Red Rooms.A little irony from the land of Alanis Morissette: Red Rooms (2023)—a movie named for and concerning a series of apocryphal dark-web sites trafficking in unsimulated snuff videos—is currently unavailable for commercial streaming in the United States. This despite the fact that Pascal Plante’s Montreal-set thriller, which is up for six Canadian Screen Awards on May 30, is almost perfectly calibrated for American—which is to say global—sensibilities, to the point that it suggests a prestige streaming procedural shrunken down to feature length and fed through Google Translate. The only thing separating Juliette Gariépy’s statuesque, possibly sociopathic amateur hacker Kelly-Anne from her Scandinavian counterparts is the lack of a dragon tattoo.This is not a put-down, nor even a backhanded compliment; in a year when the CSAs will likely be swept by Blackberry (2023), a revision of The Social Network (2010) by a group of resourceful Toronto pranksters,...
- 5/31/2024
- MUBI
The 50th Annual Seattle International Film Festival (Siff) wrapped up on Sunday and announced the winners of the 2024 Golden Space Needle Audience and Juried Competition Awards.
The festival began on May 9 and screened 261 films representing 84 countries with “62% of the feature films were created by first or second-time filmmakers; 43% were created by women or nonbinary filmmakers; 35% of filmmakers identify as a Bipoc director; and nearly 60% are currently without U.S. distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States,” according to Siff.
Siff holds two categories of competition: juried and audience based. Juried competitions include five feature subcategories including the Official Competition, New American Cinema Competition, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition and Documentary Competition. Short film categories include live action, animation and documentary.
In addition, over 32,000 ballots were submitted for the Golden Space Needle Awards (Gsna). Films judged through the GSNAs are selected by audience members through post-screening ballots. The categories include best film,...
The festival began on May 9 and screened 261 films representing 84 countries with “62% of the feature films were created by first or second-time filmmakers; 43% were created by women or nonbinary filmmakers; 35% of filmmakers identify as a Bipoc director; and nearly 60% are currently without U.S. distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States,” according to Siff.
Siff holds two categories of competition: juried and audience based. Juried competitions include five feature subcategories including the Official Competition, New American Cinema Competition, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition and Documentary Competition. Short film categories include live action, animation and documentary.
In addition, over 32,000 ballots were submitted for the Golden Space Needle Awards (Gsna). Films judged through the GSNAs are selected by audience members through post-screening ballots. The categories include best film,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety Film + TV
The eleventh edition of Chattanooga Film Festival is unleashing another summer camp for cinephiles from June 21-28, 2024. While the fest already unveiled a massive first wave of programming for their 2024 event, the final wave of feature programming brings even more cinematic genre madness, including a rare look at Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III.
In addition to all the new premieres and upcoming horror titles to look forward to in this wave; look for special tributes that come with a rare workprint screening and more (pay attention Texas Chainsaw Massacre fans).
From the press release, “Joining the previously announced World Premiere Video Vision are three more features making their debut at the festival. A film marking the triumphant return of a filmmaker the festival’s fans know and love, and two more from filmmakers whose mind-altering visions are sure to end up on countless Best of 2024 lists.
First, there’s...
In addition to all the new premieres and upcoming horror titles to look forward to in this wave; look for special tributes that come with a rare workprint screening and more (pay attention Texas Chainsaw Massacre fans).
From the press release, “Joining the previously announced World Premiere Video Vision are three more features making their debut at the festival. A film marking the triumphant return of a filmmaker the festival’s fans know and love, and two more from filmmakers whose mind-altering visions are sure to end up on countless Best of 2024 lists.
First, there’s...
- 4/16/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Steve Buscemi’s “The Listener” is heading to the Sarasota Film Festival.
The 26th edition of the Florida fest will feature live and in-person screenings and events that will take place across Sarasota beginning on April 5. The 10-day fest will feature 23 narrative features, 41 documentary features and 81 short films.
Buscemi will be in Sarasota to participate in a Q&a following the screening of “The Listener,” which will serve as the closing night film. About a crisis hotline worker enduring the pressures of her job, the film starring Tessa Thompson made its world premiere at Venice Film Festival in 2022.
Lynn Dow’s “Bull Street,” starring Loretta Devine and Amy Madigan, will open the fest on April 5. The drama centers on a South Carolina small-town lawyer (Malynda Hale) as she faces local politics and an unwavering judge (Madigan) when her estranged father’s family tries to evict her and her grandmother (Devine) from her home.
