Special Events

Edward R. Pressman Live in Conversation

Fantasia is proud to be presenting a special masterclass with Edward R. Pressman, our 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

The legendary producer, who’s made films with everyone from Terrence Malick, Sam Raimi, Zhang Yimou, Kathryn Bigelow and Werner Herzog to Abel Ferrara, Oliver Stone, David Gordon Green, Mary Harron, Sylvester Stallone and Brian De Palma will be interviewed onstage by critic and professor Donato Totaro for a career-spanning talk that will surely prove fascinating for even the most casual cinephile.

FREE ADMISSION | JULY 14 - 17h00

Live Multimedia Book Launch Event: Michael Gingold’s AD ASTRA

Following last year’s best-selling, horror-themed Ad Nauseam: Newsprint Nightmares From the 1980s and its sequel, Newsprint Nightmares From the 1990s and 2000s, critic Michael Gingold and 1984 Publishing now present Ad Astra: 20 Years of Newspaper Ads for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Films, a year-by-year look at the movies that shaped many a childhood in the '80s and '90s. Inside this 270-page book, you'll find everything from STAR TREK to STARSHIP TROOPERS, THE DARK CRYSTAL to DARK CITY, CONAN to BATMAN, BLADE RUNNER to THE RUNNING MAN, ROBOCOP to ROBOT JOX, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK to BACK TO THE FUTURE, and many, many more. See alternate artwork for your favourite films, learn the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of their marketing campaigns, and read the most entertaining and unexpected quotes from reviewers at the time — all carefully curated by Michael.

Our book launch event will feature a multimedia author’s talk with eye-popping slides of newsprint ad mats galore that will have everyone smiling. In addition, it will provide attendees an opportunity to purchase the book months before its official fall release.

FREE ADMISSION | JULY 16 - 17h30

Horror Express – Fantasia Edition!

By popular demand, after a successful chartered bus tour of iconic cult and horror film locations in Toronto last summer, Spectacular Optical and The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies invite you to the first-ever Horror Express - Montreal! This six-hour bus tour hosted by longtime horror journalist Michael Gingold (Fangoria, Rue Morgue) and House of Psychotic Women author Kier-La Janisse will stop at 10 iconic horror locations from Canada’s infamous tax-shelter era. We don’t want to spoil the surprises but we can tell you it will be heavy on the early Cronenberg era. Come join us for fun and photo ops as we navigate through the history of Montreal’s cinematic underbelly.

The tour will begin with a 9:30 a.m. registration in central Montreal (location to be disclosed to registrants in an email, but it will be close to Fantasia headquarters at Concordia’s Hall Building) and departure at 10 a.m., and will run until approximately 4:00 p.m., including a stop for lunch along the route (cost of lunch not included).

JULY 17 - 10h

Découvrez les changements apportés aux programmes d’aide en cinéma de la SODEC!

Au menu :
1. Comment déposer un projet à la SODEC?, atelier présenté par Alix Wagner-Bernier, chargée de projet à la SODEC. Démystifiez le processus de dépôt d’un projet et l’analyse d’un dossier.
2. Présentation des programmes en cinéma par Johanne Larue, directrice générale du cinéma et de la production télévisuelle de la SODEC. Découvrez les changements apportés aux programmes en cinéma et obtenez des réponses à vos questions.

Comment déposer un projet à la SODEC? - ADMISSION GRATUITE | 19 juillet - 13h00
Présentation des programmes en cinéma - ADMISSION GRATUITE | 19 juillet - 15h00

Returning Life to the Departed: Adventures in Genre Cinema Restoration (Special Panel Talk)

We’re living in blessed times when it comes to obscure treasures and cinephile holy grails being restored from original elements for definitive home video releases. Join David Gregory (Severin Films), Nora Mehenni (Arrow Video) and Joe Rubin (Vinegar Syndrome) for a special discussion about the trials, thrills and rewards of genre film restoration work.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear anecdotes from some of the heroes behind such landmark restorations as SANTA SANGRE, LIQUID SKY, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, THE CHANGELING, SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG, BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE and the filmographies of George A. Romero, Walerian Borowczyk, Roberta Findlay, Mario Bava, Kinji Fukasaku, Jules Dassin, Frank Henenlotter, Sergio Martino, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Lucio Fulci and Andy Milligan, among many others.

FREE ADMISSION | JULY 18 17h - 18h30

ExpErience Fantasia VR

FANTASIA International Film Festival, in collaboration with Woolf + Lapin and Mont VR, are proud to present the FANTASIA VR Experience. From 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday July 19 and Saturday, July 20, festivalgoers will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an international program selected by Woolf + Lapin. A total of 12 Virtual Reality experiences await you, including a documentary series comprised of 5 independent episodes, many genre titles and a few poetic rhapsodies.

The FANTASIA VR experience will be installed in the Atrium at 1400 Boul. de Maisonneuve W., directly in front of Concordia University’s J.A. DeSève theater. Admission is free, with a 20-minute session for each participant. Participants will be encouraged to vote for the favourite virtual reality film.

