on July 25th so you still have a chance to see it at Fantasia.

Then we get into Dance Freak, from Alan Resnick and Robby Rackleff. This one’s a lot weirder — high-contrast black-and-white surreal absurdity with a ton of practical effects. Underground internet comedy vibes from the 2010s turned into a feature length film. If you’re into the wild late-night Adult Swim shorts (think Unedited Footage of a Bear, Too Many Cooks, etc), Mike Diva stuff, or Sarah Sherman’s SNL sketches, this might be your jam. I was cracking up; Sarah was mostly just staring at me wondering what the hell I was laughing at. It’s definitely not for everybody, but I had a great time with its pure absurdity.

We’ve got more screenings coming up and more episodes on the way. If you’re at Fantasia, come say hi. If not, throw this on while you’re figuring out your schedule.

Go see some Fantasia films kids.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 2nd 2026 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off on 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia: After School & Dance Freak

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2026: You Are The Film & Tight Lettuce

by on July 20, 2026 at 10:30 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Podcast, Podcasting

Sarah and I are back for the 30th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival (July 16th to August 2nd).

We have turned our usual post-movie rambling once again into a podcast this year, so welcome to 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2026. Each episode we’ll chat about the films we catch, share what we thought and give you honest reviews and opinions of the films we saw.

We kick things off with You Are the Film, the North American premiere from Makoto Ueda (the screenwriter of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes). It’s a short, super breezy time-bendy movie that plays with reality in clever ways. We both loved the small-cast energy, the quirky humor, and how it keeps surprising you even after you think you’ve figured out the rules. Sarah’s takeaway about the weird cafe order may be the best part of her review.

Sarah checked out Tight Lettuce, a world premiere she caught solo. It’s a raw, funny, and sometimes heavy look at a grown son and his dad’s complicated relationship, with addiction in the mix. Really strong performances, especially the dad played by Emmanuel Bilodeau. An amazing standout of Quebecois cinema.

We recorded the whole thing in our usual back-and-forth style (complete with Clementine barking and forcing a second take). It’s loose, honest, and exactly how we talk about movies in real life.

So throw the episode on while you’re waiting in line or planning your schedule. We’ve got more films coming soon.

Go see some Fantasia.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 2nd 2026 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off on 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2026: You Are The Film & Tight Lettuce

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: The School Duel, $POSITIONS & All You Need Is Kill

by on August 1, 2025 at 11:51 am
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Montreal, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films The School Duel, $POSITIONS and All You Need Is Kill

Grab your coffee and settle in for our latest Fantasia pod, where Sarah and Keith dish on three wild Fantasia flicks over a morning brew. Let’s dive into the chaos.

All You Need Is Kill, a vibrant anime adaptation of the light novel that inspired Edge of Tomorrow, flips the script by focusing on Rita this time around. Its fluid, music video-esque animation dazzles, though the third act drags (a little) with over-explained science. A must-watch for anime fans, it’s a breezy 82 minutes but might not hook non-anime geeks due to some quirky anime tropes.

$POSITIONS is a cringe-inducing, anxiety-fueled ride through middle-America’s underbelly. Following crypto-obsessed Mike, it’s a “torture porn” portrait of bad decisions, addiction, and Midwestern struggles. Michael Kunicki’s performance as the calm-yet-doomed protagonist balances humor and heartbreak, making it a brutal, engaging watch for fans of Silicon Valley or Euphoria’s darker vibes.

The School Duel, set in a dystopian Florida, is a gut-punch dark comedy where kids identified as potential school shooters are pitted in a patriotic “duel” for military ranks and family cash. Shot in stark black-and-white, it tempers its violence while delivering a scathing critique of American extremism. Kue Lawrence’s haunting performance as a misguided teen steals the show, appealing to fans of Battle Royale who can stomach its near-future realism.

For more information about these films:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License. 

└ Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off on 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: The School Duel, $POSITIONS & All You Need Is Kill

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: I Live Here Now, Hellcat & I Fell In Love with a Z-Grade Director From Brooklyn

by on July 30, 2025 at 1:03 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Montreal, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films I Fell In Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn, Hellcat and I Live Here Now.

Grab your coffee and settle in for our latest Fantasia pod, where Sarah and Keith dish on three wild Fantasia flicks over a morning brew. Let’s dive into the chaos.

First up, I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director from Brooklyn. Shina, a jaded Japanese movie star, rediscovers her passion making a gloriously trashy horror flick with Jack, a neurotic Woody Allen-esque director (played by Estevan Muñoz). It’s a love letter to Troma-style schlock, the “film within a film” is shot on a junky hi-8 camera for $500. Perfect for Fantasia nerds who dig heartwarming, low-budget chaos.

Next, I Live Here Now, Julie Pacino’s debut, shot on vibrant 35mm. Lucy Fry’s Rose grapples with childhood trauma and an unexpected pregnancy in a surreal, David Lynch-ian hotel. Body image metaphors, creepy hotel staff, and a standout glass-eating scene (with killer sound design) make it a haunting thriller. Keith calls it a must-see for Lynch fans—intense, weird, and empowering.