The 26th edition of the Florida fest will feature live and in-person screenings and events that will take place across Sarasota beginning on April 5. The 10-day fest will feature 23 narrative features, 41 documentary features and 81 short films.
Buscemi will be in Sarasota to participate in a Q&a following the screening of “The Listener,” which will serve as the closing night film. About a crisis hotline worker enduring the pressures of her job, the film starring Tessa Thompson made its world premiere at Venice Film Festival in 2022.
Lynn Dow’s “Bull Street,” starring Loretta Devine and Amy Madigan, will open the fest on April 5. The drama centers on a South Carolina small-town lawyer (Malynda Hale) as she faces local politics and an unwavering judge (Madigan) when her estranged father’s family tries to evict her and her grandmother (Devine) from her home.
- 3/21/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The Canadian indigenous TV drama Little Bird has grabbed a field-leading 19 nominations heading into the Canadian Screen Awards.
The series, which airs on Crave in Canada and PBS stateside, follows Behzig Little Bird, who was stripped of her indigenous identity when adopted into a Jewish family at age 5. As an adult, she goes looking for her indigenous roots and discovers she was forcibly taken from her birth family on the Long Pine Reserve in Saskatchewan by the Canadian government as part of a controversial Sixties Scoop policy.
Little Bird will compete for best drama series. and Darla Contois and Ellyn Jade nabbed nominations for best lead performer in a drama. Little Bird also earned Imajyn Cardinal a nomination for best guest drama performance, and Braeden Clarke grabbed a mention for best supporting drama performance.
The final seasons of CBC comedies Sort Of and Workin’ Moms earned 18 and 12 nominations, respectively. Other...
The series, which airs on Crave in Canada and PBS stateside, follows Behzig Little Bird, who was stripped of her indigenous identity when adopted into a Jewish family at age 5. As an adult, she goes looking for her indigenous roots and discovers she was forcibly taken from her birth family on the Long Pine Reserve in Saskatchewan by the Canadian government as part of a controversial Sixties Scoop policy.
Little Bird will compete for best drama series. and Darla Contois and Ellyn Jade nabbed nominations for best lead performer in a drama. Little Bird also earned Imajyn Cardinal a nomination for best guest drama performance, and Braeden Clarke grabbed a mention for best supporting drama performance.
The final seasons of CBC comedies Sort Of and Workin’ Moms earned 18 and 12 nominations, respectively. Other...
- 3/6/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Montreal-based international sales company H264 has unveiled its lineup for this month’s European Film Market in Berlin, which includes François Delisle’s “Waiting for the Storms” and Léa Pool’s “Hotel Silence.” Variety has exclusive access to the first image from “Waiting for the Storms.”
“Waiting for the Storms” is described as “a fable about the climate crisis that transcends artistic boundaries to spark a dialogue between our past, present and future.” Delisle’s credits include “Chorus” and “Le Météore.”
“Across various timelines and locations, four characters weave a web of stories that explore human resilience in the face of environmental upheaval,” according to a statement.
The film follows four characters: Marie, who is gripped by obsessive, heart-wrenching questions as a young mother whose child faces a dead-end future, and channels her anxiety into passionate activism; Terence, a climate-change refugee, who tells strangers his story in the hopes of...
“Waiting for the Storms” is described as “a fable about the climate crisis that transcends artistic boundaries to spark a dialogue between our past, present and future.” Delisle’s credits include “Chorus” and “Le Météore.”
“Across various timelines and locations, four characters weave a web of stories that explore human resilience in the face of environmental upheaval,” according to a statement.
The film follows four characters: Marie, who is gripped by obsessive, heart-wrenching questions as a young mother whose child faces a dead-end future, and channels her anxiety into passionate activism; Terence, a climate-change refugee, who tells strangers his story in the hopes of...
- 2/5/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
For most of the runtime of Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms, we are unsure about what exactly Kelly-Anne, our protagonist, is up to, let alone the reason behind her activities. Yet, the film is incredibly engaging from the opening minute itself. In fact, the ambiguity about the central character, which is certainly a deliberate creative choice, works in the film’s favor. Even when Red Rooms ends, you are unsure about the true nature of Kelly-Anne, which ensures you will be spending so many hours on Reddit. I’m going to take a swing at simplifying things and, hopefully, helping you understand what’s really going on in Red Rooms.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Movie?
