Fantasia 2024: Short Film Lineup

Fantasia continues to dazzle with its unbelievable 2024 lineup, which includes a stunning array of shorts from around the world.

After recently announcing its massive third wave of films, Fantasia’s 28th edition is getting significant attention—rightfully so.

One of the biggest announcements in the latest update was the festival’s decision to honor filmmaker Mike Flanagan with this year’s Cheval Noir career award. The award has previously gone to genre icons such as John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, and Nicolas Cage.

Flanagan will attend the festival to accept his award, participate in an artist talk, and promote the previously announced World Premiere of Chris Stuckman’s hotly anticipated SHELBY OAKS, which Flanagan produced.

While that news and the festival’s insanely stacked lineup of must-see feature films and ten repertory titles (many of which are World Premiere restorations) are tremendously exciting, we want to take a minute to spotlight the festival’s extraordinary short film program.

We know short films don’t often get the same fanfare and appreciation as feature films, and we think that’s a shame. Shorts happen to be one of our favorite parts of any festival. If you skip the shorts, you are missing out on some of the most creative, memorable, and emotionally impactful content and the chance to see the genre’s most visionary and celebrated talent at the forefront of their careers.

Let’s take a look at this year’s short film showcases and the breakdown of shorts that will be screening before features.

ANIME NO BENTO 2024

This showcase spotlights wildly varied and innovative short works by Japanese animators—some well-established, others taking their first steps forward—demonstrating anime’s incredible possibilities.

First Line (Japan, dir. Tina, International Premiere)
Kamigoroshi: Prologue (Japan, dir. Niho Tomoyuki, World Premiere)
Maidens of the Ripples (Japan, dir. Michiko Soma, North American Premiere)
Mecha-Ude Episode 1 (Japan, dir. Sae Okamoto, World Premiere)
Okuninushi and Sukunabikona (Japan, dir. Akitoshi Yokoyama, International Premiere)
String Dance (Japan, dir. Shuhei Morita, International Premiere)
The True Shape of a Daisy (Japan, dir. Naoki Arata, World Premiere)

ARE YOU AFRAID OF FANTASIA? 2024

Like the popular Canadian television series Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1992-1996), this program is an international collection of horrific short films, many with comedic bite and some that are dead serious.

Amygdala (Sweden, dir. Oskar Johansson, Canadian Premiere)
Coléoptère (France, dir. Martin Gouzou, Canadian Premiere)
Dark Signals (USA, dir. Izzy Lee, Canadian Premiere)
Hold Up (USA, dir. Ori Guendelman, World Premiere)
Howl at the Dead (USA, dir. Gregg Bishop, Canadian Premiere)
Monster Party (Canada, dir. Amara Burnett, World Premiere)
Ouch! (USA, dir. Zach Kornfeld, International Premiere)
Roger is a Serial Killer (USA, dir. Don Swaynos, International Premiere)
Save Me (China, dir. Liu Di, International Premiere)
Tinkerhell (USA, Noah Sterling, World Premiere)

BORN OF WOMAN 2024

Fantasia’s top-shelf showcase of personal auteur genre visions returns with eight works from five countries that will leave you shaken and amazed.

Berta (Spain, dir. Lucía Forner Segarra, World Premiere)
The Bleacher (USA, dir. Nicole Daddona, Adam Wilder, Canadian Premiere)
Dead Tooth (France, dir. Romane Eilahtan, World Premiere)
I’m Not a Robot (Netherlands, dir. Victoria Warmerdam, Canadian Premiere)
Izzy (Netherlands, dir. Yfke Van Berckelaer, North American Premiere)
Mosquito Lady (USA, dir. Kristine Gerolaga, Canadian Premiere)
Olga’s Eyes (Belgium, dir. Sarah Carlot Jaber, Canadian Premiere)
Wildflower (USA, dir. Wan Xin Tang, World Premiere)

THE CABARET OF CURIOSITIES 2024 – INTERNATIONAL EDITION

The return of the festival’s theatrical cabaret-styled night combines screenings of local and international shorts with comedy, cabaret acts, and live performances.

