The Fantasia International Film Festival returns to the Concordia Hall, J.A. de Sève cinemas, Montréal's Cinéma du Musée, and BBAM! Gallery for its 29th edition. This year's event, which runs from 16 July to 3 August, boasts more than 125 feature films and 200 shorts to be explored, covering everything from investigative documentaries to skin-crawling horror films, laugh-out-loud comedies, devastating dramas, and thought-provoking experimental flicks.
With hundreds of films to choose from, including a wealth of world premieres, returning festival favourites, and retrospective screenings – not to mention special events, exhibitions, and artist talks – it's tricky to get your festival schedule firmed up. But never fear, here at FILMHOUNDS, we have rounded up seven of our top picks we're excited to see at this year's event.
Mother Of Flies
The Adams Family—made up of John Adams, Zelda Adams, Lulu Adams, and Toby Poser—return to Fantasia for a third world premiere after treating audiences to first looks for The Deeper You Dig, Hellbender, and Where The Devil Roams. Their latest film, Mother Of Flies, blends everything from witchcraft to surviving cancer, told through the Adams' signature compelling storytelling and world-building—sign us up. The latest film follows Mickey (Zelda), who turns to necromancy after being diagnosed with cancer. Her father, Jake (John), is skeptical that the necromancy will succeed where modern medicine hasn't, but supports his daughter's decision nonetheless. They travel to the woods and meet a witch who resides there, Solveig (Toby), who guides them through their journey. Her magic is free to use, but it does not come without costs, as Mickey and Jake soon discover.
Mother Of Flies has its world premiere on 24 July.
Good Boy
Good Boy made waves following its premiere at this year's SXSW, so naturally, we're excited to become acquainted with man's best friend during its time at Fantasia. Not to be confused with Viljar Bøe's cripplingly tense thriller of the same name, Ben Leonberg's Good Boy is a classic haunted house tale told entirely through the eyes of a dog, Indy. The loyal canine is owned by Todd (Shane Jensen) who uproots the two to his grandfather's (Larry Fessenden) remote home after he becomes ill. Todd's sister (Arielle Friedman) believes the house is haunted, which Indy and Todd soon begin to suspect is true as increasingly sinister phenomena happens around the house.
Good Boy screens on 19 July.
Angel's Egg
Forty years after the original video animation (OVA) was released direct-to-video, the surreally beautiful anime Angel's Egg is getting the big-screen treatment it deserves at Fantasia. Created by Mamoru Oshii, best known for his work on Ghost In The Shell, blended abstract imagery with gothic themes in this distinctive, bold feature that has been difficult to come by for quite some time. The film follows two unnamed protagonists navigating a barren landscape while protecting a large white egg, with one believing it is an angel waiting to be born.
Angel's Egg screens on 2 August.
New Group
After his stunning work co-writing Best Wishes To All, Yûta Shimotsu's follow-up film, New Group, has its North American premiere at this year's festival. Organisers say his latest work offers ‘a frightening vision of the ever more frequent sectarian and ideological aberrations in our increasingly radicalized world', which has more than piqued our interest given the creeping terror of his last film. New Group follows Ai (Anna Yamada), a student at an extremely strict high school struggling to express her emotions. One day, a fellow student walks to the middle of the school's football field and refuses to move, with other youngsters slowly joining him to create a motionless, silent, human pyramid.
New Group has its North American premiere on 25 July.
The Serpent's Skin
Director Alice Maio Mackay has achieved more in her young life than many creatives dream of, releasing smash hit horror films such as T Blockers, Carnage For Christmas, Bad Girl Boogey, and Satranic Panic. Her sixth film, The Serpent's Skin, will screen twice at this year's Fantasia, boasting an all-star cast including Vice Princupals' Alexandra McVicker, Neighbours' Charlotte Chimes, Heartbreak High's Scott Major, Suitable Flesh's Joe Lynch, and many more. The supernatural romance flick follows Anna (McVicker), who escapes the transphobic town she grew up in and pursues a relationship with tattoo artist Gen (Avalon Fast). After accidentally unleashing a demon that begins feeding on their friends, the pair must dig deep and face their insecurities in a bid to defeat it.
The Serpent's Skin screens on 23 and 25 July.
Redux Redux
Kevin and Matthew McManus have joined forces again for the tense sci-fi thriller Redux Redux after wowing audiences with Funeral Kings and The Block Island Sound, not to mention producing American Vandal and Cobra Kai. Irene Kelly (Michaela McManus) will stop at nothing to avenge her daughter's murder, even journeying through parallel dimensions to track down her killer. This pursuit of revenge is the only thing keeping Irene going and giving her life purpose, until one fateful day changes it all.
Redux Redux has its Canadian premiere on 22 July and also screens on 24 July.
Eddington
Ari Aster has cemented himself as the big-screen king of anxiety thanks to his skin-crawling genre hits Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau Is Afraid. Now he's aiming to make it four for four with his latest film, Eddington, set to open this year's festival. Set in 2020, small-town sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) are pitted against each other in an increasingly volatile race while both running to become mayor. It divided audiences following its Cannes premiere, mostly thanks to its variety of themes centering around everything from the COVID-19 pandemic to Black Lives Matter, and we're keen to see how it plays out during its Canadian premiere.
Fantasia International Film Festival's 29th edition opens with the Canadian premiere of Eddington on 16 July.
Fantasia International Film Festival 2025 runs from 16 July to 3 August.
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