By Here we are, again. Fantasia International Film Festival. I am returning back to the Montreal-based festival that welcomed me with open arms and introduced me to terrific independent classics such as “A Samurai In Time” and “Steppenwolf”. Both the home of undiscovered and anticipated genre films, this year carries a powerful punch of new, exciting and intriguing features on the itinerary. From Ari Aster’s highly-anticipated entry in the western genre to Genndy Tartakovsky’s raunchy return to feature-length animation to a pulse-pounding, character-driven thriller following a student investigating a puzzling murder, there’s much to anticipate and see at the massive, exciting festival.
The festival runs from July 17th to August 3rd, 2025. To purchase tickets, visit the website here.
Check out the festival promo video here:
Here are 5 films coming to Fantasia this year that I would highly recommend:
Eddington (2025; dir – Ari Aster); Drama, Comedy, Western
Synopsis from Fantasia:
In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbour is pitted against neighbour in Eddington, New Mexico. Also featuring Austin Butler, Emma Stone, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Michael Ward and Clifton Collins Jr. EDDINGTON is Aster’s fourth feature in an extraordinary filmography of landmarks, following HEREDITARY, MIDSOMMAR and BEAU IS AFRAID.
Why I’m Excited:
Ari Aster has been one of my favorite contemporary directors since his controversial short film “The Strange Thing About the Johnsons” first hit the airwaves in YouTube. Never a stranger to polarizing reception, Ari Aster has been the perfect enfant terrible architect of works ranging from folk horror to absurd character studies. Stepping into the western genre by way of the COVID pandemic, I’m excited to see what new pot of madness Aster will serve to his audience using the coveted Western genre as his canvas. Reuniting with the brilliant Joaquin Phoenix and teaming up with man-of-the-moment Pedro Pascal (with assists from Emma Stone and Austin Butler), Aster isn’t short of talent in front of the camera as well as behind it as he brings his mad vision to life.
Trailer:
Together (2025; dir – Michael Shanks); Horror, Thriller
Synopsis from Fantasia:
Millie (Alison Brie) and Tim (Dave Franco) have been a couple for 10 years of unwed…well, not exactly bliss, and the fraying ends of their relationship are about to become seriously unraveled. Millie has just won a teaching job that requires them to move away from the city, and all their friends, to a house in the middle of a forested area. What we already know, and they realize too late, is that there’s an uncanny energy dwelling within those woods, and even as Millie and Tim’s interpersonal anxieties drive them further apart, that force begins to bind them in both figurative and literal ways. As their bodies begin a symbiotic relationship that expresses itself even when they’re separated, they’re forced to take drastic measures to prevent themselves from being joined together… forever.
Why I’m Excited:
Merging themes of codependent relationships and body horror (also with a real-life married couple as the lead stars) is a very intriguing premise for a directorial debut. Michael Shanks is swinging for the fences with his first entry and I’m excited to see what emotional (as well as physical) depths he drags his characters to, all for the sake of…love? Tainted love, exasperated love, worn-out love and sticky skin…a lot to be excited for here.
Trailer:
Fixed (2025; dir – Genndy Tartakovsky); Comedy, Animation
Synopsis from Fantasia:
Bull (Adam Devine) is a lovable mutt, and a loyal buddy to his pack, including brawny boxer Rocco (Idris Elba), pretentious dachshund Fetch (Fred Armisen), and neurotic beagle Lucky (Bobby Moynihan). He also has a massive crush on the sexy show dog next door, the Afghan hound Honey (Kathryn Hahn). His pride and joy are his magnificent testicles, at the behest of which he’ll satiate his constant horniness by way of most any household object, though his preference is grandma’s leg. These peccadilloes of his, however, may prove his downfall. Alarmed by indications that a trip to the vet looms in his immediate future, the frantic Bull will do anything to delay the inevitable—or at least unleash his carnal impulses while he still can!
Why I’m Excited:
Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator behind beloved, critically-acclaimed masterpieces of animated television including Samurai Jack, Primal and, of-course, Dexter’s Laboratory. How can one not be excited for this? Especially with the promise of Tartakovsky getting raunchy with the premise of a dog not wanting to get his cajones clipped. I don’t know how raunchy or provocative this is going to get (and frankly, I’m a little scared – R rated cartoons don’t always sit well with me – they just come off weird to me sometimes) but with a great storyteller like Tartakovsky at the helm, I’m all in.
Death Does Not Exist (2025; dir – Félix Dufour-Laperrière); Animation; French Language
Synopsis from Fantasia:
Fresh off its premieres in Cannes and Annecy, the magnificent animated feature from Félix Dufour-Laperrière (ARCHIPEL) tells the story of a group of young activists who take up arms against an affluent family, hoping to plant the seed that sows a rebellion. Their desire to effect change is strong, but the act itself is violent, visceral, and too much for all of them to bear. When things don’t go according to plan, a woman finds herself haunted by the memory of her friend, reliving the events of the day, intertwined with the shadows of her doubt and guilt as she ponders what’s happened, and all that could have been.
Why I’m Excited:
Once in a while, there comes along a film that reinvents the wheel of animation, defying anything that came before it. “Death Does Not Exist” brings that promise with its stunning animation and powerful story. We watch cinema not just to be entertained but to witness something new, something fresh and something exciting. Dufour-Laperrière’s film appears to bring all these factors and I would not expect anything less considering the scenes I’ve seen from this film.
Trailer:
The Woman (2025; dir – Hwang Wook); Thriller; Korean Language
Synopsis from Fantasia:
Sun-kyung meets a stranger named Young-hwan for a trade of his secondhand vacuum cleaner, but something is quite not right with him. She brings him a pack of strawberries as a thank-you gift, but he then claims he does not accept gifts from strangers anymore. Out of nowhere, he suddenly changes his mind and goes back to her to retrieve his strawberries. Luckily, her college classmate Ui-jin comes to her rescue just in time, as he also notices his unsettling nature. The next day, a homicide detective calls her saying that Ui-jin has committed suicide that night. She suspects Young-hwan to be involved with his death, and she’s willing to prove he’s guilty of it.
Why I’m Excited:
I’m a sucker for character-driven thrillers that are not only unpredictable in their plots but also carry great tension and suspense. Per Steven Lee’s write up of the film on the Fantasia website, “The Woman” is a thriller where “you think you know where the story is going, and then something happens that you are not prepared for”. That coupled with the excitement of watching a slice of great independent Koren filmmaking keeps me very excited to see this film. I’m also intrigued to see Han Hye-ji’s lead performance which is praised as excellent as her character guides us through this journey of discovering the real killer.
Trailer:
Come to the one of the best genre festivals out there and discover new gems.
Check out their full selection here
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