Banana Split (Canada, dir. François Mercier, Montreal Premiere)
Mousse crust (Canada, dir. Badminton Plus)
Documentage épisode 10 (Canada, dir. FRed Lavigne, World Premiere)
Godzilla vs. Dungeons & Dragons (USA, dir. Cressa Maeve Áine, International Premiere)
I Need It Yesterday (USA, dir. Jack De Sena and Chris Smith, International Premiere
The Lure (U.K., dir. Tony Hipwell, Canadian Premiere)
Pain Perdu (Canada, dir. Béatrice Philie, World Premiere)
Partage ton steak (Canada, dir. FRed Lavigne, World Premiere)
Party Time (USA, dir. Mike Marrero and Jon Rhoads, Canadian Premiere)
Pumpkin Girl (Never Blow Out a Jack-O-Lantern on Halloween) (USA, dir. Trent Shy, World Premiere)
Road trip to Mayoland (Canada, dir. FRed Lavigne, Montreal Premiere)
Satisfaction Garantie (Canada, dir. Marilou Bureau, Anna Pelletier, and Emile Rouillard, World Premiere)
Tape Head (USA, dir. Trent Shy, World Premiere)
Terreur Cosmique (Canada, dir. Alexandre Paradis, World Premiere)
Trip N Space (Canada, dir. Cédric Legault, World Premiere)
Trou d’beigne (Canada, dir. Robin Anctil, FRed Lavigne, and Charles Parisé, World Premiere)
Type A (USA, dir. Jake Barcus, International Premiere)
The Vintage Invasion from Outer Space (Canada, dir. Richertd Vézina, World Premiere)
Les VOMINUS films (Canada, dir. FRed Lavigne, World Premiere)
We Joined a Cult (USA, dir. Chris McInroy, Quebec Premiere)
Weirded Out (Canada, dir. Patrick Meimari, World Premiere)
When life gives you lemons (Canada, dir. Gaëlle Dumont and Vanessa Goulet Soungie, World Premiere)

CAPSULES 2024

Martial arts, mystical fantasy, mordant comedy, and mind-bending sci-fi. Choice cuts from Bilibili’s CAPSULES series demonstrate the growing quality and diversity of Chinese animation.

Amy and Frog (China, dir. Paul Williams, International Premiere)
Bottled Thunder (China, dir. Leong Jo, International Premiere)
Game Show (China, dir. Zhao Yu, Chen Fei, International Premiere)
Ruthless Blade (China, dir. Zhang Bo, Canadian Premiere)
A Tale of the Stolen Peach (China, dir. Wang Jiaguo, International Premiere)
Time Machine (China, dir. Gao Zihan, Canadian Premiere)

CELLULOID EXPERIMENTS 2024

Have a rendezvous with shapes, colors, and poetry on an experimental journey that will take you from sweet daydreams to feverish nightmares.

The Best of Dérapage 24 Festival (International, Various Filmmakers)
Bye Bear (Germany, dir. Jan Bitzer, Canadian Premiere)
The Day the Earth Got Free Richard Pryor Photos (USA, dir. Ivan Peycheff, World Premiere)
Desk Bugs (Japan / South Korea, dir. Kim Hakhyun, International Premiere)
Factory Drop (Germany, dir. Petja Pulkrabek, World Premiere)
Glutor and Friends (Canada, dir. FRed Lavigne, World Premiere)
HIGH  (Canada, dir. Scott Cowan, World Premiere)
The House of Weird (USA, dir. Mark Reyes, World Premiere)
Irrational (Canada, dir. Katya Tavitian, World Premiere)
A New York Covid Story (USA, dir. Tal S. Shamir, World Premiere)
The Popstar Water Deer and I (South Korea, dir. Sasha Lee, North American Premiere)
Rabbit (USA, dir. Nathan Catucci, North American Premiere)
Redevolve (Canada, dir. Sandro Quattrini, World Premiere)
A Visual Poem (USA, dir. Benjamin Walant, International Premiere)

CINEMAPSOSA 2024

From science-fiction drama to psychological thriller, the possibilities are endless. A quartet of mid-length South Korean genre films by incredibly talented emerging directors who aren’t afraid to take risks.

