The 2008 Fantasia Film Festival is upon us. And by us, I mean me. This yearly celebration of horror, science fiction, sado-erotic D&D fantasy delirium and all things Asian is a challenge I take seriously; a spiked mithril armlet thrown down to test my endurance. Will I succeed in my quest to see 35 movies over the next three weeks? Does eating nothing but cheap pizza and popcorn guarantee jaundice, or just a peptic ulcer? Only time, and probably at least six movies by prolific Japanese cult director Takashii Miike, will tell.

The Fantasia Film Festival, now in its 12^th year, runs from July 3^rd to July 21^st in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It spotlights ‘genre’ films, which is a polite way of saying ‘weird’ without making the guy in the Deicide t-shirt renting Akira shoot you. Included below is the press release announcing the 2008 programme. Stay tuned to the Bin’s coverage for the next three weeks, or at least until the jaundice shuts down my liver. Included here are two press releases spotlighting key films at the festival.

UBISOFT PRÉSENTS FANTASIA 2008

PREPARE FOR BLAST-OFF

Montreal, Thursday, June 26^th 2008 – It's July in Montreal and that can only mean one thing Fantasia is back to rocket your summer with an explosive overload of the unconventional, the provocative, the inspired and the insane. We've spent the last eight months working as psychotropic explorers, searching the furthest corners of the globe for mind-altering acts of cinema, and we can safely say that the next three weeks are going to make the city crumble. Over 100 films are waiting to be unleashed, many screening for their first time on this continent, and in some cases, in the world, including new works from the likes of Johnnie To, Darren Lynn Bousman, Kim Nguyen, Frank Henenlotter, Ryuhei Kitamura, Bill Plympton, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Jaume Balagueró, Yam Laranas, Lucky McKee, Ching Siu-Tung, Charles Burns, Oxide Pang, Won Sin-yeon, Jim Isaac, Tak Sakaguchi, Stuart Gordon, David Blyth, Takashi Miike, Daniel Myrick, Studio 4°C and Dario Argento, among many others. Read through these pages carefully because there are tons of discoveries to be made.

On to the spotlights, because 2008 has many: PLAYBACK IN BLACK showcases a trio of unbelievably effective "reality horror" productions, from South Korea, the U.S. and Spain. ANIMATED AUTEUR VISIONS spotlights eccentric and personal animated works. Seek these out and prepare to be amazed. The American horror scene, which had in recent years become mostly synonymous with unadventurous filmmaking, is suddenly getting very, very interesting again. So much so that we're spotlighting several audacious U.S. productions in a section we call BLOODY RADICAL: UNCONVENTIONAL AMERICAN HORROR. DOCUMENTARIES FROM THE EDGE returns with a series of docs centered around the theme of obsession, ranging the gamut of subjects from stalkers of '80s pop star Tiffany and people with life-consuming video-game addictions to the New Zealand fetish community! On the retro side of the spectrum, we've got a spotlight we call NO BORDERS NO LIMITS: 1960S NIKKATSU ACTION CINEMA, which unearths rare 35mm prints of a trio of edgy, brilliant and hugely influential Japanese crime films never before shown in this country. They will absolutely blow your mind.

Several years back, Fantasia was one of the first places in the world where audiences had their nerves shredded by an eerie Thai horror film known in English as SHUTTER. Its young co-directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom have since become legends and this year, Fantasia will be mounting a special salute to them with the international premiere of 4BIA and the Montreal debut of their award-winning ALONE.

And that barely scratches the surface of what we have in store for you. An international army of filmmakers will be in town, special surprises will be announced throughout the fest, and you can groove to DJs from CJLO Underground Radio spinning live in the Hall between screenings. Strap yourself in for a three-week reprieve from the ordinary. Montreal is about to explode.

UBISOFT PRÉSENTS FANTASIA 2008

A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON ASIAN CINEMA IN NORTH AMERICA

Montreal, Thursday, June 26^th 2008 – Asian Fever is about to rock Montrealers! The Fantasia International Film Festival presents a huge variety of Asian feature films in 2008, over 70 in fact, from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. They are nothing less than outstanding, groundbreaking, hilarious, and emotionally gripping!

Since its inception in 1996, Fantasia has provided a unique opportunity for the mainstream and the underground filmgoers alike to share the experience of Asia’s action, fantasy, martial arts, horror, historical epic, surrealist hybrid and guerrilla films. Since then, Fantasia’s success and reputation have snowballed to become internationally recognized and acclaimed as having a wildly diverse sense of what Asian cinema is and has the potential to be.

The original, peculiar cultural flavor and cinematic qualities of Asian films has not been lost on Hollywood. Asian films are considered to be the hottest films on the world market today. Their inventiveness, authentic humor and surprising cultural perspectives, combined with their outstanding aesthetic accomplishments, are copied but never duplicated.

At Fantasia 2008, new works will be screened by such internationally acclaimed directors as Japan’s Takashi Miike ( SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO) and Hideo Nakata ( L: CHANGE THE WORLD); Hong Kong’s Johnnie To ( MAD DETECTIVE, SPARROW, TRIANGLE) and Oxide Pang ( THE DETECTIVE); and South Korea’s Kwak Kyung-taek ( A LOVE). Also, not to be missed are the ambitious, fresh and entertaining debut films of first-time directors, such as those from that current hotspot of Asian film production, South Korea. Film enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the many debut films from directors such as Yang Hea-hoon ( WHO’S THAT KNOCKING AT MY DOOR?), Kim Mee-jung ( SHADOWS IN THE PALACE), Ra Hee-chan ( GOING BY THE BOOK) and Lee Kyoo-man ( WIDE AWAKE). Watch also for the Hong Kong upstart Derek Kwok ( THE PYE-DOG).

The splendid line-up of invited guests is getting longer as the opening of Fantasia 2008 approaches. Hong Kong’s Kung Fu icon, Gordon Liu, will grace Fantasia with his presence during the opening weekend as he presents a restored 35mm ShawScope print of the Shaw Brothers classic DISCIPLES OF 36^TH CHAMBER. The Japanese actress Eihi Shiina, star of Miike’s infamous Audition, will be in Montreal with her new film, TOKYO GORE POLICE, along with the film’s director, Yoshihiro Nishimura. The Japanese actor, director and action choreographer Tak Sakaguchi will also be in Montreal, to present in person his film BE A MAN! SAMURAI SCHOOL. Moreover, Thai directors Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom, Yongyoot Thongkongtoon and Gunn Purijitpanya will also be in town for the screening of their omnibus films 4BIA. Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom will also be pleased to present their film ALONE.

From among the most renowned Asian film industry professionals, we highlight two guests from CJ Entertainment (CJ): Kini Seong-Eun Kim, Vice-President of International Sales and Heejeon Kim, Director for Festivals will attend the festival. CJ is the largest production and distribution company in Korea, with an enviable international reputation in managing Asian Cinema. CJ will seek for opportunities for Canadian marketing development while presenting SHADOW IN THE PALACE, and five other films at Fantasia 2008.

Fantasia, a pioneering festival in the world of Asian genre film, is ready to meet its audience! Through this cinematic adventure, Montrealers will discover a wide range of films grouped according to themes for greater access than ever before, such as Singular Successes, Converging Visions, Uncanny Investigators, Leading Ladies of Asia, From Mangas to Movies, First Films from Korea and Strange Loves. We also highlight the Nikkatsu Action Film spotlight, and a variety of loose films that simply demand to be noticed!