{"id":34188,"date":"2026-07-07T23:21:26","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T03:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/what-were-most-excited-to-see-at-fantasia-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T23:21:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T03:21:26","slug":"what-were-most-excited-to-see-at-fantasia-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/what-were-most-excited-to-see-at-fantasia-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"What We’re Most Excited to See at Fantasia 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Fantasia International Film Festival<\/strong>, arguably the definitive international genre fest, is returning July 16 through August 2. Here at Dread Central, we\u2019ve got a stellar team of writers\u2013 including myself, Caroline Colvin, Matt Konopka, and Ashliene McMenamy\u2013 locked in for all your Fantasia coverage needs. This year looks to be one of the strongest blocks of programming in years, and we can\u2019t wait to share the titles we\u2019re most excited for at this year\u2019s fest.<\/p>\n

Starting off strong, Jenn Wexler<\/strong> helms The Last Temptation of Becky<\/em><\/strong>, which is having its World Premiere at the fest. Lulu Wilson<\/strong> returns in the third entry of this gonzo action\/horror spectacle, this time squaring off against Neil Patrick Harris\u2019<\/strong> new Nazi threat after she\u2019s recruited by the CIA. Closing out the fest is the World Premiere of Zach Lipovsky<\/strong> and Adam Stein\u2019s<\/strong> Freaks Part II<\/em><\/strong>, the long-awaited follow-up to their 2018 hit, Freaks<\/em>. Expect more mutant mayhem from the team behind last year\u2019s Final Destination Bloodlines<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Last Temptation of Becky<\/em><\/p>\n

There are other heavy-hitters we can\u2019t wait to see, including the North American Premiere of Kiyoshi Kurosawa\u2019s<\/strong> historical whodunnit The Samurai and the Prisoner<\/em><\/strong>, and after garnering rave reviews out of Cannes, Jane Schoenbrun\u2019s<\/strong> Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma<\/em><\/strong> is at the top of our must-see list in its Canadian Premiere. We\u2019re so excited for Mark H. Rapaport\u2019s<\/strong> mind-bending odyssey Godhead<\/em><\/strong>, having its World Premiere, and for Edwin\u2019s<\/strong> Indonesian body-horror outing Sleep No More<\/em><\/strong>, having its North American Premiere.<\/p>\n

The Samurai and the Prisoner<\/em><\/p>\n

My list includes Nightborn<\/em><\/strong>, the newest nightmare from Hatching<\/em> filmmaker Hanna Bergholm<\/em><\/strong>, which is having its North American Premiere, and the World Premiere of Big Break<\/em><\/strong>, the horror\/comedy from the minds behind standup comedy troupe Simple Town. I\u2019m just as keen on Tim Riedel\u2019s<\/strong> Ancestral Beasts<\/em><\/strong>, an Indigenous creature feature, having its World Premiere, and Unholy Night<\/em><\/strong> from filmmaker Michael Gabriele<\/strong>, whose 2023 Fantasia debut Get Away<\/em> won the Gold Audience Award.<\/p>\n

Vampiric horror has never looked better than Kasper Kalle\u2019s<\/strong> Danish No Rest for the Wicked<\/strong>, which is having its World Premiere, and balancing out the monstrous mythos is the Italian Ferine<\/em><\/strong> from filmmaker Andrea Corsini<\/strong>, which promises plenty of feral, unholy bloodshed. Similarly, South Korean horror fans won\u2019t want to miss The Eyes<\/em><\/strong> on the international horror front, Yeom Ji-ho\u2019s<\/strong> stalker thriller that looks like a riff on Guillem Morales\u2019s Julia\u2019s Eyes<\/em>. Home Bodies<\/em><\/strong>, helmed by Casey Walker<\/strong>, is a sci-fi odyssey whose retro stylings have me foaming at the mouth.<\/p>\n

Action fans won\u2019t want to miss either the World Premiere of Bob Colaers\u2019<\/strong> Attack on Paradise<\/em><\/strong>, or Takashi Shimizu\u2019s<\/strong> Village of Eight Gravestones<\/em><\/strong> whose folk-horror roots look absolutely terrifying. Horror fans will also want to note Junction Row<\/em><\/strong>, The Last Footage<\/em><\/strong> (yes, found-footage is back, baby), and Bowels of Hell<\/em><\/strong>, all of which promise to deliver new nightmares unto us in the best possible way.<\/p>\n

Less conventional, though still worth adding to your watchlist, are Someone\u2019s Daughter<\/em><\/strong> (a must for Heated Rivalry<\/em> fans), Nameless<\/em><\/strong>, Penny Lane is Dead<\/em><\/strong>, and the bonkers-in-the-best-way Dance Freak<\/em><\/strong>, all of which are part of this year\u2019s electric program. We\u2019re just as excited for The Mouths<\/em><\/strong>, When You Open the Door<\/em><\/strong>, Sour Minnows<\/em><\/strong>, Anymart<\/em><\/strong>, Captured!<\/em><\/strong>, and the doc Rubberhead: The Life and Monsters of Steve Johnson<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Rubberhead: The Life and Monsters of Steve Johnson<\/em><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s festival is one of the most stacked yet, and you can view the entire program for Fantasia 2026 at the link here<\/a><\/strong>. It\u2019s going to be a gauntlet in the best possible way, so stay tuned to DreadCentral and our social channels<\/a><\/strong> for our ongoing coverage of the fest. We\u2019ll be bringing you the latest news, previews, interviews, and reviews<\/a><\/strong> of all things Fantasia, and if you\u2019re as excited as we are for the genre event of the year, follow along with us!<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Curtain Raiser Fantasia 2026 Film Festivals <\/span><\/p>\n

Categorized:News<\/p>\n

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