Veteran Montreal director George Mihalka gets his proper due after 45 years in the business. Finally.

The Fantasia International Film Festival will present Mihalka with its Canadian Trailblazer Award, Friday at 6 p.m. at Cinéma du Musée, followed by a screening of his film Hostile Takeover. The fest will also screen another of his more memorable movies, Pinball Summer, followed by a Q&A with the director, Sunday at 4:05 p.m. at the same venue. And earlier that afternoon, at 2 p.m., Mihalka will deliver a Fantasia master class at Reggies in Concordia’s Hall Building.

While Fantasia may be renowned for delving into all aspects of genre film over the course of its 29 years, the festival, much to its credit, has also paid homage to unsung heroes on the local film scene. In recent years, it has given tributes to the likes of legendary Cinépix producers John Dunning and André Link, directors Larry Kent and Gerald Potterton, and the gonzo filmmaking gang of Allan (Bozo) Moyle, Stephen Lack, Frank Vitale and Peter Brawley.

Mihalka is, without question, a pioneer on the film front. He has tackled every genre imaginable, from horror to hockey, comedy to crime and then some — in both French and........

© Montreal Gazette