BREAKING NEWS / LAST HOUR INFORMATIONS

Dear Friends, 

Greetings from Porto. 

On the 15th January the country was put in lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, at least till the 15th February. All Cultural events have been suspended and theatres were closed. However, we hope that as soon as the lockdown ends, we will be able to resume the normal activity, therefore being able to have Fantasporto in the announced dates- 25^th February till 7^th March – at the Rivoli Theatre, following all rules coming from the Health Authorities which condition the available seating and number of screenings. 

Regarding our visitors, should they decide to come to Porto, they must submit to the travelling restrictions imposed by the government. Presuming that some of the present ones continue, namely to have a negative Covid-19 test followed by  a 2 to 7 days quarantine till the end of February,  we are sorry to inform that the festival will not be able to support more than the 3 hotel nights agreed, leaving all extra expenses on account of our visitors.  We suggest that, to minimize the absence and as an introduction to the screenings, a small statement can be sent in MP4, as soon as possible. As for the International Juries, the festival will provide the necessary conditions to do his work. 

Sorry for the inconveniences. For further information, don’t hesitate to contact us through info@fantasporto.com. 

January 15th

FANTASPORTO 2021 from February 26th till March 6th

FANTASY WORLD CINEMA 

RETURNS TO PORTO

Considering the circumstances imposed by the present pandemic restrictions, FANTASPORTO/ 41st Porto International Film Festival has made the decision to maintain the 2021 festival edition in person, with a live audience. Cinema is to be seen preferentially inside theatres, in a big screen. Fantasporto’2021 continues its mission to bring audiences and film creatives together, to celebrate cinema in the best possible way. Fantasporto International Film Festival 2021 remains an unmissable event in the national & international film calendar. 

The Porto International Film Festival Line Up will has its usual sections, presenting a huge diversity of some of the most important films, features and shorts made in 2020, all screened in National, International or World Premières.

The festival has screened the first films of some of the greatest film creators of all times, one of the merits of the event. David Cronenberg, André Tarkovsky, Brian de Palma, John Carpenter, Alain Resnais, David Lynch, Andrezj Zulawski, Bigas Luna, Ridley Scott, Luc Besson, Peter Greenaway, Jean-Jacques Beinex, Neil Jordan, Joel and Ethan Coen or Lars von Trier showed their first films in the first 5 years of Fantasporto. 

Also Pedro Almodóvar, Sam Raimi, Leos Carax, Vincent Ward, Peter Jackson, Hal Hartley, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, Anthony Minghella, Peter Weir, Quentin Tarantino, Tim Robbins, Guillermo del Toro, Roberto Rodriguez, Vincenzo Natali, Danny Boyle, Lee Tamahori, the Waschowski brothers, Nick Cassevetes, Scott Hicks, David Fincher screened their first films in Fantasporto, making it a special place for the discovery of new talent.

Last year Oscar Winner Bong Joon Ho also started at the Porto Festival. Among these discoveries are 7 Best Film Oscar Winners! 

The Festival will be held from February 26th till March 6th (international dates) at the Rivoli Theatre in Oporto. The festival will be presential, that is with an audience, following all possible safety rules due to the pandemic. Please notice that, as the restrictions at the time of the festival are not yet known, further decisions will be taken accordingly, if necessary. 

Is a huge pleasure to announce the final Official Line Up for the 2021 edition. More news will be announced in the next few days.

BREAKING NEWS / LAST HOUR INFORMATIONS

Dear Friends, 

Greetings from Porto. 

On the 15th January the country was put in lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, at least till the 15th February. All Cultural events have been suspended and theatres were closed. However, we hope that as soon as the lockdown ends, we will be able to resume the normal activity, therefore being able to have Fantasporto in the announced dates- 25^th February till 7^th March – at the Rivoli Theatre, following all rules coming from the Health Authorities which condition the available seating and number of screenings. 

