Posts Tagged Fantasia International Film Festival

80 results.

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, 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:

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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. 

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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, 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.

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

by on July 25, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, 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

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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.


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

by on July 21, 2025 at 10:49 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, 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.

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9to5.cc Fantasia International Film Festival Podcast: Beans & Cielo

by on July 20, 2025 at 5:39 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films Beans and Cielo.

Sarah and Keith are checking out a bunch of films at the 2025 edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival and as we do, we are recording the chats we have about the movies and letting you eavesdrop on them in the form of a podcast. It’s fun, trust us.

We don’t usually plan out “themes” for any given episode but totally by accident we found that our first two films were linked (somewhat) thematically. Both feature strong willed young women dealing with things no young person should really have to deal with. One (Beans) is dealing with growing on in Kanehsatake during the 1990 Oka Crisis and the other (Cielo) is dealing with the loss of your parents. In both cases our young leading ladies need to deal with these far, far too young.

For more information about these films from the Fantasia Festival website:

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.

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9to5 Goes to Fantasia: 1 Week Left!

by on August 2, 2023 at 8:31 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Homepage, Keith, Montreal

It’s the final week of the Fantasia International Film Festival 2023!

Time is flying guys.

Multiple devastating computer catastrophes has sadly meant that we are unable to record our usual podcast series this year (pray for both of my laptops speedy recovery).

Taking a look at the next week of the festival I want to share my shortlist of movies that I think are worth checking out.

Rapid fire hot takes! Pew pew! Bonus (for you) – I’m skipping over films that are already sold out so you can just follow this list and not have FOMO.

Thursday, August 3rd:

The Cabaret of Curiosities – Société des Arts – 20h

Why? If you’re a Fantasia vet you are no doubt familiar with DJ XL5’s madcap short film Zappin’ Parties. Well guess what, this is that. Sort of. A mixture of short films, music, guests and more and best of all it’s completely free and out in the open outside of SaT on Saint-Laurent.

Evil Judgment – J.A. De Sève – 21h25

Why? Honestly there just aren’t enough solid 80s horror films that are proudly Canadian. Let alone many that are set in Montreal and somehow are in English. There’s something special about Canadian 80s horror films (look no further than 1981’s My Bloody Valentine if you don’t believe me).

Also hats off to the wonderful crazy people at Vinegar Syndrome for doing the Lord’s work of restoring these forgotten gems for a whole new generation to witness.

Friday, August 4th:

Mad Cats – Hall Theater – 21h30

Why? If you’ve ever been to Fantasia you know that almost every time the lights go down the theater fills up with the screeching meows of Fantasia-goers before the film kicks off. If there’s a film that promises outrageous kung-fu comedy action and a solid dose of cat stuff you had better believe that the most fun place to possible watch it will be Friday night at Fantasia.

Saturday, August 5th:

Molli and Max in the Future – Hall Theater – 14h45

Why? I don’t know a lot about this movie. Look it up if you want. I couldn’t even find a trailer. However, I think Zosia Mamet is great and Aristotle Athari is pretty funny on SNL. If you want to squish them together into a sci-fi rom-com that promises to be When Harry Met Sally by way of Rick & Morty then guess what? I’ll give it a try.

Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls – Hall Theater – 19h30

Why? If you’re like me you immediately read “Onyx the Fortuitous” and thought to yourself “no… can it be the same thing that I have a vague memory of?” and then when you looked at the film in more detail you were delighted to find out that yes, yes it is that thing you have a vague memory of. Sarah and I still say “let’s get drunk off tiny wines” in our regular parlance and that was 12 years ago. Watch this film.

Psychotronic – Cinéma du Musée – 18h30

Why? There are 11 short films screening as part of this program and maybe all of them are worth your time. But one that is definitely worth your time is Red Tiles by Philippe Bourret! He used to cover Fantasia for this website and now his short film is in Fantasia! That’s amazing. Also the film is bonkers and cool so you should see it.

Sunday, August 6th

Pandemonium – J.A. De Sève – 18h45

Why? Sometimes with Fantasia you just have to roll the dice. Go and watch the Pandemonium trailer. Go on. Somehow you know more about the film before you watched the trailer, didn’t you? Weird giant doors in the snow in the middle of nowhere, a girl screaming in the bathroom, a creepy monster man fighting a lion man? What is this movie even about? Sometimes those are the best Fantasia movies. Second Screening August 7th.

Monday, August 7th

The Abandoned – Hall Theater – 2130

Why? I feel like Taiwanese cinema doesn’t get enough attention and honestly a neo-noir procedural thriller seems like a really good way to spend a Monday night.

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs through August 9th.

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Fantasia 2021: Agnes, Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched and Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes

by on August 24, 2021 at 9:47 pm
Posted In: 9ES, Fantasia, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

The Fantasia International Film Festival podcast series by the good people of 9to5.cc is coming to an end. Sadface.

In this episodes the hosts of 9ES discuss: Agnes, Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched and Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes. Boy, we sure did choose some long movie names to cram into that episode image, didn’t we?

Once again this year’s Fantasia Festival is mostly online, with only a few films being screened live due to the ongoing pandemic that, spoilers, isn’t over yet!

The real horror was Covid-19.

I digress.

As we have since *checks notes* 2012, the 9to5.cc crew will be watching a whole bunch of Fantasia Festival movies and, as is our wont, we will be recording podcasts about them.

