THE SCHOOL DUEL
Todd Wisemen Jr.’s heart-pounding feature debut, THE SCHOOL DUEL, gets its Canadian premiere at Fantasia 2025. Set in near-future Florida, they have outlawed gun control, and school shootings are at an all-time high. Students wear uniforms with patches on the shoulders. The emblem: a cross overlaid on top of the Liberty Bell. Hyper toxic masculinity is the curriculum. School is a training ground for far-right indoctrination.
Bullied 13-year-old student Sam Miller is the lowest rung on the school totem pole. Relentlessly harassed and physically abused, his only refuge is doom-scrolling through a list of Andrew Tate-like influencers, Call of Duty, and cosplaying with the contents of the gun safe at home.
Sam sees a video about something called School Duel, a government-run initiative where a group of militant children are used as props to promote gun sales, while calling it an outlet to prevent school shootings. The last one standing gets crowned King. This year, Sam’s county is hosting the event. The government comes into his school and selects him to participate. Eager to prove his worth in the wake of his military father’s death, Sam cannot wait to sign the papers. What he doesn’t know is that he’s a martyr, and not a hero.
The entire scheme is broadcast live at home and at school. There is no denying the similarities to Battle Royale and The Hunger Games, which is a compliment. It’s all a show, presented in rounds, each with a different gun chosen by chance on a prize wheel. Unsurprisingly, the game is rigged.
Oscar Nuñez plays Florida Governor, and he lives the role. AR and flag pin, flowery bullshit speech while saying the opposite behind closed doors. Christina Brucato is Sam’s mother. Never without her cross around her neck, her passive efforts to protect her son look all too familiar. Brucato gives her a passionate redemption arc.
Jamad Mays is Sam’s gym teacher, Coach Williams. Coach is the one redeeming character in the film, and Mays delivers much-needed fatherly concern and moral ferocity. Michael Sean Tighe plays School Duel recruiter, Captain Stegmann. His emboldened part in this charade makes him vile. Tighe brilliantly plays the role of sycophant, mascot, and hype man. It is an unforgettable turn.
Kue Lawrence gives Sam a terrifying authenticity. He is mesmerizing. Lawrence’s enthusiasm is matched only by deep trauma. It is a chilling performance.
The funny thing about THE SCHOOL DUEL is that it is not funny after all. An image of a neighbor in a wife-beater mowing his lawn with an AR-style weapon slung over his shoulder might seem like tongue-in-cheek. But, how many times have we seen these same idiots wearing a gun into a Dunkin’s? I forgot how dangerous Donuts are.
The small details are glaring alarm bells. Mothers and teachers dressed like 50s housewives. The Duel cheerleaders, yes, cheerleaders, are also in 50s uniforms. Oh, and their cheers? Wow. To counter that visual, Wisemen Jr. has Sam using an updated, clear-screened smartphone as a reminder that we are, in fact, on the doorstep of this reality. The black-and-white camerawork is fantastic. Kyle Deitz utilizes first-person shooter style imagery through the use of live-stream body cams during gameplay.
Somehow, even knowing where the script is going, witnessing the duel is a visceral experience. The finale is heart-stopping. If you think it is not possible to root for a winner by the end, think again. The film is a simmering pot of violence. It is almost a how-to guide to finding school shooters by not protecting the bullied children or teaching empathy.
THE SCHOOL DUEL is a parade of oversized red flags. The film tackles violent video games, toxic social media influence, faux patriotism, and the bastardization of Christianity, so essentially, it’s a film about today. We cannot take our eye off the kids. Every woman who cried on election night 2016 knows exactly what I mean.
The School Duel trailer:
Official selection
Deauville Film Festival 2024
Miami Film Festival 2025
Sunscreen Film Festival 2025
The School Duel
Honors
50th Anniversary Canal+ Award – Deauville Film Festival 2024
Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay – Sunscreen Film Festival 2025
The School Duel
For all things Fantasia, 
A father wishes to compliment the chef for his signature dish, only to discover that an actual shrimp is responsible for the deliciousness. In this mockumentary-style short, The Shrimp insinuates that his entire schtick was stolen by the Disney rat. The two then compete on a food competition reality show. The producers secretly chat with the man under The Shrimp, Chef Dave. Shrimp is a foul-mouthed asshole, for lack of a better word. Shenanigans ensue, confessions reveal themselves, and insults fly.
There are multiple Shrimp puppet creations. The smaller version sits on Yung’s head, and a larger-scale handheld puppet fills the screen for the sit-down interviews. The detail is award-worthy. Puppeteers Benjamin Fieschi-Rose, Kirsten Brass, and Amelia Blaine are spectacular.