Finally, Hellcat, another world premiere, traps Dakota Gorman’s Lena in a moving camper, injured and maybe kidnapped. The constant rattle of beaded curtains and a mysterious driver crank the tension. The host of a late-night paranormal radio show (voiced by SNL’s James Austin Johnson as the host) keeps you guessing. It’s a tight, twisty 90-minute thriller with not too much gore, just psychological dread. Sarah’s all in for this sleeper hit—fingers crossed it gets a wider release so you can check it out!.

Both Hellcat and I Live Here Now were world premieres so you don’t want to miss our takes on these two films which were definitely standouts so far for us at this year’s Fantasia Festival.

For more information about these films:

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off on 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: I Live Here Now, Hellcat & I Fell In Love with a Z-Grade Director From Brooklyn

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: Redux Redux & Every Heavy Thing

by on July 25, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Montreal, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues. We’re sipping our morning brew and diving into Redux Redux and Every Heavy Thing, two films that couldn’t be more different but totally nail that Fantasia vibe.

First up, Redux Redux, the Canadian premiere from the McManus brothers, who we’ve been fans of since their gem Funeral Kings (still a top-tier fave) and the spooky Block Island Sound. This sci-fi thriller stars Michaela McManus as Irene, a woman dimension-hopping to avenge her daughter’s murderer—hundreds, maybe thousands, of times. The multiverse mechanics? They’re there, but don’t expect a science lecture. It’s a plot device, not the point. The focus is Irene’s relentless revenge cycle and her struggle to break free from it. Stella Marcus shines in a role we won’t spoil, but trust us, her performance adds layers the trailer doesn’t hint at. With sharp dialogue, quick gory kills, and subtle world-building, it’s a tight 1-hour-45-minute thrill ride. Not straight horror, but a bloody, character-driven sci-fi thriller that’s beautifully shot. Catch it on Shudder or in theaters if it gets a wider release—you won’t regret it.

Then there’s Every Heavy Thing, a Fantasia Underground pick that screams lo-fi, 70s film grit. Joe, played by Josh Fadem, is an ad salesman who witnesses a murder and gets tangled in sci-fi weirdness and paranoia. The film’s retro look—think film grain, not cheap digital—mixes cell phones with house phones, leaving you wondering, “What year is this?” Dark comedy and absurdist humor shine through, poking at gun nuts and tech billionaires. It’s a shoestring-budget vibe done deliberately, perfect for genre buffs who love a quirky, unsettling B-movie. Not for everyone, but a must for Fantasia diehards.

Both films are Fantasia at its best—bold, weird, and unforgettable. Check ‘em out!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

Keith does all sorts of things here on 9to5.cc, he works with the other founders on 9to5 (illustrated), co-hosts our two podcasts: The 9to5 Entertainment System and Go Plug Yourself and blogs here as The Perspicacious Geek.

Sarah is somehow still @femalewalter on Instagram. Follow her for pictures of our dogs and sometimes she remembers to post about all the arts and entertainment we take in all year long.


└ Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off on 9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: Redux Redux & Every Heavy Thing

9to5.cc Fantasia International Film Festival Podcast: Noise & I Am Frankelda

by on July 21, 2025 at 10:49 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Fantasia Festival Podcast, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films Noise and I Am Frankelda

Noise, a Korean ghost story directed by Kim Soo-jin follows Joo-young, a deaf woman, and her sister Joo-hee, who’s obsessed with the noisy upstairs neighbor. The film kicks off with Joo-hee’s erratic behavior leading Joo-young on a tense search through their apartment complex. It’s a slow-burn horror with suspenseful moments, a few jump scares, and clever sound design. High points include Joo-young’s hearing aid toggling off and on and voice-to-text phone use, amplifying the creepiness. Sarah recommends it for ghost story fans, noting its 90-minute runtime and accessibility for those not into intense horror—perfect for teens or horror newbies.

I Am Frankelda, a Mexican stop-motion feature by Roy and Arturo Ambriz, is a vibrant, musical, stop motion film set in 19th-century Mexico and a nightmare realm. Young Frankelda’s imagination fuels this fantastical world, where she’s a horror writer linked to a realm powered by nightmares. The young prince, Herneval, seeks her help to revive the realm’s fading creativity. The film’s intricate sets and unique character designs—like spider people and two-headed dragons—are stunning, though the fast-paced dialogue and fantastical names demand quick reading. Sarah suggests it’s kid-friendly for strong readers (the subtitles go by very fast), though the 113-minute runtime and dense dialogue might challenge younger viewers. Ideal for Spanish speakers or stop-motion enthusiasts.

For more information about these films:


Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

└ Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off on 9to5.cc Fantasia International Film Festival Podcast: Noise & I Am Frankelda