It’s full on CIFF-apalooza here at Fast Forward Weekly, and that includes Screen Grabs. Switching it up from the usual format, this week’s column narrows its focus to trailers for films at the 2012 fest. I’ve mentioned several of these titles before, and many of them will be featured in more detail in the issue that hits the stands tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the sneak peek!

Beauty is Embarassing
Wayne White is the puppet master behind Pee-wee’s Playhouse and the source of some of the ’90s most unforgettable imagery. This documentary follows his pre- and post-Pee-wee path into the world of music videos, TV and “legitimate” art, with testimonials from Mark Mothersbaugh, Matt Groening and more. Let the cartoon begin!

Amour

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the latest opus from movie-nerd fave Michael Haneke is a (slow) moving portrait of love battling against the tests of time. After winning the director his second Palme d’Or award at this year’s Cannes festival (following his jaw-dropping 2009 film The White Ribbon), Amour has polarized critics, but looks to be another singular work from a modern master.

Rebelle (War Witch)
For another kind of love story altogether, Rebelle tells the tale of a teenaged survivor in the Sub-Saharan war zone, and the boy she meets amidst the chaos. After escaping the clutches of her captors, young Komona earns the title of “war witch” and becomes a beacon of hope with an AK-47. Not for the faint of heartstrings.

Holy Motors

This 2012 Palme d’Or runner-up and the first film from director Leos Carax in a decade looks gloriously bonkers. Once again casting his face-mugging muse Denis Lavant as the shape-shifting lead, Holy Motors also features the supporting cast of Eva Mendes, Kylie Minogue and famed French actress Edith Scob (Eyes Without A Face). File under: nightmare fuel.

Pitch Black Heist
Of the short film selections at CIFF this year, the “Crime Wave” series sounds like the best bet. This stylish heist flick starring Michael Fassbender is definitely the main draw, but the rest of the titles from Kenya, Romania, Italy, Brazil and the U.S. should also offer a range of quick hits.

NO

Gael Garcia Bernal plays the skateboarding ad exec whose 1990 campaign helped end the totalitarian reign of Augusto Pinochet (true story, bro). Shot on analog with a throwback 4:3 aspect ratio, NO seamlessly blends new and old archival footage from the volatile time in Chile’s recent history. Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a trailer with subtitles, but the screening will include them for those who don’t speak Spanish.

Grabbers

In the hallowed tradition of Shaun of the Dead, this creature feature from Ireland suggests an interesting tactic: The only way to stop the monsters is to get soused. That might be the best method for watching it as well. Sláinte!

Fix – The Ministry Movie
I have to admit that my appreciation of Ministry is limited to the band’s early singles and first album With Sympathy during its short-lived synth-pop era. Nonetheless, this rock doc still looks like an entertaining glimpse at the Industrial metal mainstays and the subculture surrounding their ’80s/’90s heyday. If you ever blasted The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste to piss of your parents, this one’s for you.

Manborg

From the CIFF website: “A dead soldier is brought back to life as a cyborg to fight hordes of Nazi demons alongside a ragtag band of adventurers in a dystopian future.” I’d call it Blade Runner meets Inglorious Basterds with the special effects of Birdemic. Made in Winnipeg. Need I say more?