Montreal’s Fantasia Film Fest releases virtual lineup including plague horror by popular director

A genre film probably won’t win any Oscars, but it almost certainly will win your heart. The Fantasia Festival in Montreal is a one-of-a-kind event that showcases some of the year’s most entertaining features. Unfortunately- or fortunately if you’re abroad – due to the coronavirus, the Hollywood approved cine-bash has been relocated to the world wide web. BUT the newly released lineup is as impressive as ever. We love to see it.

Just to give you an idea of how exciting this festival actually is, guests have included Robert Pattinson, Guillermo del Toro, and Mark Hamill among others, and has premiered well-reviewed movies like The Descent and Ready or Not. 

The Reckoning, a thriller directed by Neil Marshall will kick off the festival on Thursday, August 20th. You may not know Marshall by his name, but you probably have seen one or all of his popular films. His other projects include The Descent (2005), and Hellboy (2019). As well as several episodes of some iconic shows like Game of Thrones, West World, and Hannibal. 

His most recent film and one of the most highly anticipated releases of the festival takes place in England, during the Great Plague and witchhunts of 1665. Spooky… and also relevant. Has anyone else been strangely comforted by virus films lately?

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#Shakespeareshitstorm, a modern and no doubt bizarre adaption of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest is another film that will premiere worldwide via the festival. Honestly, we’re intrigued. Director Lloyd Kaufman is known for unconventional, so bad they’re good films, and we might be able to get behind this one.

The Fantasia Festival will also premiere two films written by actress Brea Grant (Dexter, and Eastsiders), 12 Hour Shift, and Lucky. The festival will also show various Japanese films like Labyrinth Of Cinema and Special Actors in addition to a ton more.

Anyone in Canada with a reliable wifi connection and a bowl of popcorn will be able to attend virtually this year, so mark it in your calendars. For a full list of films being shown this year you can check out the official Fantasia Festival website here, or their social media here. 

Man, have we missed movie premiers, so, so much. Consider us there, and square, Canada. We need this!

THE FANTASIA VIRTUAL FILM FESTIVAL 2020 

When: Thursday, August 20th – September 2nd
Where: Online here