FREE ADMISSION | JULY 19 - 12h à 20h

FREE ADMISSION | JULY 20 - 12h à 20h

OVMF Presents the Music of Studio Ghibli (July 20th)

Montreal’s OVMF (Orchestre à Vents de Musiques de Films) presents a concert celebrating music by renowned Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi, from some of the most beloved films of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli. Born in 1950, Hisaishi began his musical career with the ensemble MKWAJU, legendary in avant-garde circles, before connecting by chance with Miyazaki for his second feature film (and the debut of Ghibli), NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. The friendship they forged has lasted decades and led to so many memorable film scores — with Miyazaki as well as Takeshi “Beat” Kitano.

Directed and arranged by Jocelyn Leblanc, the orchestra of 30 musicians and 5 percussionists will be accompanied by a choir of 38 for select works. The OVMF has been performing film-music concerts for the past 18 years, with memorable events featuring music from STAR WARS, HARRY POTTER, STAR TREK, DOCTOR WHO, James Bond, Marvel, and more. For this special Fantasia presentation, the orchestra will play scores from Ghibli classics PRINCESS MONONOKE, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE, CASTLE IN THE SKY, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, SPIRITED AWAY and of course NAUSICAÄ. This marvelous music will be further enhanced by projections evoking the spirit of Miyazaki, care of Fantasia regular Francis Théberge’s TiND (thisisnotdesign) project, with live visuals created and performed by daphnee4000. This concert, celebrating the sounds the most revered works in animation history, is sure to be a highlight of this year’s festival. – Rupert Bottenberg

Tickets 25 $| July 20 - 19h30

OVMF PRESENTS THE MUSIC OF STUDIO GHIBLI (July 21st)

Montreal’s OVMF (Orchestre à Vents de Musiques de Films) presents a concert celebrating music by renowned Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi, from some of the most beloved films of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli. Born in 1950, Hisaishi began his musical career with the ensemble MKWAJU, legendary in avant-garde circles, before connecting by chance with Miyazaki for his second feature film (and the debut of Ghibli), NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. The friendship they forged has lasted decades and led to so many memorable film scores — with Miyazaki as well as Takeshi “Beat” Kitano.

Directed and arranged by Jocelyn Leblanc, the orchestra of 30 musicians and 5 percussionists will be accompanied by a choir of 38 for select works. The OVMF has been performing film-music concerts for the past 18 years, with memorable events featuring music from STAR WARS, HARRY POTTER, STAR TREK, DOCTOR WHO, James Bond, Marvel, and more. For this special Fantasia presentation, the orchestra will play scores from Ghibli classics PRINCESS MONONOKE, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE, CASTLE IN THE SKY, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, SPIRITED AWAY and of course NAUSICAÄ. This marvelous music will be further enhanced by projections evoking the spirit of Miyazaki, care of Fantasia regular Francis Théberge’s TiND (thisisnotdesign) project, with live visuals created and performed by daphnee4000. This concert, celebrating the sounds the most revered works in animation history, is sure to be a highlight of this year’s festival. – Rupert Bottenberg

Tickets 25 $| July 21 - 14h00

Shudder Presents Joe Bob Briggs Live: How Rednecks Saved Hollywood

Spend a fast-and-furious two hours with America’s drive-in movie critic as he uses over 200 clips and stills to review the history of rednecks in America as told through the classics of both grindhouse and mainstream movies. You will learn:

• The identity of the first redneck in history.
• The precise date the first redneck arrived in America.
• The most sacred redneck cinematic moments.
• How THUNDER ROAD, the Whiskey Rebellion, the tight cutoffs worn by Claudia Jennings in GATOR BAIT, illegal Coors beer, and the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash combined to inspire the greatest movie in the history of the world.
• Why the redneck is the scariest monster in all of film history, with visual evidence.
• The existential difference between FORREST GUMP and SLING BLADE.
• The reason God loves rednecks.

…and dozens of other historical facts that you didn’t realize you needed until Joe Bob deposited them in the rear lobe of your brain.

Tickets 15 $ | JULY 21

Keita Amemiya Master Class

Since the 1980s, Keita Amemiya has left his mark in countless corners of the universe of tokusatsu — Japanese science-fantasy cinema and TV — and beyond, in anime, video games and manga. A prolific director, he’s equally celebrated as a renowned designer of uncanny characters, creatures, and costumes. Drawing on his homeland’s rich traditions of design, on the dark romanticism of fairy-tale Europe, on mystical symbolism and gritty techno-punk, Amemiya never lacks for surprising innovation and a self-aware flair that stands out in his field. His special touch can be found in several KAMEN RIDER series, in the subversive MECHANICAL VIOLATOR HAKAIDER, and in his own original creations, like the legendary ZEIRAM, the enchanting anime TWEENY WITCHES, and the ever-expanding world of his GARO franchise. For his special Fantasia Master Class, Amemiya-san takes a look at the masks, monster and marvels of his imagination!

FREE ADMISSION | JULY 31 - 19h

Le Marathon Zappin' Party de DJ XL5

This extravagant evening revisits the 15-year career (so far!) of DJ XL5, a happy mix of everything that has made these programs what they are over the years. The DJ XL5 universe consists of clusters of crazy short films and thematic montages of film segments, old ads, nostalgic music videos and TV clips. Not sure which you prefer? This event mixes it all into a bulimic delirium of nearly five hours. An opportunity for you to discover the work of DJ XL5's local and international friends who have “pimped” him films, including some shorts made specifically for Zappin’ Party nights, and to remember some of the franchises to which DJ XL5 has always been faithful, including Happy Tree Friends, Dr. Tran and of course Simon's Cat. Several directors will be present on stage for the occasion.