Hamjinabi (South Korea, dir. Lee Sangmin, North American Premiere)
Memory (South Korea, dir. Jang Hawon, International Premiere)
The Rooms (South Korea, dir. You Heeryun, Canadian Premiere)
Wanna Die Wanna Kill (South Korea, dir. Jeong Jaehee, World Premiere)

CIRCO ANIMATO 2024

Fantasia’s annual showcase of amazing animated short films from around the world returns with over a dozen dazzling offerings, marvelously multifarious in tone, technique, and perspective.

African American Express (Canada, dir. Sydnie Baynes, World Premiere)
Anthropocene (Taiwan, dir. Raito Low, Huang Yun-Sian, Canadian Premiere)
Les Bêtes (USA, dir. Michael Granberry, Canadian Premiere)
Extremely Short (Japan, dir. Koji Yamamura, Canadian Premiere)
Haru-tsuge Fish and Fu-rai Boy (Japan, dir. Takeshi Yashiro, International Premiere)
Itch (Canada, dir. Maggie Zeng, World Premiere)
Mothership (USA, dir. Joseph Burrascano, Canadian Premiere)
A New Account of Tales of the World (China, dir. Che Meiyi, World Premiere)
Number 32. Giant Fish (South Korea, dir. Si Seunghyun, World Premiere)
Pantheon Bird (Japan, dir. Choi Eunyoung, International Premiere)
The Parade (Singapore, dir. Ryan Benjamin Lee, Canadian Premiere)
Shapes (Hong Kong, dir. Ho Tsz-Wing, Canadian Premiere)
Trumpet Voice (Chile, dir. David Monarte Serna, Pilar Smoje Gueico, Canadian Premiere)
Variations (China, dir. Xu Yao, International Premiere)
The Wedding Veil of the Proud Princess (UK, dir. Anna-Ester Volozh, North American Premiere)
Weiqi Fantasy (China, dir. Liu Yuanru, Canadian Premiere)
The Yearbook (Canada, dir. Charlie Galea McClure, World Premiere)

COLLECTIVE DELUSIONS 2024

A showcase of underground DIY, outsider, and bizarre cinema from around the world. This year, the Collective Delusions block dives deep into fetishistic desire, unsettling nightmares, and the most important thing: love.

Baby Food (Canada / Québec, dir. Charlie Galea McClure, World Premiere)
Cease to Exist (Canada, dir. Taylor Nodrick, World Premiere)
Dream Factory (UK, dir. Alex Matraxia, Canadian Premiere)
Fuck the Crops (Norway, dir. Tobias Frøystad, International Premiere)
A Haunting at Alma Drive (USA, dir. Dalton Allen, World Premiere)
The Hollywood Signs (USA, dir. Michael Reich, Canadian Premiere)
In The Name Of Love I Will Punish You (Indonesia, dir. Kevin Rahardjo, World Premiere)
Just Wood Creaking and Rats (Germany, dir. Adelfo Micieli, Canadian Premiere)
Like Me (USA, dir. Ashley Thomas, Canadian Premiere)
Make Me a Pizza (USA, dir. Talia Shea Levin, Quebec Premiere)
Meat(lov)er (South Korea, dir. Park Kyung Seo, World Premiere)
The Streetlight (USA, dir. Sophia Parella, World Premiere)
Tongue-Tonguin (USA, dir. Phil Montgomery, International Premiere)

EVOL EPISODES 1 2 3

A trio of teen suicide survivors have acquired superpowers (however uncool), but they don’t want to save the world—they want to tear it all down. Enjoy the first half of the manga-adaptation streaming miniseries from Japan’s DMM TV.

