It’s that time of year again and Mother of Movies has scoured the line-up looking for standout films. This year there is plenty on offer as usual. The Fantasia International Film Festival 2022 celebrates its 26th Anniversary in Montreal and takes place from July 14 – August 3. Screenings, panels, and special events take place at the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas. Additional screens will be at the Cinémathèque Québécoise, Cinéma du Musée, and the McCord Museum. Ticket pre-sales will open on July 9, at 1 PM.

King of Pigs

Social commentary on themes including school bullying, lifelong trauma, and class struggle. The drama and thriller movie King Of Pigs has notes of Squid Game. Kingdom and Dr. Brain in its arsenal. A serial killer that leaves cryptic clues at his violent and gore-ridden murders is hunted by a homicide detective.

DIRECTOR Kim Dae-jin
WRITER Tak Jae-young

The Cast of King of Pigs Kim Sung-kyu, Kim Dong-wook, and Chae Jeong-an.

King of Pigs movie. Fantasia Film Festival 2022

Bodies Bodies Bodies

A comedy horror with social media influences, Bodies, Bodies Bodies has been the talk of the town since the premiere at 2022’s South by Southwest Film Festival. Early reviews have been mostly positive with the title sitting at a 6.1/10 on IMBD.com. The story follows a hurricane party, a game, and a bunch of friends. It looks like a good time to me. A slasher movie in an isolated wilderness type scenario and I’m in.

Bodies Bodies Bodies already has distribution with A24 and Stage Six Films with a release date scheduled for August 22nd, 2022.

DIRECTOR Halina Reijn
WRITER Sarah DeLappe, Kristen Roupenian

Cast Of Bodies Bodies Bodies

Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Myha’la Herrold, Lee Pace, Rachel Sennott, Amandla Stenberg, and, Chase Sui Wonders.

The Breach

I noticed this title because of a familiar name in the production list. Slash. Yes, that Slash, the one from Guns N Roses. The Breach movie is based on a book by Nick Cutter. The Breach is a science fiction and horror movie about a police chief, a body, and a strange house. The film has been picked up by Raven Banner Entertainment so expect a release date when it’s finished its festival run.

DIRECTOR Rodrigo Gudiño
WRITER Ian Weir and, Nick Cutter.

The Cast of The Breach

Emily Alatalo, Natalie Brown, Wesley French, and Allan Hawco.

Compulsus

The synopsis for Compulsus sounds like a more serious Promising Young Woman story. Here in Compulses Leslie randomly kills a man who has been attacking women in the city. When she is revered rather than hunted, it fuels her desire to keep it going. What’s more, she is now receiving anonymous tips on who to kill next. A drama movie with revenge and an angry women main vein.

DIRECTOR Tara Thorne,
PRODUCER Nicole Steeves,
WRITER Tara Thorne.

Cast of Compulses

Hilary Adams, Kathleen Dorian, Koumbie, Kat McCormack, and Lesley Smith.

Convenience Story

A screenwriter, Kato wants to make his first film. When his pitches all fail and his relationship does too, a simple trip to the grocery store sees him take the road less traveled. A narrative that explores the proverbial fork in the road. A drama that wants you to evaluate what you need to be inspired.

DIRECTOR Satoshi Miki
Writer Mark Schilling, Satoshi Miki

The Cast of Convenience Story Movie

Atsuko Maeda, Ryo Narita, Seiji Rokkaku, Yuki Katayama, Eri Fuse

Cult Hero

Director Jesse T. Cook’s follow-up film to Monster Brawl, Cult Hero sounds like a promising frantic, and fun time. The story follows Kallie whose husband is being brainwashed at a wellness center. She enlists the help of a cult buster and together they embark on a mission to extract him.

Director Jesse T. Cook
Writer Kevin Revie

The Cast of Cult Hero

Ry Barrett, Justin Bott, Tony Burgess, Liv Collins, Jess Vano

Deadstream

The Deadstream movie has been picked up for distribution for release, by Shudder in 2022. The film follows an internet celebrity that gets on the wrong side of a demonic spirit while live streaming in a haunted house. Expect the unexpected in this horror-comedy of the ghostly kind. Deadstream will either be woefully awful or a really good time. I don’t think there is a grey area on this. I’m mildly cautious due to the title having two directors, but happy to be proven wrong that this in itself is a bad omen.

