'The Suicide Squad' Will Screen Early At The Fantasia Film Festival

The Suicide Squad is one of the most highly anticipated superhero movies of the year, and attendees of Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival will be among the lucky few to get to see it early. James Gunn's The Suicide Squad will be shown in a special event screening at the Fantasia Film Festival, two days before the film opens in theaters on August 6.

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Fantasia Film Festival announced that a special event screening of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad will be held on August 4, the day before the festival officially kicks off with the world premiere of Brain Freeze. The screening will be held at Montreal's historic Imperial Theater — the only in-person screening of the virtual festival, which will be screen the rest of its films virtually and geo-locked to Canada (with select press access granted worldwide).

Tickets will be available to the public.

Gunn is a longtime friend of Fantasia, first attending the festival in 1997 and holding the Canadian premiere of his Marvel superhero smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy at Fantasia in 2014. So it's fitting that The Suicide Squad, which comes from the other side of the aisle in Warner Bros.' DC film universe, will get the Fantasia red carpet rolled out for it as well.

Fantasia also revealed its second wave of titles to premiere at the upcoming virtual festival, which runs from August 5-25. Those titles include the world premieres of Ruth Platt's Martyrs Lane, the Timur Bekmambetov (Searching) produced screen-life thriller #BLUE_WHALE, the supernatural feature Ghosting Gloria, and the meme documentary You Can't Kill Meme.

A few more buzzy premieres: Yukinori Makabe's Love, Life and Goldfish, Stefan Lernous's Hotel Poseidon, Kazuaki Seki's JIGOKU-NO-HANAZONO ~ OFFICE ROYALE ~, and Hong Eui-jeong's Voice of Silence. Plus a few Sundance hits like We're All Going to the World's Fair and Prisoners of the Ghostland.

A third and final wave of titles, including the closing night film, will be unveiled in July.

Here are additional second-wave titles:

THE BETA TEST

USA – Dirs. Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe

In Jim Cummings' acclaimed third feature, following THUNDER ROAD and THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW, a married Hollywood agent (Cummings) receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, infidelity, and weaponized digital data. THE BETA TEST is a witty and subversive black comedy/thriller that drips with venom and style. Co-starring Virginia Newcomb, PJ McCabe, and Kevin Changaris. Official Selection: Berlinale 2021, Tribeca 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION

USA – Dir. Jacob Gentry

In the late 90s, a video archivist (Harry Shum Jr) unearths a series of sinister pirate broadcasts and becomes obsessed with uncovering the dark conspiracy behind them. A freakish new nightmare from the director of SYNCHRONICITY, BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION uses real-life broadcast hacks as the jumping-off point for an engrossing technological thriller. Co-starring Kelley Mack and Chris Sullivan. Official Selection: SXSW 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

COLLECTORS

South Korea – Dir. Park Jung-bae

A tomb raider assembles a ragtag team to steal an unobtainable artifact. Part Korean historical adventure, part gripping crime thriller, and part character-driven comedy; Park Jung-bae's impressive feature debut COLLECTORS is the perfect fusion of OCEAN'S ELEVEN and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK featuring an all-star cast led by the talented Lee Je-hoon (BLEAK NIGHT). CANADIAN PREMIERE.

DREAMS ON FIRE

Canada-Japan – Dir. Philippe McKie

DREAMS ON FIRE tells the story of Yume, a young Japanese woman making her way into the world of dance in Tokyo. Featuring colourful visuals and spectacular dance scenes, the film depicts an environment with no place for the weak. Exploring different Japanese dance styles, the debut feature from Philippe McKie, a Quebec filmmaker who's been living in Japan for 10 years, stars popular dancer Bambi Naka in her first leading role. Official Selection: Glasgow Film Festival 2021. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.