EVOL Episode 1 (Japan, dir. Santa Yamagishi, International Premiere)
EVOL Episode 2 (Japan, dir. Santa Yamagishi, International Premiere)
EVOL Episode 3 (Japan, dir. Santa Yamagishi, International Premiere)

INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE-FICTION SHORT FILM SHOWCASE 2024

Seven films. Five countries. Worlds of vision. Fantasia’s annual showcase of soulful and innovative sci-fi shorts returns.

Escape Attempt (USA / Poland, dir. Daniel Shapiro, Alex Topaller, Canadian Premiere)
Headache (Sweden, dir. Björn Schagerström, International Premiere)
Katele (Australia, dir. John Harvey, Quebec Premiere)
A Little Longer (Canada, dir. Connor Kujawinski, Quebec Premiere)
The Move (USA, dir. Eric Kissack, International Premiere)
Sincopat (Spain, dir. Pol Diggler, Montreal Premiere)
ZZZ (USA, dir. Felipe Vargas, North American Premiere)

LANTERN BLADE EPISODES 1 2 3

From the thriving landscape of stop-motion wuxia within the Chinese animation industry, a miniseries that seamlessly merges martial arts adventure and Lovecraftian horror.

Lantern Blade Episode 1 (China, dir. Zhu Ziqi, International Premiere)
Lantern Blade Episode 2 (China, dir. Zhu Ziqi, International Premiere)
Lantern Blade Episode 3 (China, dir. Zhu Ziqi, International Premiere)

MON PREMIER FANTASIA 

Fantasia’s French-language block of shorts programmed for children returns. Discover works from Germany, Australia, Belgium, South Korea, France, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, Portugal, and, of course, Quebec. Laughter, thrills, and great adventures await you. The films in this program are either in French or contain no spoken dialogue.

Bativoler (Canada, dir. Delphine Briancon Pinard, World Premiere)
The Girl With The Occupied Eyes (Portugal, dir. André Carrilho, Canadian Premiere)
Hello! (South Korea, dir. Lee Dakyoung, Canadian Premiere)
Jardin le lutin (Canada, dir. Zahya Tétreault Bélanger, World Premiere)
Liv & Bell: Planet of the Marimo (Japan, dir. Natsuki Kida, Canadian Premiere)
MOON Episode 1: Sandwich (Japan, dir. Eri Kinoshita, International Premiere)
MOON Episode 2: Camping (Japan, dir. Eri Kinoshita, International Premiere)
Le Plongeur (Canada, dir. Jade Déry, World Premiere)
Prinzessin Aubergine (Germany, dir. Florian Grolig and Dina Velikovskaya, Canadian Premiere)
Shapes (Hong Kong, dir. Ho Tsz-Wing, Canadian Premiere)
STAE (Canada, Jdir ustin Tran, World Premiere)
Tête en l’air (France / Switzerland, dir. Rémi Durin, Montreal Premiere)
Le Tout Petit Voyage (France / Switzerland, Emily Worms, Montreal Premiere)
Two One Two (Canada, dir. Shira Avni, Quebec Premiere)
Wat zit er in die kist? (Belgique, dir. Bram Algoed, Montreal Premiere)

MY FIRST FANTASIA

Fantasia’s English language block of shorts programmed for children. With these films from Canada, China, South Korea, the United States, Nicaragua, and Taiwan, laughter, magic, poetry, music, and adventure await you. The works in this program are either English language or contain no spoken dialogue.

