It’s 2026, and another exciting year for the annual Fantasia International Film Festival! Check out my five picks for must-see titles after the jump…
BLACK ZOMBIE
In a bid to recontextualize the modern zombie—and to provide a historically accurate history of its derivation—Black Zombie may appear at first glance as a traditional genre documentary. Instead, this compelling film traces disturbing patterns throughout cinematic depictions of zombies, especially in the earlier years when the only basis was a racist text from Western traveler/author/sadomasochist William Seabrook. Those interested in black history and zombies should shamble over without pause.
THE LEADER
Writer/director Michael J. Gallagher (Smiley) digs under the surface of caricature to uncover what lies beneath in The Leader. This passion project dares to inject cutting dark humor into the proceedings that helps the jet blackness go down just a little easier. Vera Farmiga and Tim Blake Nelson play the two leaders of the Heaven’s Gate cult; their characters are directly responsible for the largest mass suicide ever recorded on US soil. Don’t miss this chilling thriller.
NEVER AFTER DARK
The delightfully creepy Never After Dark presents unique horror flavor with the flare of House of Ninjas showrunner Dave Boyle on board as writer/director/producer. Its elegant mystery unfolds slowly, bookended by the eerie glow of a melting candle. Medium Airi (Moeka Hoshi) wanders with one specific mission in mind. When a person dies obsessed with something worldly, they become trapped in a temporal loop, stuck at a single moment. However, Airi refuses to work after dark—at night, she warns, the veil between worlds becomes dangerously thin. For fans of the Insidious films, Never After Dark plunges viewers straight into a shadow realm, akin to The Further.
RECLUSE
What if your supposed family curse was, in fact, a horrifying reality? In hauntingly gothic Recluse, sound recordist Joan (Sasha Frolova) is drawn back to her estranged artist father’s sprawling estate in the aftermath of a freakish accident. The man becomes completely bedridden, encased in a plaster mask covering his face, speaking in barely intelligible mumbles. As Joan sifts through eerie cassette recordings, the chilling spectre of the Wyatt family curse looms large. Henry Chaisson’s feature film debut provides plenty of fresh nightmare fuel for genre fanatics. Atmospheric and disturbing, Recluse may be your next horror obsession.
A SAFE DISTANCE
When Alex (Bethany Brown) and her longtime boyfriend, Joey (Chris McNally), head deep into the wilderness for a romantic getaway, all seems to go according to plan. After he abandons her in the woods, Alex crosses paths with passionate, off-the-grid young couple Kianna (Tandia Mercedes) and Matt (Cody Kearsley). Director Gloria Mercer and screenwriter Aidan West explore gender dynamics and decaying relationships as they play in the erotic thriller sandbox with a beautiful woodsy backdrop.
For more information about this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival, including ticketing and the entire lineup, please head over to the official festival website for full details.