Fantastic Fest Announces Second Wave of 2014 Programming, Adds ‘John Wick,’ ‘Nightcrawler’
Shipra Harbola Gupta
The upcoming Keanu Reeves‘ assassin thriller “John Wick,” along with the highly anticipated neo-noir “Nightcrawler,” have both been added to the Fantastic Fest line-up for this year. Reeves will be in attendance at the film’s red carpet gala screening along with “John Wick” co-directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski. The festival will also close with the U.S. premiere of “Nightcrawler,” which stars Jake Gyllenhaal.
Distributed by Lionsgate and due in theaters at the end of October, “John Wick” tells the story of an ex-hitman, played by Reeves, who is pitted against an old friend contracted to kill him. “Nightcrawler,” which will make its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival later this month, centers on an ambitious, young Los Angeles crime journalist, played by Gyllenhaal.
In addition to announcing the addition of two new high-profile titles to the festival line-up, Fantastic Fest teased its popular “Fantastic Debates” conversation series, which this year will feature a session on BitTorrent, hosted by the company’s Chief Content Officer Matt Mason. The festival invites anyone interested in expressing their opinion on the subject of BitTorrent to submit a response video to Mason’s “open call.” The winner will be notified a week prior and be given the opportunity to travel to the festival in order to settle the debate face-to-face with Mason. For more information on how to enter the debate challenge, visit the festival site.
Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, Fantastic Fest will run September 18-25 in Austin, Texas at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar and The Highball. To view the complete list of films selected in the second wave of programming announcements, see below.
“THE ABSENT ONE“
Denmark, 2014
World Premiere, 119 min
Director – Mikkel Nørgaard
Police investigators dig into the facts of a twenty year old double homicide in a desperate race to find a likely witness before the killers have the chance to silence her forever.
“AS SEEN BY THE REST” (ULIDAVARU KANDANTE)
India, 2014
North American Premiere
Director – Rakshit Shetty
Mystery abounds in this fractured gangster story from Karnataka, India. Shades of SCARFACE, PULP FICTION and RASHOMON color Rakshit Shetty’s entrancing story of good, evil and something else…
“BLIND”
Norway, 2014
Texas Premiere, 96 min
Director – Eskil Vogt
This debut gem from Eskil Vogt follows Ingrid who, having recently lost her sight, exists only in her apartment with her thoughts as a means of escape…
“THE CREEPING GARDEN”
United Kingdom, 2014
US Premiere, 81 min
Directors – Tim Grabham and Jasper Sharp
The slime mould: a form of microbial life with behavior somewhere between plant and animal and capable of primitive intelligence. Unusual? Yes, and just wait until you meet the people who study them …
“DEAD SNOW 2: RED VS DEAD” (DØD SNØ 2)
Norway-Icelans, 2014
Texas Premiere, 100 min
Director – Tommy Wirkola
Lone survivor Martin must enlist help from America to battle Colonel Herzog and his horde in this wild sequel to the original Norwegian Nazi zombie film.
“DWARVES KINGDOM“
United States, 2014
World Premiere, 80 min
Director – Matthew Salton
Some have called The Kingdom of Little People the most offensive theme park in the world. DWARVES KINGDOM takes us inside to meet its performer residents.
“THE EDITOR“
Canada, 2014
US Premiere, 102 min
Director – Adam Brooks and Matthew Kennedy
A one-handed film editor finds himself the prime suspect after a series of violent murders start happening around him in this knowing tribute to giallo from the crazy minds at Astron-6!
“ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS“
Australia, 2014
US Premiere, 107 min
Director – Mark Hartley
Mark Hartley brings his singular documentary style to the story of Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, the trailblazers behind exploitation powerhouse studio Cannon Films.
“FELT“
United States, 2014
World Premiere, 79 min
Director – Jason Banker
A young artist loses herself in an unpredictable alter ego while attempting to cope with past trauma in this gripping sophomore effort from the creator of TOAD ROAD.