In the still of the night, Kelly-Anne wakes up in a back alley. After a walk in the streets of Montreal, she ends up at the courthouse, awaiting a murder trial to begin.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Movie?
In the still of the night, Kelly-Anne wakes up in a back alley. After a walk in the streets of Montreal, she ends up at the courthouse, awaiting a murder trial to begin.
- 1/24/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Anyone who knows me would say my taste runs ever so slightly counter to the popular opinion but up top I wanted to shout out some big titles that I appreciate but didn’t quite make my favorites list. Oftentimes it feels like the days of true-blue horror icons are behind us, but Gerard Johnstone and Akela Cooper’s M3GAN was a veritable hoot that gave us an instantly iconic tiny terror in tights who more than lived up to the memes and showed everyone that hasn’t quite come around yet on HBO’s Girls just how #mother Allison Williams is. Also, that Skatt Brothers “Walk the Night” needle drop took up residence in my head last January and has not left. Talk to Me was one of the more intense in-theater experiences I had this year, and though it lost something the more I sat with it, what...
- 1/5/2024
- by Rocco T. Thompson
- DailyDead
As the year comes to a close, we look back on all of the wonderful moments that cinema has provided. We’ve got a nice mix of films that took the box office by storm and lesser-seen gems that you really should take the time to check out yourself. From an angry pilgrim to something in the walls, all the way to rich people and the strange things they do for kicks, we’re covering them all because this is Our 10 Favorite Horror Films of 2023.
First off, it wouldn’t be an incredible year if I didn’t have a ton of honorable mentions. So I wanted to make sure to give a shoutout to Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls as one of the best horror comedies of the year, It Lives Inside for its Indian slant on a familiar tale, Talk to Me with its phenomenal cinematography,...
First off, it wouldn’t be an incredible year if I didn’t have a ton of honorable mentions. So I wanted to make sure to give a shoutout to Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls as one of the best horror comedies of the year, It Lives Inside for its Indian slant on a familiar tale, Talk to Me with its phenomenal cinematography,...
- 12/28/2023
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
Stéphane Lafleur‘s masterwork Viking (a 2022 Toronto Intl. Film Festival selection) cleaned up in multiple categories including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Male Lead. The recently relaunched award ceremony known as Les Iris took place on Sunday. Best First Feature went to Charlotte Le Bon’s Falcon Lake, while Pascal Plante’s Les chambres rouges landed two acting prizes for its starlets. Here are all the winners (category listing in french):
Meilleur Film
Viking | micro_scope — Luc Déry, Kim McCraw Réalisation — Stéphane Lafleur
Scénario — Stéphane Lafleur, Eric K. Boulianne
Meilleur Premier Film Falcon Lake | Charlotte Le Bon
Meilleure RÉALISATION Stéphane Lafleur | Viking
Meilleur SCÉNARIO: Stéphane Lafleur, Eric K.…...
Meilleur Film
Viking | micro_scope — Luc Déry, Kim McCraw Réalisation — Stéphane Lafleur
Scénario — Stéphane Lafleur, Eric K. Boulianne
Meilleur Premier Film Falcon Lake | Charlotte Le Bon
Meilleure RÉALISATION Stéphane Lafleur | Viking
Meilleur SCÉNARIO: Stéphane Lafleur, Eric K.…...
- 12/12/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Montreal-based h264 reports sales in more than 25 territories on Pascal Plante’s Fantasia best film winner.
Pascal Plante’s Fantasia best film winner and recent BFI London Film Festival and Busan selection Red Rooms has continued to attract buyers, with Montreal-based h264 reporting more than 25 territory sales including to the UK, and Eastern Europe.
Vertigo Releasing has acquired the cyber thriller for the UK, HBO will distribute in Eastern Europe, and Rwv Studio will release in Cis and the Baltics.
As previously announced, Utopia holds US rights, La Aventura will distribute in Spain, Hooray Films in Taiwan, and Njuta in Scandinavia except Norway,...
Pascal Plante’s Fantasia best film winner and recent BFI London Film Festival and Busan selection Red Rooms has continued to attract buyers, with Montreal-based h264 reporting more than 25 territory sales including to the UK, and Eastern Europe.