GEORAMA BOY PANORAMA GIRL

Japan – Dir. Natsuki Seta

Ah, teenage romance! It's full of embarrassing misunderstandings and cruel twists and turns that make you feel like your life is over. Director and screenwriter Natsuki Seta (A LIAR AND A BROKEN GIRL) exposes this delicate period of our life with this beautiful, sensitive, and touching coming-of-age story adapted from Kyoko Okazaki's manga. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

HOLD ME BACK

Japan – Dir. Akiko Ohku

Mitsuko (Non) thrives on being alone –until her heart gets in the way. The latest from rom-com master Akiko Ohku (TREMBLE ALL YOU WANT) that shatters the conventions of the genre and culminates in a psychologically-driven portrait of a woman on the verge of a personal breakthrough (or breakdown?). Winner of the Audience Award, Tokyo International Film Festival 2020. QUÉBEC PREMIERE.

MOTHER SCHMUCKERS

Belgium – Dirs. Lenny and Harpo Guit

MOTHER SCHMUCKERS follows 24 hours in the absurd and adventurous lives of Belgian misfits Issachar and Zabulon, their father (Mathieu Amalric), and a parade of characters, each more dim-witted than the last. The debut feature from the Guit brothers is a crazy, trashy, and wacky comedy, reminiscent of comedic masters Tim & Eric by way of Gaston Lagaffe comics and STEP BROTHERS, and full of deliriously over-the-top poop jokes, self-produced cinematic inventiveness, and the largest dose of camp you'll see this year. Official Selection: Sundance 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

ORA, ORA, BE GOIN' ALONE

Japan – Dir. Shuichi Okita

Momoko (Yuko Tanaka), a 75-year-old widow living alone in the suburbs of Tokyo, reflects on her younger self (Yu Aoi) and the "voices of her heart" come alive as a comedic trio that transports her through the past and present. Official Selection: Busan International Film Festival 2020, Tokyo International Film Festival 2020. QUÉBEC PREMIERE.

PAUL DOOD'S DEADLY LUNCH BREAK

UK – Dir. Nick Gillespie

Bodies begin to stack in the aftermath of a talent competition gone bad as big-hearted, well-meaning loser Paul Dood (Tom Meeten) becomes simultaneously internet famous and hunted by the police. The hilarious sophomore feature from regular Ben Wheatley collaborator Nick Gillespie (TANK 432) co-stars Alice Lowe, Johnny Vegas, and Kris Marshall. Official Selection: SXSW 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND

USA  – Dir. Sion Sono

A notorious criminal (Nicolas Cage) must break an evil curse in order to rescue a girl (Sofia Boutella) who has mysteriously disappeared in the insane US debut of legendary Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono (LOVE EXPOSURE, COLD FISH). Co-starring Nick Cassavetes, Tak Sakaguchi, and Bill Moseley. Official Selection: Sundance 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

SEXUAL DRIVE

Japan – Dir. Kota Yoshida

Fermented soybeans, mapo tofu, fatty pork ramen. A sex film without sex; three unexpected stories of food and libido, from new school pinku director Kota Yoshida. Official Selection: International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

STRAWBERRY MANSION

USA – Dirs. Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley

In a future where the government records dreams and taxes them, a dream auditor (co-director Kentucker Audley) gets caught up in an aging eccentric's subconscious. Richly cinematic, playfully inventive, and very, very funny, this unconventional fantasy-romance will have you smiling through the rest of the year. From the makers of SYLVIO. Official Selection: Sundance 2021, Seattle Film Festival 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.

TIME

Hong Kong – Dir. Ricky Ko

Two big stars of Hong Kong's golden age, Petrina Fung and Patrick Tse (SHAOLIN SOCCER), play former assassins who struggle to maintain relevance in the modern world. In order to put their martial arts mastery to use, they form the Guardian Angels of the Elderly, a team who use their skills to help the elderly out of their misery, whether it's due to sickness or being jaded with life. This first feature from director Ricky Ko is a nostalgic dark comedy that freshly explores social issues regarding old age with humor, heart, and action. Official Selection: Hong Kong International Film Festival 2021, International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.