‘The Last Temptation of Becky,’ ‘The Eyes,’ ‘Hot Spot’ and ‘Ferine’ Among Fantasia 2026 First Wave Line-Up (EXCLUSIVE)

The Fantasia International Film Festival has announced its first wave of 2026 premiere titles, including Jenn Wexler’s “The Last Temptation of Becky,” Kasper Kalle’s “No Rest for the Wicked” and Andrea Corsini’s “Ferine,” among others. The festival’s 30th edition, running from July 16 through August 2, will return to the Concordia Hall and J.A. de Sève cinemas in Montreal.

In addition to the aforementioned, other titles announced include Makoto Ueda’s “You Are the Film,” Yeom Ji-oh’s “The Eyes,” Harrison Atkins’ “Sour Minnows” and Giddens Ko’s “Kung Fu.” Casey Walker’s “Home Bodies,” Koichi’s “Captured!,” Harrison Houde’s “Tight Lettuce,” Michael Gabriele’s “Unholy Night” and Yu Nakamoto’s “Break Free” will also premiere at the 2026 edition of the Montreal genre festival.

World premieres include the action sequel “The Last Temptation of Becky,” “No Rest for the Wicked,” “Home Bodies,” “Sour Minnows,” “Rubberhead: The Life & Monsters Of Steve Johnson,” “Ancestral Beasts” and “Unholy Night.” Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s “Hot Spot,” starring Andrzej Konopka and Noomi Rapace and set for release by Focus Features, will also have its world premiere.

“You Are the Film,” “The Eyes,” “Break Free” and “Kung Fu” will make their North American premiere, as will Yusuke Iwasaki’s “Anymart,” Edwin‘s “Sleep No More” and Akira Nagai’s “Suzuki=Bakudan.”

Last year, the Fantasia International Film Festival saw the world premieres of films, including “Undertone” directed by Ian Tuason, “Terrestrial” directed by Steve Pink, “I Live Here Now” directed by Julie Pacino and “The Woman” directed by Hwang Wook.

The festival will include screenings, workshops and launch events. Fantasia’s full lineup will be announced in stages by early July.

Fantasia is presented by MELS in collaboration with Concordia University, and made possible by the financial support of Telefilm Canada, the Société́ de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), the Ministère du Tourisme, the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation, the city of Montréal, the Conseil des arts de Montréal and Tourisme Montréal.

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“A playful homage to the cozy mystery genre, The Lure of Ponies poignantly explores
themes of abandonment, longing, and desire.
Director Beck Underwood embraces the intangible spirit life of the inanimate
with energy and humor in her debut feature.”
– 2025 Woodstock Film Festival

@spellboundattic

catching up on recent posts…
here’s an interview with old pals at
ICONS OF FRIGHT.

Chris Skotchdopole’s CRUMB CATCHER in good company on Rotten Tomatoes.
Certified Fresh!

Stream CRUMB CATCHER today!

DIRECTOR: Ilya Chaiken
CAST: Al Thompson, Kareem Savinon, Anny Mariano, Rayniel Rufino

BUY TICKETS

Derrick and Tico lose their jobs at the Statue of Liberty tourist site due to the 9/11 attacks. As they struggle to survive in the aftermath, courted by Army recruiters and tempted by street life, the two friends pursue divergent paths to an elusive future.

Director Ilya Chaiken and actors Kareem Saviñon, Johnny Rivera and Anny Mariano join us at the Roxy Cinema for a post-film discusssion and Q&A following a screening of their 2007 feature, Liberty Kid.
moderated by Rigo Garay

DIRECTOR Ilya Chaiken

CAST Eleanor Hutchins, Larry Fessenden, Holly Ramos, Barbara Sicuranza

Zelda confronts the end of the party in the 1990s starving artist Brooklyn scene, trying to navigate adulthood with a baby, a deadbeat poet boyfriend, a best friend recovering from addiction, and a loft teeming with carousing roommates. A chorus of boozy mom-punks and an incremental series of crises help bring Zelda’s life into focus.

TICKETS

DIRECTOR: Ilya Chaiken
CAST: Theo Kogan, Gina Volpe, Sydney Silver, Sindi Benezra
PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION with Glass Eye Pix

The Lunachicks, an all-female punk band renowned for their unabashed humor and unwavering pro-women ethos, made their mark on NYC’s underground music scene in the ‘90s. A rollercoaster of drugs, romances, and creative conflicts ultimately led to their 2000 breakup, but can love of the music reunite them for one last show? Buoyed by energetic storytelling, gritty ’80s-’90s nightclub footage, insightful interviews, and high-voltage performances, this is a must-watch for music history enthusiasts.

“Pretty Ugly: The Story of The Lunachicks
starts out at a 10 out of 10 and stays there…
Director Chaiken begins with fun and keeps it coming throughout.
It is one of the most exciting rock documentaries ever made.
It radiates fun like the sun radiates heat. Really good movies make you high. 
Pretty Ugly: The Story of The Lunachicks gets you f*****g blasted.”
—Film Threat

by  Rachel Reeves

The subgenre of eco-horror exists to remind us that the Earth and natural world were here long before each and every one of us, and will remain so long after we depart this mortal coil. It is horror rooted in the idea that nature does not exist to serve or be controlled by short-sighted humans, and can indeed fight back. Whether it’s killer animals, toxic contamination, mutation, or the general sense that the planet is fed up with our abuse, eco-horror is one of the most enduring and prescient corners of the genre. 

That said, it makes perfect sense that eco-horror began to gain real momentum in the 1970s. While examples of eco-horror existed long before that, Earth Day launched in 1970 as part of the modern environmental movement. The EPA was created that same year amid growing public anxiety over pollution, pesticides, and the compounding damage being done to our air, water, and land. That combo made the decade a fertile breeding ground for stories about nature striking back. You can almost feel the era’s fear of industrial excess seeping straight onto the screen.

Even today, eco-horror still works because the anxieties behind it, unfortunately, never went away. Despite all the advances made in the last few decades, science remains constantly questioned, planned obsolescence keeps landfills full, and extreme weather events are only increasing. 

If you, too, are feeling frustrated and have sympathy for the planet that sustains life for us all, here are 7 eco-horror films to check out, along with where to stream them, to help channel that angst.

The Last Winter (2006)

Larry Fessenden’s The Last Winter blends snow horror with eco-horror, taking place in the freezing, godforsaken Arctic. Starring Ron Perlman, Connie Britton, James LeGros, Zach Gilford, and Kevin Corrigan, the movie kicks off as an oil company’s push into the Alaska tundra taps into something unexpected and very dangerous. The crew soon begins to experience eerie visions, disappearances, and paranoia as the land itself seems to rebel against their presence.

Where to watch: Shudder

Read whole list at BD!