Regarding our visitors, should they decide to come to Porto, they must submit to the travelling restrictions imposed by the government. Presuming that some of the present ones continue, namely to have a negative Covid-19 test followed by  a 2 to 7 days quarantine till the end of February,  we are sorry to inform that the festival will not be able to support more than the 3 hotel nights agreed, leaving all extra expenses on account of our visitors.  We suggest that, to minimize the absence and as an introduction to the screenings, a small statement can be sent in MP4, as soon as possible. As for the International Juries, the festival will provide the necessary conditions to do his work. 

Sorry for the inconveniences. For further information, don’t hesitate to contact us vis info@fantasporto.com. 

January, 15th

FANTASPORTO 2021 from February 26th till March 6th

INSPIRING WORLD CINEMA 

RETURNS TO PORTO

Considering the circumstances imposed by the present pandemic restrictions, FANTASPORTO/ 41st Porto International Film Festival has made the decision to maintain the 2021 festival edition in person, with a live audience. Cinema is to be seen preferentially inside theatres, in a big screen. Fantasporto’2021 continues its mission to bring audiences and film creatives together, to celebrate cinema in the best possible way. Fantasporto International Film Festival 2021 remains an unmissable event in the national & international film calendar. 

The Porto International Film Festival Line Up will has its usual sections, presenting a huge diversity of some of the most important films, features and shorts made in 2020, all screened in National, International or World Premières.

The festival has screened the first films of some of the greatest film creators of all times, one of the merits of the event. David Cronenberg, André Tarkovsky, Brian de Palma, John Carpenter, Alain Resnais, David Lynch, Andrezj Zulawski, Bigas Luna, Ridley Scott, Luc Besson, Peter Greenaway, Jean-Jacques Beinex, Neil Jordan, Joel and Ethan Coen or Lars von Trier showed their first films in the first 5 years of Fantasporto. 

Also Pedro Almodóvar, Sam Raimi, Leos Carax, Vincent Ward, Peter Jackson, Hal Hartley, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, Anthony Minghella, Peter Weir, Quentin Tarantino, Tim Robbins, Guillermo del Toro, Roberto Rodriguez, Vincenzo Natali, Danny Boyle, Lee Tamahori, the Waschowski brothers, Nick Cassevetes, Scott Hicks, David Fincher screened their first films in Fantasporto, making it a special place for the discovery of new talent.

Last year Oscar Winner Bong Joon Ho also started at the Porto Festival. Among these discoveries are 7 Best Film Oscar Winners! 

The Festival will be held from February 26th till March 6th (international dates) at the Rivoli Theatre in Oporto. The festival will be presential, that is with an audience, following all possible safety rules due to the pandemic. Please notice that, as the restrictions at the time of the festival are not yet known, further decisions will be taken accordingly, if necessary. 

Is a huge pleasure to announce the final Official Line Up for the 2021 edition. More news will be announced in the next few days.

OFFICIAL FANTASY FILMS COMPETITION

The Funeral Home/La Funeraria – Mauro Iván Ojeda- 86’ ( Arg)- fantasy, horror

Bernardo is an undertaker. He runs his mortuary business in the same house where he resides. In the front he has his clients. And in the back, his dysfunctional family lives among coffins, wreaths and mischievous supernatural entities that visit on a daily basis. They attribute the paranormal manifestations to the dead bodies from their mortuary work. Find the real source of all this madness will be their quest, but they might find a terrifying truth. A new film showing the vitality of Argentinean Cinema, always original and inventive. Selected by the prestigious Frightfest, Sitges and Fantasia Film festivals.

Mauro Iván Ojeda

First feature by this writer-director.

Tin Can- Seth A. Smith- 105’ (Can) – CF- horror, sci-fi

In a world dominated by a plague, a front-line parasitologist makes an important discovery. Soon she finds herself in a life-sustaining chamber. In order to escape, she must destroy the last of her kind and build a new race. Selected for the 2020 Sitges Film Festival.