Afternoon Tea Chez Mrs. Pillbug (Canada, dir. Plinko, World Premiere)
Bunny of the Magic Forest from the film Synapusyu the Movie: Pusyu, Brand Nyu World (Japan, dir. Yuichiro Natori, International Premiere)
Eyes (South Korea, Choi Yoojae and Nam Hyokyoung, Canadian Premiere)
Fish out of Town (USA, Sofia Garza-Barba, International Premiere)
Gaomei Fantasy (Taiwan, Juo Wen-Chin, Canadian Premiere)
Ice Cream Fairies (South Korea, Im Eun, World Premiere)
On The Dock (Canada, Francis Garceau, World Premiere)
Planet Sky Lion from the film Synapusyu the Movie: Pusyu, Brand Nyu World (Japan, dir. Takaharu Shimizu, International Premiere)
Scoumoune (Canada, Coralie Joubert, World Premiere)
Vertiente de Agua Tibia (Canada / Nicaragua, Camilo Mangas Calderón, Canadian Premiere)
The Weird Relationship (South Korea, Nam Yejin, World Premiere)

PERILOUS PORTS: TOURS OF NORTHERN TERRORS 2024

PERILOUS PORTS is back for a second run of ground-breaking Canadian short films! There’s nothing quite like them, and this year, we’re featuring sleep-paralysis demons, vampires, ghosts, and questionable bath bombs – there’s something here for everyone!

Art Baby (Canada, dir. Pony Nicole Herauf, World Premiere)
Bath Bomb (Canada, dir. Colin G. Cooper, Canadian Premiere)
Can’t Sleep (Canada, dir. Liam O’Connor-Savaria, World Premiere)
Dealer (Canada, dir. Alfio Foti, World Premiere)
Dirty Bad Wrong (Canada, dir. Erica Orofino, World Premiere)
How To Stay Awake (Canada, dir. Vanessa Magic, World Premiere)
My Son Went Quiet (Canada, dir. Ian Bawa, Canadian Premiere)
Shiva (Canada, dir. Josh Saltzman, World Premiere)
The Shitty Ride (Canada, dir. Cole Doran, World Premiere)
Thank You (Canada, dir. Carlo Quicho, Summer Lynn Gillespie, Quebec Premiere)
Wildmen of the Greater Toronto Area (Canada, dir. Solmund MacPherson, Quebec Premiere)
You Have Reached Your Destination (Canada, dir. Ryan Couldrey, Quebec Premiere)

SMALL GAUGE TRAUMA 2024

Fantasia’s celebrated international showcase of cutting-edge genre works is back with ten films from six countries that positively astonish. 25th edition!

The Accomplices (Spain, dir. Alberto Evangelio, Canadian Premiere)
Birdcage (Belgium, dir. Karel Konings, Canadian Premiere)
Blockbuster (Brazil, dir. Rafael Toledo, Canadian Premiere)
Don’t Talk to Strangers (Spain, dir. Imanol Ortiz López, North American Premiere)
Dysmorphic (USA, dir. Grant Swanson, International Premiere)
Empty Jars (Chile, dir. Guillermo Ribbeck, World Premiere)
Faces (USA, dir. Blake Simon, World Premiere)
The Fish Tank (Mexico, dir. Victoria Garza, International Premiere)
The Mantis (USA, dir. Wylie Rush, International Premiere)
On God (USA, dir. Andrew Theodore Balasia, World Premiere)

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE EAST 2024

Fantasia’s showcase of bite-sized Asian tales of the macabre again offers a celebration of the otherworldly from the other side of the world, split between animation and live-action.

Wild Animal (China, dir. Lyu Tianyun, World Premiere)
Hooves (Sri Lanka, dir. Akash Sunethkumara, Canadian Premiere)
Bulusan and Agingay: The Cry of Mampak (Philippines, dir. Gary George Clotario, Canadian Premiere)
How to Kill a Vampire (South Korea, dir. Kim Soyeon, World Premiere)
The Exorcist, Kim Rina (South Korea, dir. Kim Yeonhoo, Lim Sumin, and Shin Sugyeong, World Premiere)
Edith (Singapore, dir. Clare Chong, World Premiere)
Where The Mountain Women Sing (Hong Kong / Taiwan / USA, dir. Zhang Juefang, World Premiere)

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SHORTS SCREENING BEFORE FEATURES

