Film festivals provide the opportunity to experience a wealth of incredible films that few people have heard of yet. With trailers often spoiling way too much in an effort to sell the film to an apathetic audience, going in blind is a luxury few can afford. This is why I encourage you to check out your local film festival and support independent filmmaking. Every year around July I start getting antsy because I know that Fantasia Film Festival is just around the corner. In years past we’ve seen some absolutely stellar entries. Hell, last year’s Red Rooms is still one of my favorite films of the decade and it’s yet it’s still under many people’s radar.

That’s the great thing about film festivals in general but Fantasia has the ability to bring about this feeling more often than not. Because their selection is always absolutely killer. From Elijah Wood’s Bookworm, to RKSS’s Wake Up, there’s sure to be many films that take audiences by surprise and give us some new favorites. So let’s take a look at 5 Horror Films we’re looking forward to seeing the most at Fantasia Film Festival 2024.

Cuckoo:

Serving as the Montreal Premiere for the film, this may just be the most intriguing film of the festival circuit. Limited on information, it’s clear this features absolute powerhouse performances from Hunter Shafer and Dan Stevens. I’m going into this one with as little as possible and I cannot wait. The buzz for this one is out of this world and Tilman Singer may be a force to be reckoned with.

Azrael:

Samara Weaving seems to be a staple of the horror genre and I’m certainly not complaining. Azrael follows a society without speech, which sacrifices people in order to appease the Gods. The trope of “blonde girl covered in blood” provides an incredible visual and this one is likely to be on the slower side with its lack of dialogue. But I can’t wait to see how much tension the filmmakers are able to make from the silence.

Witchboard:

Chuck Russell’s mark on the genre could have ended with Dream Warriors and The Blob and he would be an absolute legend. But the fact that he’s returning to the genre after all these years makes me giddy as a schoolgirl. The Ouija board is a fun source for horror and, despite its multiple trends, it still feels underutilized. Hopefully, the Witchboard will change things up and bring about a whole new level of stakes.

The Beast Within:

Whose to say if Kit Harington sticks around the horror genre (I still fondly remember the so-bad-it’s-good film Silent Hill: Revelation) but he’s got me intrigued with his werewolf film. The werewolf story allows for some really interesting character studies and I always love the practical effects involved in creature features. Whether they go the more subdued route is anyone’s guess but I’m expecting something classy from this.

Shelby Oaks:

I’ll be honest, this is closer to wanting to watch a car wreck than actually thinking this is a good movie. The rumor is that Flanagan was brought on to salvage it in the edit but who knows if that’s true or not. At this point, Flanagan doesn’t tend to attach his names to stuff willy-nilly, so I suspect that whatever was wrong with it, has been figured out. There have been plenty of instances where a workprint doesn’t work and then some editor comes along and saves it. Maybe this is one of those scenarios. I think any of us who are in the Youtube space, hoping to break out into film are looking at Stuckman as inspiration. Here’s hoping he pulls it off!

What are you most looking forward to at Fantasia? Any films you want to make sure we cover? Both myself and Chris Bumbray will be covering the festival and can’t wait to dive into these incredible horror titles.

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