John Wick Film Still - H 2014
Courtesy of Fons PRAfter boxing/debating the Fantastic Fest founder at last year’s event, Keanu Reeves will return to the Austin-based film festival once again this year with his new film, John Wick.
The festival announced its second wave of programming, which includes Reeves’ actioner, plus closing night film Nightcrawler, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, which will have its U.S. premiere at the festival.
Lionsgate’s John Wick stars Reeves as a former hitman who comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him. Directed by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, the film also stars Willem Dafoe and Adrianne Palicki.
At the 2013 fest, Reeves participated in Fantastic Debates, an event featuring Alamo CEO and Fantastic Fest co-founder Tim League sparring in a verbal debate followed by a round of boxing with an opponent.
Nightcrawler, written and directed by Dan Gilroy, will serve as the fest’s closing night film. It stars Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism.
As previously announced, Kevin Smith‘s Tusk will open the fest.
Additionally, this year’s Fantastic Debates event will feature Matt Mason, chief content officer for BitTorrent, Inc, who has issued an open challenge for anyone to tackle the debate of whether BitTorrent.com is a valuable tool for creative artists or a playground for theft.
Celebrating its 10th year, Fantastic Fest runs Sept. 18-25 in Austin, Texas.
A complete list of added films is below.
THE ABSENT ONE
Denmark, 2014
World Premiere, 119 min
Director – Mikkel Norgaard
Police investigators dig into the facts of a 20-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
U.S. Premiere, 81 min
Directors – Tim Grabham and Jasper Sharp
The slime mold: 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 (DOD SNO 2)
Norway-Iceland, 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
U.S. 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
U.S. 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
U.S. Premiere, 118 min
Director – Ruben Ostlund
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 to confront the reality of each other’s reactions.
FREE FALL
Hungary, 2014
North American Premiere, 89 min
Director – GYORGY PALFI
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 is a fresh and stylized take on the “assassin genre.” JOHN WICK opens nationwide on Oct. 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
U.S. 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 31, 2014.
OVER YOUR DEAD BODY (KUIME)
Japan, 2014
U.S. 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
United States, 2014
U.S. Premiere, 105 min
Directors – Justin Benson and 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
U.S. 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
U.S. 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 Premiere, 90 min
Director – Grzegorz Muskala
A naive young man falls for his beautiful — and very dangerous — landlord in this depraved, voyeuristic thriller.
