As first revealed by Variety, the second edition of the Fantastic Pavilion includes seven gala screenings in Cannes. To be celebrated from May 15 to 21, 2024, each one of the galas will have cast and crew in attendance, who will be able to share their brand-new projects with the genre cinema community. All of the screenings are scheduled at 20:00 hrs. (CET) at the Olympia Cinema.
Do Not Enter (No entres, Hugo Cardozo, Paraguay) – May 15
Produced by Buenos Aires-based outfit FilmSharks, it focuses on two friends – and wannabe YouTubers – who venture somewhere they shouldn’t. Soon, they will have to face their worst nightmare. Previously, Cardozo directed Morgue (2019).
Aire: Just Breathe (Leticia Tonos, Spain-Dominican Republic) – May 16
With the help of Latido Films, Tonos (Juanita) heads to science fiction territory where a conservation biologist is fighting extinction alongside AI in the near future. Still, the arrival of an enigmatic traveler, full of secrets, will complicate matters even further. Paz Vega stars.
Dirty Boy (Doug Rao, United Kingdom) – May 17
Produced by Dirty Boy Films, Mystic Dream and Saint Halo Productions. Its protagonist, Isaac, struggles with multiple personality disorder. Trapped in a cult, he witnesses ritualistic murder. “It was written from a place of intense darkness and a desire to discover the light within it. I wanted to explore the sense that complex spiritual understandings are often borne of great suffering,” said the director.
Sayara (Can Evrenol, Turkey) – May 18
In collaboration with Inter Medya, Istanbul-born Evrenol (Baskin, Girl with No Mouth) introduces an unlikely hero: a quiet gym cleaner from Turkmenistan, Sayara, who – when her sister is murdered by a group of politically connected rich kids – begins to follow in her father’s footsteps, seeking a path of revenge. With Duygu Kocabiyik.
Mourir or Not Mourir (Anaïs Cave, Thomas Combret, France) – May 19
Presented by Mammouth Cornichon, the film introduces Stan, a failed filmmaker who has only three months left to live. Desperate, he needs to make one last movie to escape his fate, but he has no time and certainly no money. No wonder he will opt for the most frightening directing methods imaginable.
Black.White.Red. (Andreas Marschall, Switzerland) – May 20
Produced by Basel Dream & Vision, it sees a club owner Chemkar – who lives for excess and criminal business – suddenly stopped in his tracks when a mysterious and seductive drug courier Eris brings him a new treat. For a moment, Chemkar believes he has found redemption, but Eris’s love doesn’t lead to paradise – it leads straight to hell.
Vadakkan (Sajeed A, India) – May 21
In the film (backed by Offbeet Media Group), a paranormal investigator heads to India after a series of murders claims seven victims. Thrown into a world of myths, he has to face a sinister spirit. “We have envisioned a cinematic universe rooted in local legends and a narrative that transcends borders and speaks to a larger audience,” assured the director.