The 25th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival concluded yesterday with the presentation of THE GREAT YOKAI WAR: GUARDIANS by Takashi Miike. The numbers are in and the festival was a huge success with more than 100,000 spectators attending its screenings in person and online.
Between August 5 and 25, Fantasia presented nearly 120 feature films in theaters and online, including 25 screenings at the Imperial Cinema and the Cinema Musée. Among the films that made an impact this very special year were the premiere of THE SUICIDE SQUAD, a new film from the DC Comics franchise, pre-opened on August 4, or, THE RIGHTEOUS, the first feature film by Canadian Mark O’Brien. The important presence of local cinema within the 2021 programme: festival-goers were able to discover several premieres including the zombie film BRAIN FREEZE by Julien Knafo presented as the opening film, or, the comedy MARIA by Alec Pronovost starring Mariana Mazza, Florence Longpré and Alice Pascual.
Fantasia is pleased to announce today the names of the winners of its 25th edition, the awards were presented by the juries of each of the competitions.
► BLACK HORSE AWARD – FEATURE FILMS
The jury was chaired by Polish director Agnieszka Smoczyńska (THE LURE, FUGUE) with the participation of Kambole Campbell (author and critic), producer Paula Devonshire (CLARICE, SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD, REMEMBER), Mónica García Massagué (author and Director General of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival), and Simon Rumley (FASHIONISTA, RED WHITE AND BLUE).
BEST FILM: VOICE OF SILENCE (Director Hong Eui-jeong, South Korea)
BEST DIRECTOR: Igor Legarreta (ALL THE MOONS, Spain / France)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Mark O’Brien (THE RIGHTEOUS, Canada)
BEST ORIGINAL: John Adams (HELLBENDER, USA)
BEST ACTOR: Yoo Ah-in (VOICE OF SILENCE, South Korea)
BEST ACTRESS: Zelda Adams (HELLBENDER, USA)
SPECIAL MENTION FROM THE JURY – DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Imanol Nabea (ALL THE MOONS, Spain / France)
JURY SPECIAL MENTION – BEST HOPE: Sienna Sayer (MARTYRS LANE, UK)
SPECIAL MENTION OF THE JURY – SOUND: Stef Lernous (HOTEL POSEIDON, Belgium)
► NEW FLESH PRIZE – FIRST WORKS
The jury, chaired by British author, critic and broadcaster Kim Newman, included Jill Gevargizian (THE STYLIST), filmmaker Gigi Saul Guerrero (CULTURE SHOCK), Brian O’Malley (LET US PREY, THE LODGERS) and Myriam Sassine (Co-Founder of the Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival and producer of AMAL, A SON and ALL THIS VICTORY).
BEST FILM: THE SADNESS (Director Rob Jabbaz, Taiwan)
SPECIAL MENTION OF THE JURY: BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (Réal. Junta Yamaguchi, Japan)
SPECIAL MENTION OF THE JURY: ROYAL OFFICE (Réal. Kazuaki Seki, Japan)
► INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM AWARD
The jury, co-chaired by the filmmaker Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani (THE STRANGE COLOR OF TEARS OF YOUR BODY) was composed of the directors Prano Bailey-Bond (CENSOR), Yfke van Berckelaer (XANGADIX LIVES!), And Faye Jackson ( STRIGOI).
BEST FILM: VULNERABILITY (Director Eiji Tanigawa, Japan)
BEST DIRECTOR: Cory Williamson (SILLY HUMAN, USA)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Steph Kwiatkowski (RACHELS DON’T RUN, United States / France)
BEST ACTRESS: Victoria Villier (INHERITANCE, USA)
BEST ACTOR: Ian Cramer (OTHER BODIES, USA)
SPECIAL MENTION OF THE JURY: THE TENANT (Réal. Lucas Paulino and Ángel Torres, Spain)
SPECIAL MENTION OF THE JURY: HENCHMEN (Réal. Alistair Quak, Singapore)
► AQCC AWARD – CAMERA LUCIDA
The jury, made up of critics Jean-Marie Lanlo, Martin Gignac, and Claire Valade awarded the following prizes:
PRIX AQCC CAMERA LUCIDA: THE STORY OF SOUTHERN ISLET (Director Chong Keat Aun, Malaysia)
SPECIAL MENTION OF THE JURY: MIDNIGHT IN A PERFECT WORLD (Director Dodo Dayao, Philippines)
► SATOSHI KON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ANIMATION
The AXIS jury chaired by Hefang Wei (animator, Co-Founder of Weilaï Productions and Artistic Director of Kazak Production) was composed of Ashkan Rahgozar (author, director and Founder and President of Hoorakhsh Studios) and Kalp Sanghvi (director, author, Co -Founder of Ghost Animation Collective).
