From October 1st to 5th the inaugural Genre Gems Film Festival will bring some of the best genre films to the nation’s capital in Ottawa. Screening at the Mayfair and St. Laurent theaters, it will comprise a number of features and short films offering a variety of scares and thrills. The festivities kick off at the Mayfair Wednesday Oct. 1st with Dead Lover followed by A Useful Ghost. It continues until Sunday night where it caps off the weekend with the much anticipated Resurrection. While there is a lot to choose from, here’s a quick look at some of the headliners.
Dead Lover
Directed By: Grace Glowicki
Synopsis: A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man, but their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea. Grief-stricken, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him through madcap experiments.
Why I’m Excited: This tale of love lost is not dissimilar to other Frankenstein inspired tales of a lost lover being brought back to life. The protagonist is a rather fragrant grave digger who meets a man mourning the recent loss of his sister, who unlike most, isn’t turned off by her odor. Unfortunately tragedy ensues and when he dies at sea, she will attempt to do what she can to bring him back. It was selected for TIFF and Sundance among other festivals where critics have praised its mix of genres from horror to comedy, to the absurd, giving it a distinct feel.
Ed. note: see our capsule review of Dead Lover by Jeff Bulmer from TIFF.
Dracula
Directed By: Radu Jude
Synopsis: In modern-day Transylvania, vampire hunts and labor strikes collide with sci-fi twists, romance, and AI-crafted tales, as multiple storylines blend folklore, classic horror, and contemporary elements into a fresh take on Dracula’s legend.
Why I’m Excited: From Romanian director Radu Jude, (Bad Luck Banging or Looney Porn) Dracula is an epic story delving into the incorporation of AI into the world of art. A talentless director mashes various tales of the legendary figure together in an attempt to cobble some manner of cohesive narrative. The subject matter is obviously timely, and the dichotomy between vampires sucking the life from their victims and the nature of AI to leach the talent of others and try to present it as something fresh or innovative is no doubt one that will create discourse on both sides of the argument.
Sirât
Directed By: Oliver Laxe
Synopsis: A father, accompanied by his son, goes looking for his missing daughter in North Africa.
Why I’m Excited: A father and son set out across northern Africa, traipsing across the Moroccan desert in search of his missing daughter. If the trailer is any indication it’s as much about the quest as some of the numerous, esoteric characters they meet along the way. As they continue their search, the threat of Marshall Law looms, posing even more danger. Its human story raises the question of what family truly is, and the lengths we go to for them. It’s garnered buzz around the festival circuit already, including Cannes (winning the Jury prize), TIFF, NYFF, Fantastic Fest, and looks to be one fans will be glad they checked out.
Resurrection
Directed By: Bi Gan
Synopsis: A woman’s consciousness falls into an eternal time zone during a surgical procedure. Trapped in many dreams, she finds the corpse of an android and tries to wake him up by telling endless stories.
Why I’m Excited: This Chinese/French co-production has been selected for such prestigious festivals as Cannes, VIFF and NYFF. It takes place in a reality where humans have achieved immortality, but the cost is their ability to dream. However, some remain who can. These creatures are known as Fantasmers. A mysterious woman is lured into the world of these dreamers and finds herself drawn into their world, spanning a century of cinema. It’s been selected for Cannes, NYFF at VIFF, and lauded for its surreal aspects and bold story telling.