Seth A. Smith

Filmmaker and visual artist, in 2012 he completed his first film, “Lowlife”. In 2017 “The Crescent” took awards for best score, screenwriting, and actress at the Atlantic International Film Festival, and was given a nomination for the 2017 Directors Guild of Canada Discovery Award. 

Suicide Forest Village – Takashi Shimizu- 116’ (Jap) – CF – horror, fantasy

Two little girls are rescued near the suicide forest. Years later, under the house where they live, a strange box is found that seems to be the cause for the death of all who come in contact with it. Hibiki and her sister are going to find the reasons that took their mother to suicide and find out the meaning of that box. The answer is in the forest. A tale of horrors in which the legends of the past come to the present. From the director of “Howling Village”, screened in Fantasporto 2020.

Takashi Shimizu

The director was born in Japan  in 1972 and it is known for “Ju-on” (2002), “The Grudge” (2004), the American remake of “Ju-on”,  “ The Grudge 2”  (2006) and “Howling Village” (2019), selected for the Sitges and Neuchatel Film Festivals and presented in Fantasporto 2020. 

Marionette – Elbert van Strien- 112’ (Hol/UK/Luxemb)- CF - fantasy, horror

Coming from Dutch director Elbert Van Strien, a past winner of the Best Fantasy Film Award of Fantasporto 2011 with his “Two Staring Eyes”, (also known as “Two Eyes Staring”), his next feature is about a psychiatrist who travels to Scotland to work at a mental hospital. One of her patients, an enigmatic young boy who draws violent images of things to come, may be the explanation for what has happened to her. The question is, is he really God?  A fascinating story with fine acting by Peter Mullan, one of the most awarded British actors, known for “Braveheart”, “Children of Man”, “Warhorse” and, most recently, for the TV series “Westworld”. Also with Thekla Reuten (“Lost”) in the role of the doctor and young Elijah Wolf (“Trainspotting 2”).

Elbert van Strien

He was born in the Netherlands in 1964. His career has been divided by short films (with his sort” “The Hidden Face” awarded in the Brussels and Dresden Festivals) and several TV series. He won in Fantasporto 2011, Best Fantasy Film and Best Screenplay with his first feature “Two Staring Eyes” (a.k.a “Two Eyes Staring”). “Marionette” is his second feature. 

Get The Hell Out – I-Fan Wang - 96’ (Taiwan)- CF- comedy, horror, zombies

A woman is elected as a member of Parliament whose fame is to have massive scenes of fighting among its members. All she wants is to prevent the construction of a chemical plant in her city. However, after another fight, she is dismissed. She turns then to the office guard as her substitute. Soon enough, he is one of the corrupt. When a virus appears transforming the politicians in zombies, hell breaks loose. They are the only ones who can prevent total disaster. A totally chaotic and satirical feature, much like Japanese manga. Selected by the Sitges and Philadelphia festivals. 

I.- Fang Wang

First feature by the director, after his win at the Taipei Film Festival with his short “02-06” 

Post Mortem- Péter Bergendy -  115’ (Hung)- CF – fantasy, horror

A photographer, an ex-soldier of the 1^st World War, goes to a small village to capture the images of dead family members with the live relatives as it was frequent at the time. In a place that had many deaths because of the Spanish Flu and unable to bury their dead due to the frozen land, the village is in the hands of unfriendly ghosts. The man is going to try to help them. This is the first Hungarian horror feature, that easily compares to major American productions, and reminding us of great classics such as the soviet “Viyi”.  Selection of the Trieste Film Festival. 