Vertigo Releasing has acquired the cyber thriller for the UK, HBO will distribute in Eastern Europe, and Rwv Studio will release in Cis and the Baltics.
As previously announced, Utopia holds US rights, La Aventura will distribute in Spain, Hooray Films in Taiwan, and Njuta in Scandinavia except Norway,...
- 10/23/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Off the top of my head I do not recall writing about the Abertoir Horror Festival until today. Funny how things slip by you and suddenly you're writing about a festival's 18th anniversary. Raging Grace, Red Rooms and Tiger Stripes were all part of the first wave of titles announced back in September. The excellent Monolith was also in that first batch. The next batch of titles included Jake West's documentary Mancunian Man: The Legendary Life of Cliff Twemlow. Most recently, the festival announced that Gary Sherman, friend to many a filmmaker and a constant presence on the festival circuit, will be at the festival to present his film Vice Squad, as well as announced a new project with author Jeremy Dyson. Abertoir Horror...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/13/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Talk about ending with a flourish.
Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” a critically acclaimed look at the dramatic life and career of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, will close the 2023 edition of the Hamptons International Festival. “Maestro,” which co-stars Carey Mulligan, will screen on Oct. 12. It is set to be released by Netflix on Dec. 20.
“’Maestro’ is a beautifully crafted, raw and heartfelt film. We look forward to sharing this glimpse into the love story between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein,” said HamptonsFilm Executive Director Anne Chaisson.
The annual celebration of movies also announced its full lineup of programming, which includes additional signature programming including “A Conversation with…” Series with Paul Simon, who will be on hand to talk up a new, sprawling look at his six decades of making cultural-defining hits. Simon, a rock icon who has written everything from “The Sound of Silence” to “Graceland,” is attending...
Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” a critically acclaimed look at the dramatic life and career of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, will close the 2023 edition of the Hamptons International Festival. “Maestro,” which co-stars Carey Mulligan, will screen on Oct. 12. It is set to be released by Netflix on Dec. 20.
“’Maestro’ is a beautifully crafted, raw and heartfelt film. We look forward to sharing this glimpse into the love story between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein,” said HamptonsFilm Executive Director Anne Chaisson.
The annual celebration of movies also announced its full lineup of programming, which includes additional signature programming including “A Conversation with…” Series with Paul Simon, who will be on hand to talk up a new, sprawling look at his six decades of making cultural-defining hits. Simon, a rock icon who has written everything from “The Sound of Silence” to “Graceland,” is attending...
- 9/14/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival announced an impressive full slate of programming for its 2023 edition, running October 12-19 with all screenings held at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations.
From the press release:
Audiences are in for an unearthly lineup of films and events, including the inaugural Leviathan Award, which will be presented to NYC horror legend William Lustig at a special 35th anniversary screening of Maniac Cop, followed by a post-screening conversation with Lustig.
The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Kier Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s...
From the press release:
Audiences are in for an unearthly lineup of films and events, including the inaugural Leviathan Award, which will be presented to NYC horror legend William Lustig at a special 35th anniversary screening of Maniac Cop, followed by a post-screening conversation with Lustig.
The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Kier Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s...
- 9/13/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Bhff) announces today the full program for its 2023 incarnation, running October 12-19th with all screenings held at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations. Audiences are in for an unearthly lineup of films and events, including the inaugural Leviathan Award, which will be presented to NYC horror legend William Lustig at a special 35th-anniversary screening of Maniac Cop, followed by a post-screening conversation with Lustig.
The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Keir Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s other spotlight titles include director...
The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Keir Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s other spotlight titles include director...
- 9/13/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Bhff) announces today the full program for its 2023 incarnation, running October 12-19.
“The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Keir Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s other spotlight titles include director Pascal Plante’s recently announced Utopia Distribution title Red Rooms as the festival’s Centerpiece Film, and Jenn Wexler’s ’70s supernatural Christmas horror The Sacrifice Game as the Closing Night Film.”
Find out more here!
In exciting Lego Star Wars news, the group unveiled one of the largest sets ever made, an Ultimate Collectors...
“The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Keir Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s other spotlight titles include director Pascal Plante’s recently announced Utopia Distribution title Red Rooms as the festival’s Centerpiece Film, and Jenn Wexler’s ’70s supernatural Christmas horror The Sacrifice Game as the Closing Night Film.”
Find out more here!
