July 15th, 2007 11:08:00
A day for second chances and new discoveries.

Death Note et Death Note: The Last Name, présenté au Théâtre Hall à 13h50 et 16h20

C'est votre dernière chance de voir 13 Beloved, présenté vers 16h20

Here are some films not to be missed today:

Death Note and Death Note: The Last Name. after the animes and the videogames come the films adapting Death Note, the delightful and diabolical manga that’s spawned a cult following. At the helm, Shusuke Kaneko (the ’90s Gamera films, and God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand), a familiar face at Fantasia and an exceptional talent in bringing resonant thought and substance to presumably lightweight fantasy cinema. A sharp, witty, carefully etched flight of imagination that doesn’t hesitate to ask, with a sly grin, some challenging philosophical questions. Director Shusuke Kaneko will be here.

13 Beloved nasty, violent and darkly comic thriller from Thailand about a reality game show played out in daily life, where a contestant has to perform 13 different “tasks” that can be summarized as something like Fear Factor meets Salo. Its director, at 25, is the youngest working filmmaker in Thailand. A brutal social satire that is already slated for a US remake. Director Chookiat Sakweerakul will be here.

Mulberry Street, extraordinary Post 911 Romero-esque horror film about New York city imploding under attack by its own citizens, who have been turned into animalistic savages via a new strain of rat-borne disease. Made waves at Stockholm, Tribeca and SXSW. One of the most poignant horror films in years. Director Jim Mickel will be here.

A man wanders a deserted beach in search of his wfe. In a graveyard, a pair of vampire orphans recall their former lives. A naked woman armed with a knife steals into a castle, killing all she encounters. Thanks to these unforgettable images, the universe of French filmmaker and writer Jean Rollin haunts the dreams and nightmares of lovers of marginal cinema. Since Rape Of The Vampire, his first feature film from 1967, Rollin has brought his unique vision to the seventh art, exploring his thematic fetishes and experimenting with a theatrical mise en scene. Forty years later, the director has more than 20 films to his credit, different pieces of a larger whole, irrefutable proof of an artistic approach that has matured over the decades.

The Fantasia festival is proud to pay tribute to the iconoclastic visionary by presenting the world premiere of La nuit desd horloges, his latest work. Film lovers will also have a chance to discover, on the big screen, Le frisson des vampires, a veritable masterwork of macabre poetry. This screening will be proceeded by a special ceremony at which Rollin will recieve a special award in honour of his entire career. With this long-due honour, Fantasia underlines the revolutionary work of a true pieoneer of fantastic cinema.


Director Jean Rollin will be here.

Mirageman, Chilean masked-avenger action epic starring martial arts maestro Marko Zaror, fresh from the local success of Kiltro (also screening this year) and a Hollywood stint stunt doubling for The Rock. The fights here are raw and brutal, with no wire assists and –- reportedly –- actual fight moves preferred to screen fighting. Meaning that when you see Zaror kick a goon in the face, he’s really kicking the goon in the face. Ouch! World Premiere

Memories of Matsuko, directed by Tetsuya Nakashima (Kamikaze Girls) and based on a novel by Muneki Yamada, Memories of Matsuko has enough visual charm and vigour to match its rich narrative. Music, dance and an onslaught of colour make the movie’s production numbers a rousing counterpoint to what is essentially a sad story. Canadian Premiere


Memories of Matsuko, présenté au Théâtre Hall, vers 19h45

Wool 100%, two lonely sisters find their daily routine broken by the sudden arrival of a mysterious teenager. Director Mai Tominaga creates a complex narrative maze using three types of mise-en-scène. A dreamy and lurid fairy tale your mother never dared to tell you before bedtimes. North American Premiere

The Backwoods, in this caustic exploration of the carnage that can come from cultural misunderstandings, a pair of tourist couples in Spain get off on the proverbial wrong foot with the locals and find themselves plummeted into a cesspool of violence. As they attempt to make things right, lines both criminal and moral are crossed. Stars Gary Oldman (his best performance in years!), Virginie Ledoyen and Paddy Considine. A vital film for our post-Iraq times, this gripping throwback to the cinema of the subversive 70’s is clearly influenced by the work of Peckinpah, Leone and Roeg. North American Premiere


The Backwoods, présenté ce soir pour la première fois en Amérique du Nord.