Péter Bergendy  

Péter Bergendy was born in 1964. Graduated in Psychology with a thesis about horror films, he was the Hungarian editor of the German Cinema Magazine and worked as a researcher at the Hungarian Film Institute.  As a film-meker he directed several award-winning commercials. His first feature was the comedy “Stop Mom Teresa!”  in 2004. It was followed by “The Exam”, awarded at the Chicago Film festival 2012  and “Trezor” (2018),  the first Hungarian TV film ever nominated for the Emmy’s. “Post Mortem” (2020) is the first ever horror Hungarian Feature

The Reckoning- Neil Marshall – 110’- UK- 2020 – CF – horror, fantasy 

In the 17th century, without being able to explain the plague and other evils, society blames women calling them witches. After her husband’s death, Grace and her baby fall in the hands of the lord of the manor and is accused of witchcraft. With 22 international awards, “The Reckoning” was granted Best Film, Director and Actors awards in the Los Angeles Film Awards and in the New York International Film Awards.

Neil Marshall 

He was born in England in 1970. Already known in Fantasporto for “The Descent” and for “Dog Soldiers”, his first feature, he returns after an awarded career. His previous feature was “Hellboy” (2019) and before that he worked in TV series such as “ Game of Thrones”, “WestWorld” or “Hannibal”. He got an Emmy nomination in 2014 for the episode “The Watchers on the Wall” of “Game of Thrones”.

Ten Minutes to Midnight- Erik Bloomquist - 73’ EUA- CF – comedy, horror, zombies

A late-night radio host, Amy Marlow, is trapped inside the station with her work colleagues and boss by a violent storm, shortly after being bitten by a rabid bat. To make things worse, she is being replaced after 30 years in the station.  Sienna, her substitute fights with her and is bitten. The security guard seems to be waiting for the rabid symptoms. Amy begins to doubt what she sees, thinks or does.  With Caroline Williams (“Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”). 

Erik Bloomquist 

He is a former Top 200 Director on HBO's Project Greenlight (2001) known for his work as series creator, executive producer, writer, director, editor, and lead actor on “The Cobblestone Corridor “ (2016). He received an Emmy in 2017 as a director and as a writer for this series. “Ten to Midnight” is his first feature. 

LX 2048 – Guy Moshe- 104’ (EUA / Lituânia) - sci-fi

The future presents new challenges to humanity. The sun is toxic and only few people face daylight. Among them is Adam, a man searching to guarantee the safety of his family. In spite of being in bad terms with his wife. He must understand that he may be quickly replaced by a being like him. Or better. 

Guy Moshe

Director and screenwriter, known for “Holly” (2006), “Bunraku” (2010)  and “The Man Who Was Thursday” (2016).

O Cemitério das Almas Perdidas – Rodrigo Aragão- 95’- Brasil - CF- horror

A ship in the middle of the storm is saved by the invocation of a man called Cyprian. The sailors reach firm land where they kill the natives. But a woman survives. In the meantime, a circus of horrors arrives in the village. The artists, first, scare the villagers and, seeing their reaction, try to soften their performance. Unsuccessfully. They decide to leave but before that, they are killed by some hooded men.  And, to make things worse, the Indian cannibals arrive. 

Rodrigo Aragão

Known as director and screenwriter of “A Mata Negra/The Black Forest”, winner of the Best Screenplay award in Fantasporto 2020, the director was influenced by his father, a magician and cinema theatre owner, and the world of visual tricks and effects. He is also known for “Mud Zombies” (2008) and “A Noite do Chupacabras” (2011).

The Trouble with Being Born- Sandra Wollner- 94’ (Austria/ Alem) CF- drama, sci-fi

Elli is an android with the shape of a child whose memories are worth a lot to its owner but nothing at all to her. This is the story of a machine but much more about what humans think about loss, death, loneliness or human relationships. Presented with some controversy, mostly due to the relationship between the android and her “father”, the film won the Special Jury Award at the Belin Film Festival – Encounters, and was, among others, for the San Sebastian Film Festival. 

Sandra Wollner  

She received the German Critics Award   and won the Gotenburg Film festival for her first feature with “The Impossible Picture” (2017). “The Trouble of Being Born” is her second feature, selected for many festival such as  Berlin, Bergen or  Diagonale (Austria).