Fantasia 2026 Opens in Montreal with Nicolas Winding Refn's Her Private Hell

The Fantasia International Film Festival celebrates its 30th edition in Montreal from 16 July to 2 August 2026. The genre festival will screen more than 125 feature films and over 200 short films across venues including the Théâtre Hall, the J. A. de Sève hall at Concordia University and the Cinéma du Musée. The opening film is Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell, presented in its Canadian premiere. Refn will also receive the Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award during the festival. Other highlights include the world premiere of FREAKS PART II, which closes the event, and new works by Takashi Shimizu – the world premiere of Village of Eight Gravestones and the North American premiere of The Mouths. The program also features recent titles such as The Last Temptation of Becky, Nightborn, Colony and additional premieres from Kiyoshi Kurosawa and other genre filmmakers.