“FORCE MAJEURE” (TURIST)
Sweden, 2014
US Premiere, 118 min
Director – Ruben Östlund
An upper middle-class family’s fragile existence is torn apart when a near tragedy occurs during a ski vacation and the two parents are forced confront the reality of each other’s reactions.
“FREE FALL“
Hungary, 2014
North American Premiere, 89 min
Director – GYÖRGY PÁLFI
The director of TAXIDERMIA returns with seven stories of the mundanely bizarre.
“I AM HERE“
Denmark, 2014
World Premiere, 97 min
Director – Anders Morgenthaler
A powerful business executive wanders down a dark path in order to have the child she desperately needs in this shocking piece from the director of 2007’s unusual animation PRINCESS.
“I AM TRASH” (NANEUN SSEURAEGIDA)
South Korea, 2014
World Premiere, 97 min
Director – Lee SANG-WOO
Three emotionally damaged brothers must deal with the aftermath of their father
“IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE“
Norway, 2014
Texas Premiere, 115 min
Director – Hans Petter Moland
The director and star of A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN team up once again and the result is a brutal and darkly funny tale of snow, giant machinery and revenge.
“JOHN WICK“
United States, 2014
Gala Screening, 96 min
Directors – David Leitch and Chad Stahelski
An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, JOHN WICK (Keanu Reeves) is a fresh and stylized take on the “assassin genre”. JOHN WICK opens nationwide on October 24, 2014.
“MAN FROM RENO” (RINO KARA KITA OTOKO)
Japan-United States, 2014
Austin Premiere, 111 min
Director – Dave Boyle
A Japanese crime novelist in San Francisco tries to unravel a real life murder mystery in this acclaimed neo-noir featuring Takashi Miike regular Kazuki Kitamura.
“NECROPHOBIA 3D“
Argentina, 2014
North American Premiere, 75 min
Director – Daniel De la Vega
A mentally fragile man must conquer his fear of death in order to stave off a killer’s advances.
“NIGHTCRAWLER“
United States, 2014
US Premiere, 117 min
Director – Dan Gilroy
NIGHTCRAWLER is a pulse-pounding thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.Nightcrawler opens nationwide on October 31st.
“OVER YOUR DEAD BODY” (KUIME)
Japan, 2014
US Premiere, 90 min
Director – Takashi Miike
This adaptation of a classic ghost story is a powerful return to horror for Takashi Miike.
“PURGATORY“
Spain, 2014
World Premiere, 83 min
Director – Pau Teixidor
A woman must survive the night after she welcomes a neighbor’s child into her home.
“REALITI“
New Zealand, 2014
North American Premiere, 95 min
Director – Jonathon King
A time-warping drug leaves a young media exec caught up in a criminal case while questioning the very nature of existence and reality.
“REDEEMER“
Chile, 2014
World Premiere, 88 min
Director – Ernesto Díaz Espinosa
In order to atone for his past sins, he’ll not only kick your ass, he’ll impale your face and shred you to bits. Marko Zaror is the Redeemer!
“SPRING“
US, 2014
US Premiere, 105 min
Directors – Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead
After the death of his mother and a bar altercation that could mean jail time, Evan leaves California for Italy, where he falls for a mysterious young woman.
“THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA“
Japan, 2014
US Premiere, 137 min
Director – Isao Takahata
A breathtakingly animated tale of a woman, the men who want to control her, and the moon. The latest from Studio Ghibli.
“TOKYO TRIBE“
Japan, 2014
US Premiere, 116 min
Director – Sion Sono
Festival favorite Sion Sono returns with an exercise in brash, colorful chaos pitting street gangs against one another in a bold hip hop musical.
“THE TREATMENT“
Belgium, 2014
US Premiere, 127 min
Director – Hans Herbots
A police inspector with a dark past leads an increasingly personal manhunt when a nine-year-old child goes missing.
“WHISPERS BEHIND THE WALL“
Germany, 2013
North American , 90 min
Director – Grzegorz Muskala
A naive young man falls for his beautiful—and very dangerous—landlord in this depraved voyeuristic thriller.
