Fantasia Reveals Its Diverse International Line Up

Fantasia poster. 2015.
Fantasia poster. 2015.

The selection of films for the 19th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival is diverse. It’s one of the largest and most-influential genre film festival in North America. With its large array of Asian movies, it attracts a number of film aficionados from around the world. There are films for everyone’s taste from psychological thrillers to action gore. The highlights of Fantasia Underground’s lineup includes some African films from Uganda, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Here is an overview of five films you don’t want to miss:

Socialphobia
South Korea – Dir.: Hong Seok-jae
Two police-tech students, Ji-Woong (Byun Yo-Han) and Yong-Ming (Lee Joo-Seung), search the identity of an Internet troll known as Re-Na after she commented on a soldier’s death. They decide to visit her while live streaming but they discover a corpse in her apartment. This film, part social drama and murder mystery, examines the role of social media in today’s society. Socialphobia anks among the best independent Korean films in recent years. Winner of the NETPAC and DGK Awards at the Busan Film Festival. It will be a Quebec Premiere.

Ojuju

Ojuju
Ojuju

Nigeria – Dir. C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi
In Nigeria’s slums, people are becoming rabidly blind due to a contaminated water supply. However people are turning into flesh-eating zombies. Romero (Gabriel Afolayan) discovers his pregnant girlfriend has become infected. With his friends Emmy (Kelechi Udegbe) and Peju (Omowunmi Dada), he searches for a solution to save his girlfriend while remaining alive to the flesh-eating humans. Winner for Best Nigerian film at the Africa International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

Bunny the Killer Thing
Finland – Dir.: Joonas Makkonen
A group of Finnish and British people get stuck in a cabin when a half human, half rabbit creature attacks them. The creature is known as Bunny the Killer Thing and it is after anything that resembles female genitals. This Finnish psycho killer horror film is for a mature audience due to the numerous scenes of nudity and violence. North American Premiere.

Crumbs
Ethiopia/Spain/Finland – Dir.: Miguel Llansó
Candy (Selam Tesfaye) and her scrap collecting partner Birdy (Daniel Tadesse) set on a journey of discovering their surroundings. Birdy believes is of extraterrestrial origins and wants see a chance of returning to his home when a long-dormant spaceship shows signs of reactivation. Ethiopia’s first science-fiction film is a post-apocalyptic comedy and eccentric love story with a politically-charged surrealism. Official Selection: Rotterdam International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

Assassination Classroom

Assasination classroom
Assasination classroom

Japan – Dir.: Eiichiro Hasumi
A mysterious creature who threatens to destroy the Earth becomes the homeroom teacher of 3rd grade E class at Kunugigaoka Junior High School and is known as Teacher Koro (voiced by Kazunari Ninomiya). The class consists of failed students including Nagisa Shiota (Ryosuke Yamada). The Japanese government offers a 10-billion yen reward to any student who manages to kill Teacher Koro. But the students enjoy the presence of their new homeroom teacher. Based on the popular manga series “Ansatsu Kyoshitsu” by Yusei Matsui, this film is a sci-fi comedy not to be missed. International Premiere.

The festival debuts on July 14th and ends on August 4th. Buy your tickets fast as the best movies have a tendency of selling out quickly. Tickets go on sale on July 11th online and at the box office.
Don’t miss out on an amazing film festival!

Fantasia takes place from July 14 to August 4. Visit their website HERE

Find them on Twitter: @FantasiaFest and Instagram: @fantasiafestival