By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)
The 2020 Fantasia International Film Festival is taking place online! It will run from August 20th to Sept 2nd, and the producers behind this event worked hard with Festival Scope and Shift72 to ensure that for Canadian audiences, they will have an experience to remember.
According to Fantasia’s FAQ: Unfortunately, we can’t make new films available across the world without potentially hurting their future distribution and exhibition options, which is a key concern to us. The only exception is Troma’s latest, an interpretation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, which will be available to audiences in Canada and the United States.
Signing up to this event is easy. All anyone has to do is to visit Fantasia’s website and make an account. Options exist to make a wish list, and tickets can be pre-purchased early for those shows with a set time of broadcast, or viewed at leisure, beginning August 20th. The showtimes advertised on Fantasia’s PDF Guide and social media platforms and the like are listed in Eastern Standard Time.
Once that play button is pressed, you have a 30 hour window to finish watching it. So, yes, you can pause the film to hit the washroom, prepare lunch, or view the movie again. Not every work is programmed that way; the “live broadcasts” will only run at set times, so planning is key.
People new to this festival also have the choice of viewing shorts. This year’s block of films includes My First Fantasia. Of the three subgroups, Contes, Légendes et Histoires Merveilleuses and Festival International du Court Métrage au Saguenay has my interest the most. To be specific, these works are worth catching:
Cat Lake City
Dream Eater
La Sorcière et le bébé (Baba Yaga Y Malyshka)
Le Tigre Et Son Maître
Maestro
Mal de chien
Raccoon and the Light
Solace
The Masterpiece
The Origin of the Wolastoq River (Wolastoq amsqahs peciyat)
As for movies, this collection of fantasy, horror and comedy works makes my top ten list (in no particular order), and the showtimes (where appropriate).
2011
ON DEMAND
2011 navigates between dream and reality, between the film within the film and the film you’re watching. A first film without compromise.
Come True
Aug 30, 9:30pm
Dreams twist. Nightmares come true. A distinctive and compelling work of dark science fiction/horror that haunts the space between wakefulness and sleep.
Crazy Samurai Musashi
ON DEMAND
Japan’s most legendary swordsman defeats hundreds of opponents in a single, 77-minute shot. An almost transcendental marathon of mayhem.
Hail to the Deadites
ON DEMAND
This year’s must-see documentary for true horror fans: a series of interviews with EVIL DEAD enthusiasts, as well as the films’ craftsmen.
Monster Seafood Wars
ON DEMAND
This kaiju comedy is Japan’s answer to Rampage, and we get to see an octopus, squid, and crab square off!
Project Dreams: How to Build Mazinger Z
Aug 29, 19:15pm
What if Mazinger Z existed after all? Together, Asegawa and his team will do their utmost to achieve the impossible: make the imaginary real.
The Day of the Beast
Sep 1, 21:15
One of the greatest comedy/horror films of all time, a classic of modern Spanish cinema, presented in a stunning new restoration from Severin Films.
The Paper Tigers
Aug 30, 21:00, Sept 1, 17:30
All the quality ass-kicking you want out of a good martial arts film, and much more, a story about friendship and staying true to your heart.
The Reckoning
Aug 20, 19:00
A poignant and horrific thriller set in 1665, time of the Great Plague and witch hunts in England, THE RECKONING is a cannonball of fury and tears.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for the Otaku
Aug 28, 19:15
With its amazing soundtrack, the superb musical/romantic comedy WOTAKOI is the perfect immersion into the fascinating world of otaku culture!