In exciting Lego Star Wars news, the group unveiled one of the largest sets ever made, an Ultimate Collectors...
- 9/12/2023
- by Lee Parham
- Den of Geek
Film is repped by Montreal-based H264.
Utopia has acquired US rights to Pascal Plante’s cyber thriller Red Rooms, which has also been picked up by distributor La Aventura in Spain.
Red Rooms world premiered in Karlovy Vary’s Crystal Globe competition in July and then had its North American premiere as the opening film of the Fantasia International Film Festival where it won five awards including best feature.
The film follows a tech-savvy overachiever who becomes obsessed with the high-profile trial of a serial killer.
Red Rooms is repped by Montreal-based movie distributor and aggregator H264 which launched a new sales division in June.
Utopia has acquired US rights to Pascal Plante’s cyber thriller Red Rooms, which has also been picked up by distributor La Aventura in Spain.
Red Rooms world premiered in Karlovy Vary’s Crystal Globe competition in July and then had its North American premiere as the opening film of the Fantasia International Film Festival where it won five awards including best feature.
The film follows a tech-savvy overachiever who becomes obsessed with the high-profile trial of a serial killer.
Red Rooms is repped by Montreal-based movie distributor and aggregator H264 which launched a new sales division in June.
- 9/4/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Quebec festival wrapped on August 9.
Talk To Me, the horror hit from Danny and Michael Philippou which has grossed more than $31m in North America and close to $50m worldwide, has been named best international feature in the 2023 Fantasia audience awards.
In other key awards Lee Sang-yong’s South Korean title The Roundup: No Way Out was named best Asian feature, while Shigeyoshi Tsukahara’s Japanese entry Kurayukaba earned best animated feature, and
Satan Wants You from Steve J. Adams and Sean Horlor took the inaugural Dgc Audience Award for Best Canadian Film (narrative or documentary).
The full list of audience award winners appears below.
Talk To Me, the horror hit from Danny and Michael Philippou which has grossed more than $31m in North America and close to $50m worldwide, has been named best international feature in the 2023 Fantasia audience awards.
In other key awards Lee Sang-yong’s South Korean title The Roundup: No Way Out was named best Asian feature, while Shigeyoshi Tsukahara’s Japanese entry Kurayukaba earned best animated feature, and
Satan Wants You from Steve J. Adams and Sean Horlor took the inaugural Dgc Audience Award for Best Canadian Film (narrative or documentary).
The full list of audience award winners appears below.
- 8/14/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
A couple weeks ago, the Fantasia International Film Festival announced the films that won jury prizes at the 27th edition of the show, which recently came to a close. Yesterday, our own Tyler Nichols shared his list of favorite films from this year’s Fantasia festival. Now Fantasia has unveiled the list of audience award winners, with wins going to films like Talk to Me, The Roundup: No Way Out, Kurayukaba, and Satan Wants You, among others. The full list can be seen below:
Best International Feature
Gold: Talk To Me
Silver: Late Night With The Devil
Bronze: Hundreds Of Beavers
Best Asian Feature
Gold: The Roundup: No Way Out
Silver: River
Bronze: Phantom (South Korea d. Lee Hae-young)
Best Animated Feature
Gold: Kurayukaba
Silver: The Concierge
Bronze: The First Slam Dunk
The Dgc Audience Award for Best Canadian Film (Narrative or Documentary)
Satan Wants You – This year’s...
Best International Feature
Gold: Talk To Me
Silver: Late Night With The Devil
Bronze: Hundreds Of Beavers
Best Asian Feature
Gold: The Roundup: No Way Out
Silver: River
Bronze: Phantom (South Korea d. Lee Hae-young)
Best Animated Feature
Gold: Kurayukaba
Silver: The Concierge
Bronze: The First Slam Dunk
The Dgc Audience Award for Best Canadian Film (Narrative or Documentary)
Satan Wants You – This year’s...
- 8/14/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The 2023 edition of Fantasia has come to an end and let me tell you: this year was a good one. From personal looks at the dark web to Indian demons, there are plenty of interesting stories to latch onto. I attended virtually and had a wonderful time with the festival, getting to see a bevy of new favorites. I should state upfront that there were several heavy-hitters from the festival that I was unfortunately unable to see due to unforeseen circumstances. So if it’s not here, that’s probably why. Now let’s take a look at some of the best that the festival had to offer.
