The 24th online edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival wrapped up yesterday, and the festival is pleased to announce that the event has been a great success with more than 85,000 spectators watching the films and attending the many special events.
As a result, the festival has succeeded in presenting more than 100 feature films, including many world premieres, as well as more than 200 short films, with “live” or “on demand” sessions as well as a series of panels, workshops and live discussions. Highlights of this 2020 edition include a memorable discussion between Finn Wolfhard (StrangerThings) and Jay Baruchel (Random Acts of Violence) and the masterclass of the great director John Carpenter.
Fantasia’s programming has particularly highlighted local cinema, notably with LA MARINA, Christophe Levac and Etienne Galloy’s first feature film, also Elza Kephart’s SLAXX which will be screened this fall, or with Alexandre Prieur-Grenier’s 2011.
The festival’s management is proud to announce today the winners of the winners of this 24th edition, whose awards were presented by the juries of each competition.
CHEVAL NOIR PRIZE Feature films
The jury was chaired by Indonesian director Jojo Anwar (SATAN’S SLAVE’S, IMPETIGORE) with the participation of Mattie Do (DEAREST SISTER, THE LONG WALK), Steve Moore (of the band Zombi), Jongsuk Thomas Nam (Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival programmer, Director General of the Network of Asian Fantastic Films), and Karen Walton (writer of GINGER SNAPS). The jury awarded the following prizes:

Cheval Noir Award for Best Film: MARYGOROUND by Daria Wosjek
Best Director: Daria Wosjek (MARYGOROUND)
Best Screenplay: Brea Grant (12 HOUR SHIFT)
Best soundtrack: Shir-Sagisu (WOTAKOI: LOVE IS HARD FOR OTAKU)
Best Actor: Jacky Heung (CHASING DREAM)
Best Actress: GrazynaMisiorowska (MARYGOROUND)
Special Jury Mention: ME AND ME de Cho Jin-Woong
-NEW FLESH PRIZE – First films
The jury, chaired by director, screenwriter and producer Darin Scott (Tales from the Hood) was made up of Mette-Marie Kongsved (producer of COME TO DADDY, co-founder of Nowhere), Miguel Llans (JESUS SHOWS YOU THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY), Shinji Sakoda (international salesman), and April Wolfe (critic and author of BLACK CHRISTMAS 2019), and presented the following awards:
Best First Film: ROM by Tran Thanh Huy
Special jury mentions awarded to ME AND ME by Jung Jin-young and Grazyna Misiorowska (MARYGOROUND)
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM AWARD
The jury, chaired by Nosipho Dumisa (director of Number 37, co-founder of Gambit Films), was composed of Simon Barrett (You’renext, The Guest), Pierce Conran (producer, journalist, consultant, screenwriter, film critic), Natalie Erika James (Relic) and Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin), presented the following awards:
Best Film : F FOR FREAKS by Sabine Ehrl
Best Director: Pei-Ju Hsieh (A COCKEREL’S TALE)
Best Screenplay: Marc Martinez Jordan (YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH)
Best Actor: Aaron Bradshaw (MILK TEETH)
Best Actress: Ursula Werner (F FOR FREAKS)
Special Jury Mention: SNOWFLAKES by Faye Jackson
SATOSHI KON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ANIMATION
The Axis jury, chaired by Marina Antunes (festival director and film critic), was composed of Han Han Li (animation teacher), Chad VanGaalan (animator, artist, musician), and Emily Paige (Artistic Director and Associate at E.D. Films), and awarded the following awards:
Best Feature Film: THE OLD MAN MOVIE by Oskar Lehemaa and MikkMeg
Best Short Film: WADE by Kalp Sanghvi and Upamanyu Bhattacharyya
Special Jury Mention: GENIUS LOCI by Adrien Merigeau
QUEBEC FILM’S FANTASTIQUES WEEK-ENDS
The jury of the Fantastiques Weekends of Quebec Cinema, which was composed of Alexa-Jeanne Dubé (actress and director), Mathieu R. Grenier (director) and Eve Ringuette (actress and director), presented the following awards:
MELS Award for Best Film: LANDGRAVES by Jean-François Leblanc
Peak Media Award for Best Sound: Maximilien Rolland (AUDIONOMY)
Canadian Cinema Editors Award for Best Editing: Travis Komarnisky (Caitlyn Sponheimer’s KITTY’S NAUGHTY KNICKERS)
MELS Award for Best Cinematography: Christian Bielz (BLOODSHED by Paolo Mancini and Daniel Watchorn)
MaTV “Creativity” Award: VIGILE by Xavier Beauchesne-Rondeau
SPIRA Award (Women’s Video): BEST BITCHES FOREVER by Valérie Leclair
Coup de cœur SLA coop Prize: FAÇADE – ADRIFT IN A SEA OF STRANGERS by Alexandre Richard
EVS Award for Best Emerging Producer: Julie Groleau and Charlotte Beaudoin Poisson from Couronne Nord (LANDGRAVES by Jean-François Leblanc)
ARRQ Award for Best Director: Alec Pronovost for JEEP BOYS
NAD Award for Best Visual Effects: Jimmy G. Pettigrew for his films POUPÉE, CINEPOD and PASTICHE
NAD Award for Best Animation: MODO CRASTICOT by Jérémie Guy-Béland
► AQCC-CAMERA LUCIDA PRIZE
The jury made up of Benjamin Pelletier (film critic), Martin Gignac (critic, journalist) and Marc-Antoine Lévesque awarded the following awards:
AQCC-CAMERA LUCIDA Award at JUNG Hyuk-ki’s MY PUNCH DRUNK LOVER.
Special mention given to LABYRINTH OF CINEMA by NobuhikoObayashi
MON PREMIER FANTASIA AWARD
The Mon Premier Fantasia jury, which consisted of three directors paired with one of their young children under the age of 12, included Robin Aubert (actor, director, screenwriter), Patrick Boivin (director, screenwriter), and Carnior (director, actor, screenwriter, artistic director). The jury awarded the following awards:
Poulain Noir d’Or: COEUR FONDANT by Benoît Chieu
Poulain Noir d’Argent: ŒIL POUR ŒIL by Thomas Boileau, François Briantais, Robin Courtoise, Alan Guimont, Malcom Hunt, and Mathieu Lecroq
Poulain Noir de Bronze: LA PÊCHE MIRACULEUSE by Fabrice Luang-Vija
Special mention: ATTENTION AU LOUP! by Julie Rembauville and Nicolas Bianco
The 24th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival was presented by Videotron in collaboration with Desjardins, and was made possible with financial assistance from the Quebec government, SODEC, Telefilm Canada, the City of Montreal, the Montreal Arts Council and Tourisme Montréal. The festival also thanks all its sponsor partners and official suppliers as well as all distributors.
More information: www.fantasiafestival.com