Geeks Inherit the Earth

Real fans of fantastical flights of fancy know where to get their geek on and that's at Montreal's annual Fantasia Film Festival, running July 7 to 25. Since its inception in 1996 as an "Asian-oriented" film affair, the Fantasia Festival has grown to incorporate every genre of underground film. With last year featuring the likes of breakout rom-com-zom horror hit Shaun of the Dead, the 2005 addition is set to overwhelm film cineastes with an excess of celluloid — over 90 features and 50 shorts — plus numerous special events, including the North American debut of the Mike Patton-starring Firecracker, a special lifetime achievement presentation to legendary animator Ray Harryhausen and the return of Komikstock, which focuses on comic- and manga-inspired works. Maybe geek really is the new jock.