Destination: FanTasia

 

Do you like films about kung-fu, mutants, gangsters, aliens, magic, vigilantes, ghosts, maniacs, the undead, rock ‘n’ roll, and all manner of monsters? How about films featuring kung-fu mutants or undead vigilantes? If you’re like me and this kind of cinema gets you stoked, you need to get yourself to the annual FanTasia film festival in Montreal. Every July, for three weeks, the fest hosts well over a 100 features, dozens of world or North American premieres, shorts programs, free outdoor screenings, lectures, filmmakers from all over the world and other guests of honour. Every year I look forward to going to FanTasia, and every year I’m frustrated that I can only stay for a small portion of it, usually a long weekend.

This summer, however, I’m vacationing in Montreal, so I’m around for ten glorious days of the festival, which means even more of the cinematic mayhem that draws filmmakers, programmers, media and fans from all over the world.

Among the highlights for 2010: a program called Subversive Serbia, which features some very confrontational and controversial genre films from that country, some of which have never been seen outside of Europe before now; A screening of Jean Cocteau’s Blood of a Poet with musical accompaniment from Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees; a 25th anniversary screening of Re-Animator, with director Stuart Gordon, writer Dennis Paoli and star Jeffery Combs in attendance; a performance of Comb’s one-man play, Nevermore: An Evening With Edgar Allen Poe (directed by Stuart); and the Eastern premiere of the recently rediscovered and restored (25-minute longer) director’s cut of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Weird, diverse and unparalleled in terms of cinephile geek-outs.

But, it’s more than that. The reason FanTasia – now in its fourteenth year – thrives, is not only because it features a killer line-up of films and events, takes places in a city that boisterously supports the arts (seriously, you can sell out multiple midnight screenings in huge theatres on week nights!) and has a diverse roster of guests, but also because of its approach to the overall festival experience.

Many film fests are all about private parties, velvet ropes, tightly controlled press conferences, paparazzi and other things designed to separate artists, industry types, press and fans. Sure, FanTasia isn’t attracting the likes of Brad Pitt (although it did host a surprise sneak peek of Inglourious Basterds last year, with Eli Roth hosting), but it’s not unusual to have a beer on a patio with the filmmaker whose movie you just watched. Or to chat with major directors and stars from other countries. Or to even get your own movie projected kick-started because you’ve met the right like-minded person. There’s a very relaxed, accessible and international atmosphere to FanTasia that makes it the ideal festival experience for the newcomer and the jaded veteran festivalgoer alike.

Add Montreal's historical sights, the amazing food and other festivals running concurrently with FanTasia (such as Just for Laughs) and it’s a perfect genre cinephile vacation getaway, as long as you don’t mind a little heat and humidity. (I recommend one of the several hotels with A/C and a pool that are within walking distance from the festival – plus there are FanTasia rates, see here.)

I’ll give a sampling of some of the insane films I’ve watched in my next post. In the meantime, remember: Montreal and movies go together like butter and popcorn, or, for the locals, like French fries and cheese curds.