
The Fantasia International Film Festival returns to cinemas for its 27th edition taking place once again in Montreal from July 20 to Aug. 9. This year’s festival will have a special focus on South Korean cinema marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations including the latest blockbusters such as the third instalment in the popular Roundup series, and a screening of the 4K restoration of 2001 classic Take Care of My Cat. The complete programme will be announced later this month. Here are the East Asian Films so far confirmed for Fantasia 2023.
China
- Deep Sea – visually rich animation from Tian Xiaopeng.
- Journey to the West – a UFO obsessive journeys west in search of the meaning of life in Kong Dashan’s hilariously deadpan, absurdist epic. Review.
Hong Kong

- Mad Fate – mad cap supernatural noir in which a fortune teller and “born psychopath” team up to solve a murder.
Japan
- As Long as We Both Shall Live – light novel adaptation set in an alternate 19th century Japan in which a young woman is married off to a ruthless military commander.
- #Manhole – a salaryman’s moment of triumph is disrupted when he falls down a manhole the night before his wedding in Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s unhinged B-movie thriller. Review.
- The First Slam Dunk – directorial debut of Takehiko Inoue, original author of the basketball-themed manga, following Ryota Miyagi as he takes centre stage at the Inter-High Championships.
- Insomniacs After School – manga adaptation in which two high school loners team up to revive the astronomy club.
- Kurayukaba – retro steampunk noir anime.
- People Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind – a collection of sensitive uni students pour out their worries to cuddly toys to avoid burdening others with their fears in Yurina Kaneko’s charmingly empathetic drama. Review.
- River – time loop comedy from the director of Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes set in a traditional inn near Kyoto.
- Shin Kamen Rider – Hideaki Anno’s take on the classic tokusatsu hero.
- Tokyo Revengers 2 Parts 1 & 2 – the long-awaited two-part sequel to the timeslip drama.
Philippines

- In My Mother’s Skin – folk horror set at the end of the second world war.
South Korea

- Killing Romance – madcap comedy in which a former star (Lee Ha-nee) teams up with a student (Gong Myoung) to kill her husband (Lee Sun-kyun).
- Mother Land – stop motion animation from Park Jae-beom.
- New Normal – horror anthology from Jung Bum-shik (Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum)
- The Night Owl – period conspiracy thriller in which a blind acupuncturist witnesses the death of the crown prince.
- The President’s Last Bang – Im Sang-soo’s ironic take on the assassination of Park Chung-hee.
- The Roundup: No Way Out – third instalment in the popular series starring Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee) as a maverick policeman.
- Take Care of My Cat – much loved female friendship drama from 2001 revolving around five friends heading in different directions after high school. Review.
Taiwan

- Marry My Dead Body – a police officer discovers a red wedding envelope but soon realises the proposal comes from the other side and it is the ghost of a murdered man who wants to marry him!
The Fantasia International Film Festival runs in Montreal, Canada, July 20 to Aug 9. Full details for all the films will be available via the the official website in due course, and you can also keep up with all the latest news via the festival’s official Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram, and Vimeo channels.