Directors Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter.
Writers Vanessa Winter, Joseph Winter.

The Cast of the Deadstream Movie

Jason K. Wixom, Melanie Stone, and Joseph Winter.

Sissy

Another film about internet fame sees an influencer stuck in a remote cabin with her childhood nemesis. Revenge ensues.

Director and Writer Barlow Hannah, Senes Kane
The Cast of the Sissy Movie is Dee Aisha, Monk Daniel, Emily De Margheriti, Barlow Hannah, Barrett Lucy, and Ha Yerin.

Swallowed

Porn, sexual tension, and a drug mule all wrapped up in a horror and thriller movie. Swallowed is anything but boring. Carter Smith previously directed The Ruins and I’m keen to see what he does with the narrative here. Early reviews suggest the film could be good with the title sitting at 6.3/10 on IMBd.com.

Director and writer Carter Smith

The Cast of Swallowed

Jose Colõn, Cooper Koch, Jena Malone, Mark Patton

Speak No Evil

Coming to Shudder, Speak No Evil is about a Danish family who visits a Dutch family they met on vacation. The trailer looks eerily creepy but early reviews promise something extra special is on the cards with this horror and thriller movie. Most comments pointed towards an uncomfortable slow burn with a big payoff. Count me in.

Director and writer Christian Tafdrup
The Cast of Speak No Evil include Morten Burian, Sidsel Siem Koch, Karina Smulders, Fedja Van Huêt

Piggy

The poster alone had me wanting to see what Piggy was all about. It features a young girl on a long road covered in blood. I wasn’t disappointed that the story follows a bullied girl who almost drowns at a pool. She runs toward home in her bikini and something terrible happens on the way. I want to know what happens.

Director and writer Carlota Pereda
The cast of Piggy Laura Galán, and Carmen Machi.

Sharp Stick

A comedy that points out there is a cameo with Scott Speedman is something I can’t help but be interested in. With other notable casting choices for the Sharp Stick movie that I can’t avoid like Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jon Bernthal, it’s a shame that early reviews point to this title possibly being a dud. The first review I saw for this said it was “idiotic” but didn’t stop there. I still want to watch it.

Director and writer Lena Dunham

The Cast of Sharp Stick

Jon Bernthal, Lena Dunham, Kristine Froseth, Jennifer Jason Leigh and , Luka Sabbat.

Resurrection

The fact that Ressurection has been picked up by IFC Films bodes well with me. Usually more than one of their catalog makes it into my top movies of the year list. Alongside excellent performers, the story takes psychological trauma and spins it into a tale of tense drama and horror. I’m keen to see Eli Roth in the “bad guy” role as a man who causes Margaret to go to great lengths to ensure her safety. The storyline promises a well-earned payoff. Let’s cross our fingers but the title played at Sundance and so far is spewing out lots of positive reviews.

Writer and Director Andrew Semans

Cast of Resurrection

Rebecca Hall, Tim Roth, Grace Kaufman, and Michael Esper.

Hypochondriac

A tormented child grows into a man and is taken over by a spirit. So much so, that he loses the ability to control his own body. The title will be distributed by XYZFilms sometime in 2022. The Hypochondriac movie includes themes of mental illness, trauma, and plenty of the supernatural. It definitely sounds like a solid horror movie.

Director and writer Addison Heimann.

The Cast of Hypochondriac

Marlene Forte, Devon Graye, Yumarie Morales, Zach Villa, and Madeline Zima.

Fantasia Film Festival 2022 Films to Look Out For

The Elderly (A new film for All the Moons director Gonzalez Gomez Fernando, Cerezo Raul.)
Glorious (Directed by Rebekah McKendry)
Honeycomb (Avalon Fast)
Next Exit (Mali Elfman)
Polaris (Kirsten Carthew)
The Roundup (Lee Sang-yong)

For the full list of this year’s movies, along with details on panels, talks, tributes, and special events see the website. The website has a complete lineup of over 130 features and 200+ shorts available.

Fantasia Film Festival 2022 15 Movies To Watch

King of Pigs