Evy sits in front of a blurred open doorway as she listens. This trope alone keeps your heart in your throat. Graham Beasley‘s overall framing is jarring as hell. Darkness plays an important role. Beasley rarely places Evy in the center of the frame and uses odd angles and stationary camera pans to keep you off balance in every way. It almost suggests the camera is haunted.
Don’t get ahead of yourself in viewing. ANYTHING THAT MOVES is far more than a high-concept soft porn. I mean, it is also that. The cast fearlessly embraces full frontal nudity, which is incredibly rare for male actors, but more importantly, it honors kink. Audiences will not expect the hidden trauma. Phillips also addresses the demoralization of sex workers.
Shot in Super 16mm, its gritty look completes the homage to 1970s adult films. The Joshua Rains‘s artwork is diabolically genius. The bright spotlight device that denotes an orgasm is brilliant. Casting Nina Hartley and Ginger Lynn Allen was a superior move, as the two essentially served as the film’s intimacy coordinators. By the way, can we acknowledge the importance of that role on a set? I am thrilled we’re adding a Stunt category to next year’s awards season, but Intimacy Coordination is also an art.
Liz Atwater deserves applause for her role, but for the sake of the journey, I won’t say anything more. Todd Terry gives Clive a notable balance of paranoia and fear. It has a solid 10 Cloverfield vibe, with Terry playing the John Goodman role, a would-be savior with perhaps ulterior motives. The audience goes on a rollercoaster of emotions with Terry.
Production design is incredibly detailed inside the trailer. The soundtrack is fantastic. Handheld camerawork from Andrew Duensing is thrilling. It is Bodell’s script that holds you captive. Lena’s relationship with grief becomes an unexpected emotional stronghold. Genre aside, the film comes from a place of transformation and new beginnings.
The consequences of going down that rabbit hole, sometimes literally, are a barrage of repressed childhood memories and the instability of her mother’s treatment. Mia’s trips reveal a trauma monster, more specifically, one made of mom’s blond locks. This hair monster torments Mia throughout her jacked-up journey.
Caitlin Acken Taylor is everything. Mia Sunshine Jones is no easy role, but Taylor lives it. She even creates Mia’s paintings and sculptures. Her fourth wall break, and the precise moment at which it occurs, is jarring and genius. 
After a bus ride on her way out of town gets cut short by a sighting of her local crush, Cleo’s infatuation becomes a way of life that maybe isn’t what she intended. Her mother, Lady Andre, comes looking for her and mistakes a passing moment for the end of her legacy.
Jessica Paré delivers a vivacious performance as Lady Andre. She is eccentric and demanding, but is undoubtedly battling unresolved wounds. Skylar Radzion is Josephine, the hairless sibling in the bearded family. She is a spitfire and a slick foil for Cleo.
The complete nonchalance of the residents sets the tone for HOLD THE FORT. Nagley delivers over-the-top characters and laugh-out-loud one-liners from beginning to end. Creature builds are super fun, practical FX are decent, mostly throwing buckets of blood on Lucas, and one gnarly gunshot wound. Colored lights delineate each monster in a fashion similar to the 2000s Syfy network, and it is a perfect match for the film’s subgenre. The score reminds me of Ren and Stimpy, and that’s the best way to describe it.
It’s no secret that all the best genre films come through Fantasia Film Festival. 2022’s fest comes just in time to distract us from all the actual horrible things happening in the world.
Six films we’ve seen at previous festivals and their reviews can be found below. Highly recommend each of them for a myriad of reasons.
A story of cyclical abuse with a touch of magical realism, Baby, Don’t Cry was a completely unexpected journey. Fair warning for survivors of abuse, this film may be a trigger watching for you. The deeper you go into the story the more complex our leads are revealed to be. Two young people in hopes of escaping their sad circumstances, latch onto one another. It’s evidently unhealthy to the audience but entirely understandable. Lack of father figures is a running theme, as are racism and mental illness. The emotional burdens that Baby and Fox carry are unrelenting. Zita Bai, our leading lady, and creator of Baby, has given us a thoroughly nuanced character. Some moments will make you infuriated with her, while others provoke sympathy It’s an extraordinary culmination of emotions. Baby, Don’t Cry will make you cringe, shake your head, and fill you with a bit of wonder.
Thanks to Twitter, an estranged and dysfunctional family throws an accidental party on their move-out day. A barrage of quirky characters show up to explore and wreak their own brand of havoc. Wonderful Paradise is an absurdist sideshow. I would genuinely recommend watching this high. The number of times I exclaimed, “Huh?”, “What?”, or, “Sure, why not?! ” I lost count quite frankly. I must applaud the cast for their absolute commitment to their craft. The cast grows exponentially as the film rolls on and every single performer gives it 110%. The slow and district progression of the set is wild. The practical FX combined with the wackiest of screenplays make Wonderful Paradise perfect for Fantasia audiences. It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Do I understand the final result? Absolutely not. Would I watch it again? Don’t threaten me with a good time.