Aporia (dir: Jared Moshe)
The concept of being able to shoot a gun into the past, therefore changing the future, is already enough to have most people’s attention. But add wonderful performances from Judy Greer and Edi Gathegi and you’ve...
Aporia (dir: Jared Moshe)
The concept of being able to shoot a gun into the past, therefore changing the future, is already enough to have most people’s attention. But add wonderful performances from Judy Greer and Edi Gathegi and you’ve...
- 8/13/2023
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
British thriller Femme was also on the prize list.
The Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal has revealed the winners of its jury awards, with Canadian cyber thriller Red Rooms (Les Chambres Rouges) named best feature in the event’s Cheval Noir competition section.
Red Rooms also won the best screenplay prize for Quebec writer-director Pascal Plante, the best score award for Dominique Plante and one of the two outstanding performance awards for Juliette Gariépy.
The Cheval Noir best director award went to Sam H Freeman and Ng Choon Ping for their UK thriller Femme, whose Nathan Stewart-Jarrett won the other outstanding performance award.
The Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal has revealed the winners of its jury awards, with Canadian cyber thriller Red Rooms (Les Chambres Rouges) named best feature in the event’s Cheval Noir competition section.
Red Rooms also won the best screenplay prize for Quebec writer-director Pascal Plante, the best score award for Dominique Plante and one of the two outstanding performance awards for Juliette Gariépy.
The Cheval Noir best director award went to Sam H Freeman and Ng Choon Ping for their UK thriller Femme, whose Nathan Stewart-Jarrett won the other outstanding performance award.
- 7/31/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms (Les Chambres Rouges), a French-language thriller about a woman’s obsession with a high-profile serial killer case, took top honors as the Fantasia Film Festival handed out its juried Cheval Noir competition prizes this weekend.
After opening Fantasia’s 27th edition, the Canadian psychological drama earned Cheval Noirs for best feature, best screenplay for Pascal Plante and best score for Dominique Plante. Red Rooms also earned lead Juliette Gariépy an outstanding performance award.
Red Rooms had an international premiere at Fantasia after debuting at Karlovy Vary as part of the Crystal Global competition. The Fantasia jury at North America’s largest genre film festival, led by David Hewlett, also gave its best director prize to Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping for Femme, while the trophy for best cinematography went to Zelda Adams and John Adams for their work on Where the Devil Roams.
After opening Fantasia’s 27th edition, the Canadian psychological drama earned Cheval Noirs for best feature, best screenplay for Pascal Plante and best score for Dominique Plante. Red Rooms also earned lead Juliette Gariépy an outstanding performance award.
Red Rooms had an international premiere at Fantasia after debuting at Karlovy Vary as part of the Crystal Global competition. The Fantasia jury at North America’s largest genre film festival, led by David Hewlett, also gave its best director prize to Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping for Femme, while the trophy for best cinematography went to Zelda Adams and John Adams for their work on Where the Devil Roams.
- 7/30/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nicolas Cage will be the featured guest at Quebec’s Fantasia International Film Festival, where he will receive the festival’s Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award.
On the night, Cage will also present his latest pic, Sympathy for the Devil. Written by Luke Paradise, the pic follows “The Driver” (Joel Kinnaman), who finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse after being forced to drive a mysterious man, “The Passenger” (Cage). As their white-knuckle ride progresses, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems.
Deadline previously shared an exclusive first look at the pic here.
Announcing Cage’s honor, the festival said the actor was a “remarkable performer responsible for bringing life to some of the most fascinating people to grace the big screen in some of the most extraordinary films ever made.”
Cage’s career spans four decades and features projects of various scales and...
On the night, Cage will also present his latest pic, Sympathy for the Devil. Written by Luke Paradise, the pic follows “The Driver” (Joel Kinnaman), who finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse after being forced to drive a mysterious man, “The Passenger” (Cage). As their white-knuckle ride progresses, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems.
Deadline previously shared an exclusive first look at the pic here.
Announcing Cage’s honor, the festival said the actor was a “remarkable performer responsible for bringing life to some of the most fascinating people to grace the big screen in some of the most extraordinary films ever made.”
Cage’s career spans four decades and features projects of various scales and...
