Festival Fantasia 2025: Queer Highlights
A Bold, Inclusive Lineup for the 29th Edition of Fantasia
From July 16 to August 3, 2025, the Fantasia International Film Festival returns to Montreal for its 29th edition, with over 125 feature films and 200 short films on the docket. The event kicks off with Ari Aster’s Eddington — a paranoia-driven pandemic western headlined by Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler — and wraps with Genndy Tartakovsky’s animated film Fixed. Among the standout selections are Cielo by Alberto Sciamma and Ben Léonberg’s Good Boy. The queer lineup continues to make waves for its emotional depth, fearless storytelling, and unapologetically vibrant perspectives.
Feature Films: Queer Stories in the Spotlight
Fucktoys: A Wild Queer Trip Through the Louisiana Bayou
Directed by and starring Annapurna Sriram, Fucktoys delivers an over-the-top, gritty ode to John Waters and Russ Meyer. Set in the mystical Louisiana bayous, the film follows AP, a cursed sex worker on a mission to collect $1,000 to visit a psychic. Shot on vivid 16mm, this sexually charged, hilariously campy epic features Big Freedia as the mysterious psychic and François Arnaud in a magnetic supporting role.
📍 Théâtre Hall | 🕓 July 22 at 9:30 PM (paired with The Rebirth)
Influencers: CW Returns in a Twisted Social Media Thriller
Kurtis David Harder brings back Cassandra Naud’s mysterious CW in Influencers, a follow-up to the successful Influencer. Set in Southern France, CW is pitted against another influencer hungry for fame, played by Veronica Long. With style, suspense, and deliciously dark humor, the film explores the dark side of fame and curated identities online.
📍 Théâtre Hall | 🕓 July 25 at 6:15 PM (paired with Headcase)
Looking for an Angel: Quiet Queer Elegance from Rural Japan
Filmed in 1999 and directed by Akihiro Suzuki, Looking for an Angel is an introspective, lyrical journey through memory and mourning. Set against a rural Japanese backdrop, two friends share heartfelt conversations about a lost companion — a former adult film actor — embracing themes of queer friendship, grief, and quiet resilience.
📍 Théâtre Hall | 🕓 July 28 at 4:45 PM (paired with Strawberry Shortcake)
Old Guys in Bed: Intimacy, Age, and Queer Connections
Veteran director JP Bergeron offers a refreshingly tender take on later-life sexuality with Old Guys in Bed. The story follows Paul, a 60-something historian accessing hook-up apps with the surprising help of his teenage niece. With humor and humanity, this film sharply challenges ageism and explores gerontophilia without apology.
📍 Cinéma du Musée | 🕓 August 3 at 7:00 PM
Queens of the Dead: Drag Performance and Zombie Mayhem
Tina Romero, daughter of horror legend George A. Romero, brings flair and fright in Queens of the Dead. When a zombie outbreak derails a Brooklyn drag show, performer Dre must lead the charge. Blending horror with dazzling camp, the film features standout performances from Katy O’Brian and Margaret Cho in a riotously queer spin on the undead apocalypse.
📍 Théâtre Hall | 🕓 August 2 at 9:30 PM (paired with Whitch)
The Serpent’s Skin: Transgressive Gothic Fairytale with a Queer Edge
In The Serpent’s Skin, 20-year-old director Mackay unleashes a rebellious queer fantasy rooted in gothic horror. The film follows runaway Anna and tattooed outsider Gen as they unintentionally summon a demon. Featuring Alexandra McVicker and Betsey Brown, it’s an electric, defiant portrait of power, desire, and the uncanny.
📍 Salle J.A. de Sève | 🕓 July 23 at 9:25 PM & July 25 at 12:00 PM (paired with The Dysphoria)
Touch Me: Sci-Fi Meets Sensory Intimacy
Directed by Addison Heinmann, Touch Me is a genre-blending story fueled by emotion, satire, and surrealism. Hovering between dark comedy and sci-fi, it follows three entangled lives transformed by a strange extraterrestrial parasite. With performances from Olivia Taylor Dudley, Lou Taylor Pucci, and Jordan Gavaris, it’s a psychedelic dive into addiction, vulnerability, and identity.
📍 Salle J.A. de Sève | 🕓 August 2 at 7:05 PM & August 3 at 2:05 PM
Queer Short Films: Bold, Diverse, and Unforgettable
This year’s queer short film program is bursting with creativity, radical vision, and emotional honesty. Highlights from the shorts showcase include:
- The Dysphoria
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Heart Hunter
- Twinkhood
- Visceral
- No Love Lost
- Dumpster Duchess
- Blair’s Craft Project
- …and many more must-see gems.
Festival Venues and Access
Screenings will take place at top venues across Montreal, including Théâtre Hall, Salle J.A. de Sève, Cinéma du Musée, Cinémathèque québécoise, and Galerie BBAM! For the full festival schedule, film summaries, and ticket information, visit the official Fantasia site at fantasiafestival.com/fr.