FANTASY WORLDWIDE International Film Festival - Toronto, Nov. 4-6 2005

[Kevin Boyd]

 

First of its kind fantasy film festival launches in Toronto

FANTASY WORLDWIDE International Film Festival debut

 

Toronto, October 3, 2005 – The FANTASY WORLDWIDE International Film Festival – Toronto is the world’s first film festival bringing under one roof Mythology, Mysticism, Science Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy (no Horror), Historical Fiction, Legend and Archetype. The Festival is making its inaugural debut in Toronto on November 4-6, 2005.

 

“We are excited to bring together a global community of filmmakers and filmgoers who love fantasy and science fiction films,” says Johanna Kern, founder and executive director, FANTASY WORLDWIDE International Film Festival – Toronto. “FANTASY WORLDWIDE is sure to inspire audiences with empowering stories that highlight the exploration of the mythological, emotional and legendary roots of our common human experience.”

 

More than twenty hours of feature films, shorts, animation and documentaries from around the globe will be presented at the Festival, which is taking place at the Bloor Cinema in downtown Toronto. The films, which represent the various fantasy and science fiction genres, have been chosen from submissions from all over the world, including: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the U.S.

 

Adds Kern: “There are 16 other fantasy film festivals in the world, but they screen only horror, or science fiction, or both. Films that focus on legends, mythology, magic, stories from outer space, prophecies and predictions are the most popular with movie audiences, because these kinds of tales help us to find inspiration and deeper meaning in our everyday struggle. That’s why we created FANTASY WORLDWIDE.”

 

Key highlights of the Festival include:

 

Gala Opening film: G.O.R.A, Turkey – a stunning big budget sci-fi feature. It is an interplanetary comedy and adventure film with references to the most popular blockbusters such as Star Wars, Matrix, Spaceballs, Karate Kid and others. Director: Omer Faruk Sorak.

 

Gala Closing Film / Festival’s Special Presentation: Lord of the Brush, Canada – a visually outstanding biography of the Canadian artist who has made a major impact on the world. The story of the life and art of John Howe, the illustrator of J.R.R.Tolkien’s world. Over one hundred beautiful illustrations and clips from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, Trilogy. Music by the two-time Academy Award-winning composer, Howard Shore. This is the first festival screening for the film. Director: Gretchen Jordan-Bastow.

 

Other highlighted features include:

 

Forbidden Warrior, U.S.A – based on a female Asian mythical hero. Starring, among others: Marie Matiko (The Art of War), Sung Kang (Pearl Harbor), Tony Amendola (Mask of Zorro), Andrew Divoff (Air Force One), James Hong (Blade Runner, Chinatown). Director: Jimmy Nickerson.

 

FAQ, Spain – a fascinating tale of the Sisterhood of Metacontrol governing Europe in the near and probable future. Director: Carlos Atanes.

 

Kiss Me, Portugal – a sensual, breathtaking portrait of a beautiful woman living the myth of Marilyn Monroe as if it were her own life. Director: Antonio Cunha Telles.

 

Invasion: based on H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, U.S.A. – a true battlefield filled with visual effects, struggles, human persistence and hope. Director: David Michael Latt. This is the world premiere for the film.

 

Another sci-fi, Experiment, UK – is a love story of a man and woman who are subjects of an experiment and find themselves in a foreign country and a strange town. Director: Daniel Turner.

 

Highlighted Documentaries include:

 

Harry Clarke-Darkness In Light, Ireland – the controversial, talented and shocking visual artist’s story. Director: John J. Doherty.

 

Frazetta: Painting With Fire, U.S.A. – biography of the incredible artistic virtuoso who has been an ongoing inspiration for generations of fantasy visual artists. Director: Lance Laspina.

 

Some of the highlighted Shorts include award-winning and outstanding films such as:

 

A Message From Outer Space, Belgium; Da Quixote, Ireland; The Devil, Poland; The Contact: Redux, Chile; Super-Anon, Canada; and others.

 

The exquisite Short Animation films highlighted at the Festival include:

 

Moongirl, U.S.A. – from Henry Selick, the award-winning Director of The Nightmare Before Christmas (nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects) and the critically acclaimed James and The Giant Peach. A mystical adventure of a boy taken to the Moon and helping to save it from being extinguished by the villainous Gargaloons.

 

Emuna – a Tale of Faith, UK; Incarnation, Australia; and Bubble Trouble, U.S.A.; - among others.

 

The full version of the Programme line-up is available on the Festival’s website at www.fwifft.com Tickets can be purchased at the Bloor Cinema during the Festival. Festival weekend passes are available online (Pay Pal). For group tickets presales, contact info@fwifft.com.

 

FANTASY WORLDWIDE is an independent not-for-profit organization and the only film festival of its kind in the world bringing together for the first time a broad variety of fantasy and science fiction genres.

 

Note: media accreditation application forms are available online at www.fwifft.com.

 

For information, contact:

 

Shannon Skinner

Public Relations, FANTASY WORLDWIDE

Tel.: (416) 405-8809 / Mobile (416) 576-8809 / Email: sskinner@sympatico.ca