- 7/6/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
A central character in Pascal Plante’s disturbing thriller is a mousy-looking man, the sort of anonymous figure you wouldn’t give a second look, on trial for the brutal murders of three teenage girls, which he broadcast live on the dark web. And he’s not even the scariest person onscreen in Red Rooms (Les Chambres rouges).
That would be Kelly-Anne, played to chillingly icy perfection by Juliette Gariépy. For reasons never explained in the film — showcased at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival — successful fashion model Kelly-Anne has become obsessed with Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, personifying the banality of evil), whose case is being heard in a Montreal courtroom.
Although the killer is masked in two of the snuff videos (the third has gone unfound), there’s a preponderance of evidence against Chevalier, who sits alone in a booth like a modern-day Adolf Eichmann. He’s all the...
That would be Kelly-Anne, played to chillingly icy perfection by Juliette Gariépy. For reasons never explained in the film — showcased at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival — successful fashion model Kelly-Anne has become obsessed with Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, personifying the banality of evil), whose case is being heard in a Montreal courtroom.
Although the killer is masked in two of the snuff videos (the third has gone unfound), there’s a preponderance of evidence against Chevalier, who sits alone in a booth like a modern-day Adolf Eichmann. He’s all the...
- 7/5/2023
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival opened Friday with a spirited musical performance from Russell Crowe, and the energy remained high Saturday evening with actor Ewan McGregor in town to receive the fest’s honorary President’s Award.
McGregor accepted the honor during an overflowing ceremony in the festival’s Grand Hall, where he was joined by his daughter Clara McGregor; his mother; and partner Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
“Thank you so much for being here tonight. It means the world to me,” he said as he picked up the award. “I believe so much in what we do as actors. I’m so fortunate to do what I love and I love what I do.”
The crowd inside the room was lively. Czech audiences are notoriously welcoming to the stars they receive here in Karlovy Vary and McGregor played to the crowd.
“I was gonna say something in Czech...
McGregor accepted the honor during an overflowing ceremony in the festival’s Grand Hall, where he was joined by his daughter Clara McGregor; his mother; and partner Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
“Thank you so much for being here tonight. It means the world to me,” he said as he picked up the award. “I believe so much in what we do as actors. I’m so fortunate to do what I love and I love what I do.”
The crowd inside the room was lively. Czech audiences are notoriously welcoming to the stars they receive here in Karlovy Vary and McGregor played to the crowd.
“I was gonna say something in Czech...
- 7/1/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
As tensions rise in Hollywood over an imminent update on SAG-AFTRA’s negotiations with the studios, thousands of miles east, the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary is gearing up for its annual influx of industry insiders, curious film fans, and stars.
Clocking its 57th annual edition, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff) opens this evening. The prominent Central European event is one of the world’s oldest film festivals. It was founded in July 1946, a month before Locarno launched its first festival and a few months before the Cannes Film Festival unveiled its first edition in September of that same year.
This year’s edition opens with the Cannes Competition title Firebrand, starring Jude Law and Alicia Vikander. The pic is the fictionalized story of Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of the tyrannical English King Henry VIII. Vikander plays Parr in the piece alongside an unrecognizable Jude Law,...
Clocking its 57th annual edition, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff) opens this evening. The prominent Central European event is one of the world’s oldest film festivals. It was founded in July 1946, a month before Locarno launched its first festival and a few months before the Cannes Film Festival unveiled its first edition in September of that same year.
This year’s edition opens with the Cannes Competition title Firebrand, starring Jude Law and Alicia Vikander. The pic is the fictionalized story of Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of the tyrannical English King Henry VIII. Vikander plays Parr in the piece alongside an unrecognizable Jude Law,...
- 6/30/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The 27th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is set to commence from July 20 through August 9, 2023, taking place at the Concordia Hall Cinema, with additional screens at the Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée.
The festival’s second wave of programming is here, bringing with it announcements of the opening film, serial killer thriller Red Rooms, the Canadian premiere of Talk to Me, and a slew of new world premieres and festival screenings.
The festival’s complete lineup will be announced in early July. In the meantime, Fantasia reveals a selected second wave of titles and happenings. From the press release:
Red Rooms
Coming to christen Fantasia’s 27th edition days after its Karlovy-Vary competition debut, Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges) is the haunting third feature from celebrated Quebec filmmaker Pascal Plante. The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed.
The festival’s second wave of programming is here, bringing with it announcements of the opening film, serial killer thriller Red Rooms, the Canadian premiere of Talk to Me, and a slew of new world premieres and festival screenings.
