Fantasia Film Festival at 30 Glorious Years! So What’s Worth Watching? (Part One)

Ed Sum

14 hours ago

**Event runs from July 16 to August 2, 2026. Montreal, Quebec.**

Fantasia Film Festival 2026 poster — **Event runs from July 16 to August 2, 2026. Montreal, Quebec.**

When I think of Montreal, there are only a few words that pop into mind: Fantasia Film Festival. This year’s celebration promises to be huge because it’s their Pearl anniversary, and I’m sure not everything is being advertised. Some surprises must be in store for those attending this summer celebration of pop culture cinema.

As for what defines my top twenty works to see, this list comes after considering all of the short film programs. Since they also make up part of my overall picks, it felt important to cover them first before narrowing everything down to this final selection. The links go to Fantasia’s webpage, with showtimes and advance ticket purchase options.

Ancestral Beasts

Four years after losing her mother, Elyse (Morgan Holstrom) still hasn’t recovered, and what she now has to face are the shadows of her past. That’s the gist I get from the marketing for this film. Not only is there an Indigenous angle, but also the idea of intergenerational trauma returning from beyond the grave. It may sound like a familiar haunted house tale on paper, but there’s clearly much more going on, including mental illness within local communities. To say more would reveal too much about why this film is a must-see.

Anime No Bento

Please check out The Best Short Films to See at Fantasia Film Festival 2026 (Part One) for a full break-down. For what is the number one must see from this programme, it’s 20001 An Earth Odyssey hands down.

Are You Afraid Of Fantasia?

Please check out The Best Short Films to See at Fantasia Film Festival 2026 (Part Two).

Black Zombie

Zombies have permeated horror history for decades, and getting a proper deep dive into their origins must have been years in the making. Writer-director Maya Annik Bedward explains that there’s a lot of lore to explore in this work. According to the information on Fantasia’s website, it began as a 2018 Frontières project and is now a fully realized film. It features accessible insights from historians, including horror author and filmmaker Tananarive Due, makeup legend Tom Savini, and zombie enthusiasts alike.

Everything one wants to know about the zombie’s magical origins, the transatlantic slave trade, and the religious traditions that were uprooted, demonized, and reshaped under European colonial rule in Haiti is included. It’s safe to say: be afraid, very afraid….

Blades of the Guardians

Well GO USA is releasing this film across festivals and theatres alike, and if you’re a fan of Jet Li and Wu Jing, it’s safe to say this wild western is a must-see. Here, Dao Ma and his young nephew travel from town to town doing what they do best: fighting crime and delivering criminals to the law, dead or alive. But after being hired to protect an individual worth more than the job itself, can this pair do what’s right?

Bliss: Beyond the Edge of Time (Ji Le)

Inspired by six hexagrams from the I Ching, as the official website explains, this anthology aims to strike a chord with viewers. It examines what happens when technology and humanity become intertwined.

The question it asks is simple: in a future where memories can be erased, identities rewritten, and fate engineered, what remains truly ours? This cyberpunk dystopian work aims to uncover some hard truths. That’s the feeling viewers will likely be left to consider after experiencing this film.

China Mosaic

This new shorts collection puts the spotlight on Mainland China, and there’s plenty to admire. For a complete look, please check out The Best Short Films to See at Fantasia Film Festival 2026 (Part One). As for what is the number one pick from this programme, that is Scorching.

Grotesqqque

GROTESQQQUE is a sensational collection of works from the brilliant mind of Atsushi Nishigori, best known for The Idolm@ster, Darling in the Franxx, and serving as director and chief animation director on Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. As an anthology, just what’s on offer is sure to surprise, and perhaps even eulogize. With its heavy anime influence, fans will undoubtedly be curious.