Fantasia Film Fest announces first wave of horror and thriller titles for 2022

2022 Fantasia Film Fest is right away the corner, and the Montreal-based festival has released the first wave of film titles. Fantasia’s in-person edition runs from July 14 through August 3, and offers the best and brightest in upcoming genre films.

As with many film festivals, potential distributors look to Fantasia for the films they want to represent for wide release at later dates. Fantasia will also be presenting a career achievement award to iconic action film director John Woo (Face/Off).

Here are the horror/thriller films coming to the Fantasia Film Fest this year:

Glorious – A sci-fi/horror/comedy mashup, Glorious stars Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) as Wes, who finds himself locked in a rest stop bathroom with a frightening figure speaking to him from another stall.

The Breach – Rue Morgue Magazine founder Rodrigo Gudino co-wrote the screeplay for The Breach, which focuses on a mysterious death and the backlash that follows. The description indicates that we can expect heavy doses of gore, as well as a musical score by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash.

The Harbringer – When Monique’s friend begins suffering from horrific nightmares, she leaves quarantine to help, but it turns out that nightmares are now happening to her as well. This seems like a film inspired by COVID.

Megolomaniac – This is based on the true story of the Belgian serial killer known as the Butcher of Mons. The Butcher dismembered five women, placing their body parts in trash bags, which he planted over time.

Moloch –  Dutch filmmaker Nico van den Brink brings us this creepy story of a woman living just outside of a peat bog in the Netherlands. Van den Brink also brought us Sweet Tooth, which had its premiere at Fantasia.

Legions – Described as Argentinian folk horror, Legions is about a shaman who has been sent to an insane asylum, making it difficult for him to fight evil forces that are hard at work in Argentina.

All Jacked Up and Full of Worms – A small budget indie film, this one is being described as a “wriggling, drug-induced creature feature nightmare.”

Deadstream – An Official Selection for SXSW 2022, Deadstream is about a disgraced internet star who tries to make himself relevant again by livestreaming his stay alone at a haunted house. I think it’s safe to say that it all goes horribly wrong.

Resurrection – A lot of horror these days seems to deal with trauma, and Resurrection is described as one of those films. “You will be shocked. You will be devastated.”

Speak No Evil – This Danish film was described by Variety as “a squirm-inducing” tale, and compared to disturbing horror films Funny Games and Wolf Creek. A Danish family on vacation are befriended by a Dutch family, who, as it turns out, are not such good friends after all.

Fantasia will be announcing a second wave of titles early in June, with the full roster finally revealed at the end of the month.

Films will be presented in the Concordia Hall Cinema, Cinematheque Quebecoise, Cinema du Musee and the McCord Museum.

Which Fantasia titles do you find the most interesting? List them all in the comments section.