Sweet sweet audio reviews of some of the best of genre cinema. Normally we recommend you listen to these reviews while waiting in the long ass lineups waiting to get into the movies but since this year is mostly online maybe you just listen to them while you work or something?

I don’t know man.

As always, if you enjoy these shows, tell your friends and share the episodes and if you like the little thing we’ve got going on please consider checking out Go Plug Yourself and 9ES, the podcasts we run all year long. If you like our shows, please subscribe.

Enjoy the episode!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival is running from August 5th to August 25th with some movies being available on-demand throughout and some films only available at timed screenings. Be sure to check out the Official Website for film availability.

As always, thank you to all the amazing genre film makers who continue to make Fantasia a highlight of the year for us.

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.

The song we use in the intro is “Spooky Loop” by the 8bit bEtty.  Used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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Fantasia 2021: Martyrs Lane and #Blue_Whale

by on August 19, 2021 at 7:41 pm
Posted In: 9ES, Fantasia, Homepage, Podcast, Podcasting

The Fantasia International Film Festival podcast series by the good people of 9to5.cc is back!

In this episodes the hosts of 9ES discuss: Martyrs Lane and #Blue_Whale.

Once again this year’s Fantasia Festival is mostly online, with only a few films being screened live due to the ongoing pandemic that, spoilers, isn’t over yet!

The real horror was Covid-19.

I digress.

As we have since *checks notes* 2012, the 9to5.cc crew will be watching a whole bunch of Fantasia Festival movies and, as is our wont, we will be recording podcasts about them.

Sweet sweet audio reviews of some of the best of genre cinema. Normally we recommend you listen to these reviews while waiting in the long ass lineups waiting to get into the movies but since this year is mostly online maybe you just listen to them while you work or something?

I don’t know man.

As always, if you enjoy these shows, tell your friends and share the episodes and if you like the little thing we’ve got going on please consider checking out Go Plug Yourself and 9ES, the podcasts we run all year long. If you like our shows, please subscribe.

Enjoy the episode!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival is running from August 5th to August 25th with some movies being available on-demand throughout and some films only available at timed screenings. Be sure to check out the Official Website for film availability.

As always, thank you to all the amazing genre film makers who continue to make Fantasia a highlight of the year for us.

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.

The song we use in the intro is “Spooky Loop” by the 8bit bEtty.  Used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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Fantasia 2021 Podcast: Wonderful Paradise (Nouten Paradise) and Indemnity

by on August 11, 2021 at 7:56 pm
Posted In: 9ES, Fantasia, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

The Fantasia International Film Festival podcast series by the good people of 9to5.cc is back!

In this episodes the hosts of 9ES discuss: Wonderful Paradise (Nouten Paradise) and Indemnity.

Once again this year’s Fantasia Festival is mostly online, with only a few films being screened live due to the ongoing pandemic that, spoilers, isn’t over yet!

The real horror was Covid-19.

I digress.

As we have since *checks notes* 2012, the 9to5.cc crew will be watching a whole bunch of Fantasia Festival movies and, as is our wont, we will be recording podcasts about them.

Sweet sweet audio reviews of some of the best of genre cinema. Normally we recommend you listen to these reviews while waiting in the long ass lineups waiting to get into the movies but since this year is mostly online maybe you just listen to them while you work or something?

I don’t know man.

As always, if you enjoy these shows, tell your friends and share the episodes and if you like the little thing we’ve got going on please consider checking out Go Plug Yourself and 9ES, the podcasts we run all year long. If you like our shows, please subscribe.

Enjoy the episode!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival is running from August 5th to August 25th with some movies being available on-demand throughout and some films only available at timed screenings. Be sure to check out the Official Website for film availability.

As always, thank you to all the amazing genre film makers who continue to make Fantasia a highlight of the year for us.

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.

The song we use in the intro is “Spooky Loop” by the 8bit bEtty.  Used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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Fantasia 2021 Podcast: Suicide Squad and Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It

by on August 11, 2021 at 7:51 pm
Posted In: 9ES, Fantasia, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

The Fantasia International Film Festival podcast series by the good people of 9to5.cc is back!

In this episodes the hosts of 9ES discuss: The Suicide Squad and Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It.

Once again this year’s Fantasia Festival is mostly online, with only a few films being screened live due to the ongoing pandemic that, spoilers, isn’t over yet!

The real horror was Covid-19.

I digress.

As we have since *checks notes* 2012, the 9to5.cc crew will be watching a whole bunch of Fantasia Festival movies and, as is our wont, we will be recording podcasts about them.

Sweet sweet audio reviews of some of the best of genre cinema. Normally we recommend you listen to these reviews while waiting in the long ass lineups waiting to get into the movies but since this year is mostly online maybe you just listen to them while you work or something?

I don’t know man.

As always, if you enjoy these shows, tell your friends and share the episodes and if you like the little thing we’ve got going on please consider checking out Go Plug Yourself and 9ES, the podcasts we run all year long. If you like our shows, please subscribe.

Enjoy the episode!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival is running from August 5th to August 25th with some movies being available on-demand throughout and some films only available at timed screenings. Be sure to check out the Official Website for film availability.

As always, thank you to all the amazing genre film makers who continue to make Fantasia a highlight of the year for us.

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.

The song we use in the intro is “Spooky Loop” by the 8bit bEtty.  Used under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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