BEST FILM: CRYPTOZOO (Director Dash Shaw, United States)
SPECIAL MENTION OF THE JURY: FORTUNE FAVORS LADY NIKUKO (Réal. Ayumu Watanabe, Japan)
BEST SHORT FILM – GOLD: SEEN IT (Director Adithi Krishnadas, India)
BEST SHORT FILM – SILVER: GHOST DOGS (United States, Dir. Joe Cappa)
BEST SHORT FILM – BRONZE: MONDO DOMINO (France, Réal. Suki)
► FANTASTIC SCREEN AWARD
MAD GOD (Dir. Phil Tippet, United States)
► 2021 AWARDS FOR FANTASTIC WEEKENDS
MELS AWARD FOR BEST FILM: DANGER EN FACE (Réal. Alexis Chartrand)
MELS AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ASKA (Director Clara Milo – Director of photography Kristof Brandl)
MATV “CREATIVITY” PRIZE: LES GRANDES CLAQUES (Réal. Annie St-Pierre)
AQPM AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING PRODUCER: THE LIFE OF BEINGS (Réal. Cédric Bérard-Patry – Produced by Atrium Films)
ARRQ AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION: LES GRANDES CLAQUES (Réal. Annie St-Pierre)
“CANADIAN FILM EDITORS” AWARD: 10-33 (Réal. Alexander Maxim Seltzer)
EVS AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING DIRECTOR: MACHINAL (Director David Bombardier)
SPIRA AWARD – WOMEN’S VIDEO: THE AGE OF VANITIES (Dir. Caroline Mailloux)
LOCATION SLA FAVORITE AWARD: MONSIEUR CACHEMIRE (Réal. Iouri Philippe Paillé)
NAD AWARD FOR BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: DANGER EN FACE (Réal. Alexis Chartrand)
NAD AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION: CHRONICLES OF THE CENTER-SUD (Réal. Richard Suicide)
WARNERMEDIA INCLUSION AWARD: GIRLS DON’T WALK ALONE AT NIGHT (Dir. Katerine Martineau) and THEY’RE HERE (Dir. Sid Zanforlin)
► PUBLIC PRIZE 2021
BEST ASIAN FILM
Gold – BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (Directed by Junta Yamaguchi, Japan)
Silver – MIDNIGHT (Dir. Kwon Oh-seung, South Korea)
Bronze – THE SADNESS (Dir. Rob Jabbaz, Taiwan)
BEST NORTH OR SOUTH AMERICAN EUROPEAN FILM
Gold – ALL THE MOONS (Directed by Igor Legarreta, Spain / France)
Silver – ULTRASOUND (Dir. Rob Schroeder, United States)
Bronze – KING KNIGHT (Director Richard Bates, Jr., United States)
BEST CANADIAN FILM
Gold – DREAMS ON FIRE (Réal. Philippe McKie, Canada / Japan)
Silver – THE RIGHTEOUS (Dir. Mike O’Brien, Canada)
Bronze – BRAIN FREEZE (Directed by Julien Knafo, Canada)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Gold – WOODLANDS DARK AND DAYS BEWITCHED: A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR (Réal. Kier-La Janisse, United States)
Silver – ALIEN ON STAGE (Dir. Lucy Harvey and Danielle Kummer, UK)
Bronze – SATOSHI KON, THE ILLUSIONIST (Director Pascal-Alex Vincent, France / Japan)
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Gold – MAD GOD (Dir. Phil Tippett, United States)
Silver – HAYOP KA! THE NIMFA DIMAANO STORY (Dir. Avid Liongoren, Phillipines)
Bronze – THE DEER KING (Dir. Miyaji Masayuki and Masasashi Ando, Japan)
THE MOST INNOVATIVE FEATURE FILM
MAD GOD (Dir. Phil Tippett, United States)
BEST INTERNATIONAL COURT
Gold – DIGITAL VIDEO EDITING WITH ADOBE PREMIERE PRO: THE REAL-WORLD GUIDE TO SET UP AND WORKFLOW (Dir. Hong Seong-yoon, South Korea)
Silver – DANA (Director Lucía Forner Segarra, Spain) and VIEWERS: 1 (Director Yosuke Kobayashi, Japan)
Bronze – DEATH AND THE WINEMAKER (Réal. Victor Jaquier, Switzerland)
BEST CANADIAN SHORT
Gold – FREYA (Dir. Camille Hollett-French, Canada)
Silver – FRUIT (Dir. Ivan Li, Canada / Hong Kong)
Bronze – SHE WHISTLES (Dir. Thirza Cuthand, Canada)