98% (South Korea, dir. Byun Chang-woo, World Premiere, screening before 4PM)

AstroNots (Australia, dir. Andrew Seaton, screening with Meanwhile on Earth)

Be Right Back (Spain, dir. Gabe Ibañez, Lucas Paulino, North American Premiere, screening before The Beast Within)

Bladder Shy (Canada, dir. Joel Goundry, World Premiere, screening before Scared Shitless)

Crave (France, dir. Mark Middlewick, North American Premiere, screening before Haze)

Dark Mommy (USA, dir. Courtney Eck, Canadian Premiere, screening before Witchboard)

Deep Tish (USA, dir. Dave Paige, International Premiere, screening before The Dead Thing)

The Door (Canada, dir. Alexander Seltzer, Canadian Premiere, screening before The Silent Planet)

Dream Creep (USA, dir. Carlos A.F. Lopez, International Premiere, screening before Cuckoo)

Echo (Spain, dir. Meritxell A. Valls, Canadian Premiere, screening before Electrophilia)

Elves on a Ledge (USA, dir. Abby Lloyd, International Premiere, screening before Carnage for Christmas)

Erection and Destruction (USA, dir. Eddie Mullins, World Premiere, screening before Vulcanizadora)

For Rent (Canada, dir. Michèle Kaye, World Premiere, screening before Self Driver)

The Future Is Now (South Korea, dir. Jung Jong-min, World Premiere, screening before Brave Citizen)

God’s Anus (Switzerland, dir. Jan-David Bolt, Montreal Premiere, screening before Rats!)

Hell is a Teenage Girl (Canada, dir. Stephen Sawchuk, Canadian Premiere, screening before Dark Match)

Hi! You Are Currently Being Recorded (US / UK / Canada, dir. Kyle Greenberg, Anna Maguire, Canadian Premiere, screening before The Code)

H*le (USA, dir. Nick Beardslee, International Premiere, screening before Me and my Victim)

Hunter Loading (USA / Serbia, dir. Sasa Numic, International Premiere, screening before From My Cold, Dead Hands)

Leap of Passion (South Korea, dir. Kim Jae-hyung, World Premiere, screening before The Tenants)

Macguffin (South Korea, dir. Yang Jihye, World Premiere, screening before The Killers)

Martillo (USA, dir. Alejandra Parody, Ben Sottak, World Premiere, screening before Azrael)

Meat Puppet (UK, dir. Eros V, Canadian Premiere, screening before The Paragon)

Night Fishing (South Korea, dir. Moon Byoung-gon, International Premiere, screening before The Roundup: Punishment)

Piggy 1/2 (Taiwan, dir. Fish Wang, North American Premiere, screening before Animalia Paradoxa)

Pretty Sad (USA, dir. Jim Cummings, World Premiere, screening before In Our Blood)

The Rainbow Bridge (USA, dir. Dimitri Simakis, Quebec Premiere, screening before Infinite Summer).

Réel (France, dir. Rodrigue Huart, World Premiere, screening before The Soul Eater)

Ring Neck (Canada, dir. Vasili Manikas, World Premiere, screening before Kryptic)

Shitter (USA, dir. Chris Schwab, World Premiere, Screening before Chainsaws Were Singing)

Space Dumbs (Kazakhstan, dir. Alan Talkenov, North American Premiere, screening before The Old Man and the Demon Sword)

The Sun, the Moon and the Mountain (Philippines, dir. Clarisa Espiritu, World Premiere, screening before The Missing)

Tight (USA, dir. Jessica Barr, International Premiere, screening before The A-Frame)

What the Hell (Canada, dir. Valerie Barnhart, World Premiere, screening before Frankie Freako)

You Don’t Read Enough (Canada, dir. Noa Kozulin, Quebec Premiere, screening before Darkest Miriam)

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The festival website is now live with the complete lineup of over 125 features and 200+ shorts available to be explored. Ticket pre-sales are now open.