I feared this Martyrs Lane would be overlooked among the plethora of gore-filled content. That would have been the biggest shame to befall this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival. Writer-director Ruth Platt‘s carefully crafted tension and mystery should be celebrated. It has a quieter Babadook energy to it that is unmistakable. The film manages to be both a slow burn and a vice grip of tension. The editing puts your head in a spin in that you’re never sure what is real until the very final scene. Performances are outstanding. The fact that the entire premise mostly hinges on the work of two small girls will blow you away. It is no wonder young lead Sienna Sayer won the Special Jury Rising Star award. Martyrs Lane will hit harder for parents. Any story centered around children begets that internal ache from the very getgo and Martyrs Lane is no exception. It’s beautifully shot and elegantly lit. The exquisite progression in makeup heightens the overall dread. It speaks to the consuming power of grief and secrets. I cannot wait for Shudder audiences to experience this film in a few weeks. This one is special. Undoubtedly, one of my favorites from this year’s lineup.
Perry Blackshear is the man with all the hats taking on directing, writing, cinematography, and producing. One of the best goosebumps-inducing moments occurs in the form of actress Libby Ewing’s hand appearing from nowhere. There is something so startling about this simple action. Its impact speaks volumes. There is a nice connection between the physical and metaphorical. The fight training scenes are a great representation of emotional preparedness. And without spoiling anything, the devil you know is sometimes a safer bet than the devil you don’t. When I Consume You is an addiction allegory. Whether that is drugs or depression, the weight of trauma never quite leaves you. While the pacing of the film had some static moments, overall this is a fresh take on a haunting premise.
Performances across the board are stellar. The commitment to the absurd is magic. The chemistry within this cast is outstanding. They are charming and energetic. It’s like watching a group of bright-eyed kids play. The camera work is a real marvel considering the impressively long takes. This film is all about timing, no pun intended. The cuts, if any, are tricky to spot. You’d think that reliving scenes would get old, but they manage to feel fresh each play based on location. Makoto Ueda’s script is that phenomenal. The camera also allows the viewer to feel like they’re part of the action. BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES will be a huge hit with Fantasia audiences of all ages. It’s a nonstop, joyous experience.
A delicious mix of absurdity and folklore, Kratt is everything Fantasia International Film Festival 2021 audiences want in a single film. There’s a plethora of practical FX and gore, but the best moments come from actress Mari Lill as Grandma. Her commitment to the slapstick and over-the-top character changes makes Kratt one of the best films from this year’s fest.
You cannot miss the mockery of government, technology, religion, extremist politics, and everything in between. The score is wonderful and the cinematography is sharp. The script has one of the most brilliant and whip-smart final moments, cranking up the social commentary to 11. Kratt will have Fantasia Fest 2021 audiences doubled over. Whether that’s from gross-out moments or the laughs us up to the individual.
The film has some super fun camera work, taking advantage of go-pro technology, warping depth perception, and speed dynamics. Genuine laugh-out-loud dialogue pairs excellently with the ultra-violence. The choreography that went into some of these takes should be applauded. Performances are riotous. The line between villain and hero is blurred, making for an increasingly fun watch. I could easily see the rights for the script being snatched up for Western audiences. Could Fantasia Fest 2021 audiences be seeing the first film in a potential franchise? Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It… until you see it for yourself.
The set is enthralling. Painted windows, lace curtains, antique furniture, and gardens as far as the eye can see within the boundaries they protect. But this carefully curated surrounding is also a prison for this family. The moment this existence is challenged, their sacred way of life begins to crumble. Performances, across the board, are phenomenal. The script grows more intriguing by the minute. With learned skepticism and real fear of losing the ones they cherish, Glasshouse reveals itself like a meticulously structured novel. The twists are dark and plenty. The finale will shock you. Glasshouse is undoubtedly one of my favorite films at the Fantasia International Film Festival 2021.
Performances are filled with greatness. What might only be a highlighted extra role in any other genre film turn into a slew of memorable ones. It’s that well written and performed. Seeped in genuine incel energy, social commentary, and over-the-top gore and violence create a shocking watch. The amount of movie blood that must have been involved in this production is unfathomable. I’ve watched a lot of horror, (like, a lot a lot) and The Sadness is not fucking around. One hour in, there is a moment so offensive, even I gagged. Fantasia International Film Festival 2021 audiences were treated to one of the most insanely disturbing films in the festival’s 25-year run. If you can watch and hold in your lunch, bravo. Director Rob Jabbaz, much respect to you, sir.
You must be logged in to post a comment.