The festival’s complete lineup will be announced in early July. In the meantime, Fantasia reveals a selected second wave of titles and happenings. From the press release:
Red Rooms
Coming to christen Fantasia’s 27th edition days after its Karlovy-Vary competition debut, Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges) is the haunting third feature from celebrated Quebec filmmaker Pascal Plante. The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed.
- 6/8/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The 27th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is set to run from from July 20th through August 9th at the Concordia Hall Cinema in Montreal, with additional screens at the Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée. Last month, they announced the first wave of titles that will be screening this year, and now the second wave of titles has been unveiled!
With this second wave announcement, we learn that the film chosen to open this edition of Fantasia is Pascal Plante’s serial killer thriller Red Rooms. Also in the line-up are the Nicolas Cage / Joel Kinnaman thriller Sympathy for the Devil, the Australian horror film Talk to Me, the Ukrainian screenlife thriller Stay Online (which was shot against the backdrop of the real Russian invasion), the anime Kurayukaba, the body-swapping alien tale The Becomers, the AI horror film Romi, Joe Lynch’s H.P. Lovecraft adaptation Suitable Flesh,...
With this second wave announcement, we learn that the film chosen to open this edition of Fantasia is Pascal Plante’s serial killer thriller Red Rooms. Also in the line-up are the Nicolas Cage / Joel Kinnaman thriller Sympathy for the Devil, the Australian horror film Talk to Me, the Ukrainian screenlife thriller Stay Online (which was shot against the backdrop of the real Russian invasion), the anime Kurayukaba, the body-swapping alien tale The Becomers, the AI horror film Romi, Joe Lynch’s H.P. Lovecraft adaptation Suitable Flesh,...
- 6/8/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Quebec’s Fantasia International Film Festival will open its 27th edition with the North American premiere of Pascal Plante’s latest pic Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges).
Plante will bring the pic to his native Quebec following a Competition bow at Karlovy Vary in June. The film, Plante’s third, follows the high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier, which has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the case’s puzzle.
The Nicolas Cage-starrer Sympathy for the Devil will have its international premiere at Fantasia. Written by Luke Paradise, the pic follows “The Driver” (Joel Kinnaman), who finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse after being forced to drive a mysterious man, “The Passenger” (Cage). As their white-knuckle ride progresses, it becomes clear that...
Plante will bring the pic to his native Quebec following a Competition bow at Karlovy Vary in June. The film, Plante’s third, follows the high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier, which has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the case’s puzzle.
The Nicolas Cage-starrer Sympathy for the Devil will have its international premiere at Fantasia. Written by Luke Paradise, the pic follows “The Driver” (Joel Kinnaman), who finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse after being forced to drive a mysterious man, “The Passenger” (Cage). As their white-knuckle ride progresses, it becomes clear that...
- 6/8/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival, Eastern and Central Europe’s leading cinema event, has unveiled its lineup, which includes new works by Pascal Plante, Stephan Komandarev, Tinatin Kajrishvili and Babak Jalali in the Crystal Globes Competition. They will vie against films by up-and-comers Ernst De Geer, Itsaso Arana and Cyril Aris. The section has nine world and two international premieres. Oscar-nominated actor Patricia Clarkson is one of the jury members.
The Proxima Competition, which made its debut at last year’s Kviff, presents what the festival defines as “bold works,” directed by young filmmakers and renowned auteurs alike. The section comprises of 10 world and two international premieres. The festival says “playfulness, courage and freshness can be found” in the new films by Swiss auteur Thomas Imbach, Poland’s Olga Chajdas, Cyprus-born Kyros Papavassiliou, French filmmaker Émilie Brisavoine and Romanian documentarist Alexandru Solomon, among others.
Eight films will play in the Special Screenings section,...
The Proxima Competition, which made its debut at last year’s Kviff, presents what the festival defines as “bold works,” directed by young filmmakers and renowned auteurs alike. The section comprises of 10 world and two international premieres. The festival says “playfulness, courage and freshness can be found” in the new films by Swiss auteur Thomas Imbach, Poland’s Olga Chajdas, Cyprus-born Kyros Papavassiliou, French filmmaker Émilie Brisavoine and Romanian documentarist Alexandru Solomon, among others.
Eight films will play in the Special Screenings section,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
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