The Films of Fantasmagoría 6 – The Fantastic and Horror Film Festival

Fantasmagoría 6 – The Fantastic and Horror Film Festival has its 2024 lineup ready.

In 10 days, the sixth edition of the Fantasmagoría Festival will kick off in Medellín, an event dedicated to fantastic and horror cinema. This year, it will focus on the mythical and folkloric figure of the lycanthrope or werewolf, one of the richest and most explored characters in literature and cinema.

More than 46 feature films and 40 short films make up this year's selection.

From October 10 to 20, attendees will immerse themselves in genre cinema, with premieres in Colombia of a large group of films selected for the festival, which will open with the country’s premiere of "Stopmotion" (UK, 2023), the debut feature of Robert Morgan. The film follows a talented stop-motion animator battling her demons after the death of her authoritarian mother and is consumed by the grotesque world of her terrifying creations.

Highlights from the Official Fiction Selection

There are two standout Latin American films. "Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse" (Mexico), the new story from Isaac Ezban, a dystopian coming-of-age film, and "1978" (Argentina) by the Onetti brothers, set during the military dictatorship, showing a group of torturers who violently interrupt the World Cup final between Argentina and the Netherlands and kidnap a group of young people.

Vittorio de Sica’s grandson, Brando de Sica, premiered "Mimi: Prince of Darkness" in Locarno last year, a vampire film about a teenage orphan born with deformed feet who works in a pizzeria, where she meets a girl claiming to be a descendant of Count Dracula. Together, they decide to flee. Two Canadian titles are also featured: the thriller "The G" by Karl R. Hearne, starring veteran actress Dale Dickey, and "Daughter of the Sun," an intimate story directed by Ryan Ward.

From Serbia comes "Mudbrick," a folk horror film that takes us to an old house in a traditional Eastern European village, where a man returns only to discover the inhabitants are hiding a dark secret. For gore lovers, there’s "Mads," the new film from David Moreau (France), about a teenage girl who, after a night of partying and drugs, picks up an injured woman, and her night takes an unexpected and surreal turn.

For witch fans, there’s "Falling Stars" (USA), which follows three brothers who, on the first night of the harvest, go into the desert to see the corpse of a witch. Finally, from Germany comes "Karigula," a black comedy about a failed clown who, after his wife's death, fails in several suicide attempts. When he accidentally falls into the hands of a serial killer, he hopes she will accomplish what he couldn’t.

Highlights from the Official Documentary Selection

Five films will be shown in this section, including "Satan Wants You," about the Satanic Panic in the United States; "Generation Terror," which pays homage to and analyzes 1990s films; and "Sharksploitation," honoring the feared shark in horror cinema.

Rounding out this section are two must-see films: "Dario Argento: Panic," which delves into the life of the master of Italian giallo, and "The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee."

The official short film selection will feature five Latin American shorts competing for the “Jairo Pinilla” award and the "Fantlatam" award. Additionally, five animated shorts will compete for the "Gritos Animados" award, and there will be a showcase of this format, including dramas, dystopias, and mysteries.

Fantastic Colombia

One of the most attention-grabbing sections is Fantastic Colombia, as Fantasmagoría has become a unique space for discovering new national talent dedicated to these genres, as well as classic works from pioneers of Colombian cinema. In fact, this edition will feature an official selection of Colombian short films competing for the Madremonte award.

In this format, the selection will include: "We are Almost There" by Carlos Prías; "Silence in the Lagoon" by Álvaro Jiménez Garzón and Julian Montenegro; "The Third World After the Sun" by Analú Laferal and Tiagx Vélez; "Imagine" by Pablo Tobón-Gallo; and "Germ" by Camilo López Mondragón and Luisa Fonseca Bernal.

The category will be rounded out with "Shit Happens and Miracles Too," which after being shown at the Sitges Festival, will be presented in Colombia with its existential zombie story written as a comedy.

Fantasmagoría 6 will pay tribute to national directors who have tackled the fantasy genre by screening their films within these narratives. On one hand, it will show "I Am Another" by director, screenwriter, and producer Oscar Campo, who ventured into science fiction with this title in 2008. Additionally, the festival will screen the short films "Why is Dracula Hiding?" (1980) by Camila Loboguerrero, a pioneering Colombian filmmaker; "Passengers in Transit" by Gala del Sol; and "Sirens in the Mist" directed by Daniela Narváez.

Showcases

Asian Showcase by Doctor Calamar
This showcase will feature classic and memorable works curated by Doctor Calamar. "A Samurai in Time" will be screened, a story about samurai and time travel that has already become Japan’s new "One Cut of the Dead." Another must-see this year is "Dead or Alive (DOA)," in which Takashi Miike brings his hyper-kinetic style to the last yakuza films.

Weird and Experimental Showcase
Curated by Carolina Rojas and Alejandra Rocas, two cult films will be shown: "Videodrome" and "The Hunger."

Parallel Worlds Showcase
This showcase aims to expand different approaches to modern fantasy cinema. Here you’ll see the Spanish horror film "Faro," the sci-fi thriller "Boreal," the slasher "Erbsünde – Veil of Sin," and the religious horror anthology "Saint Catherine."

Fists of Fury Showcase
For the more experienced genre fans, this showcase will feature two prodigious works: "The Raid" and "The Way of the Dragon."

One of the novelties of this edition of Fantasmagoría 6 is the return of the "Movie Night at San Pedro" event, organized in collaboration with the San Pedro Cemetery Museum, where a guided tour of the cemetery will be followed by a screening of the mythical Leonardo Favio film, "Nazareno Cruz and the Wolf."

Special Screenings

The iconic found-footage film "The Blair Witch Project" celebrates its 25th anniversary, and Roger Corman will be honored with a screening of one of his great classics, "The Raven," which was released 61 years ago.

Guests

Special guests include Argentine director Luciano Onetti, Argentine producer Carlos Goitia, and Cali-based filmmaker Oscar Campo.

The complete lineup of films for the Fantasmagoría 6 Festival will be screened in Medellín at the Colombo Americano, the MAMM, Procinal, Comfama, the Parque de los Deseos, the Debora Arango Technological Institute of Arts, and the EPM, Comfenalco Castilla, and Exploratorio libraries.

The festival will close on October 20 with a surprise film.

For the full schedule, visit: https://festivalfantasmagoriamedellin.com/edicion-2024/

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