Fantasporto is back for its 28th consecutive year. For 15 days, Oporto, Portugal, becomes the capital of the film world , starting with a multimedia show in the square opposite the Rivoli Theatre. And the red carpet, sound and lights will welcome the visitors of Portugal’s greatest festival.
In its competitive sections (Fantasy Films, Directors Week and Orient Express) Fantasporto offers a wide range of the latest and best film production in the world, screened at the two auditoriums of the Rivoli Theatre, at the Teatro Sá da Bandeira, close by, both at the centre of the city, and other ten theatres of the Lusomundo emporium.
The festival also selects for the Méliès D’Or award, a prize for the best European Fantasy Film (short and feature films)
The line-up for the competitions is being completed, with a record number of entries and the showcase of Portuguese cinema is also a must, having the cooperation of many film schools and premières of many of the latest productions.
A retrospective of Portuguese Fernando Lopes, the director of important films such as “Belarmino” (1964), “Uma Abelha na Chuva” (1972), more recently “O Delfim” (2002) will be in Oporto, also to collect a Career Award.
Fernando Lopes will also bring to Oporto most of his favoite actors. In fact, one of his latest participations as an actor will be celebrated in the opening of “The Lovebirds” by Bruno de Almeida, an American production with Michael Imperioli and John Ventimiglia, setting the tone to the first night of the Directors Week.
The winner of the Directors Week will also receive the first Manoel de Oliveira Award, recently created by the festival to honour the great director and president of this sector of Fantasporto, now going to its 18th edition.
Danish Cinema is going to receive full honours at Fantasporto, as one of the most awarded in past editions of the festival. This retrospective includes features and short films.
The competition for fantasy films, the oldest in the festival, now for features and short films , will be completes with other programmes such as the “Salve-se quem puder” (Run if you can), with old classics , B and Z productions, bringing back the underground feeling of the previous theatre of the festival, the Teatro Carlos Alberto.
Another retrospective brings the Chilean surrealist director Alejandro Jodorowski into the limelight with his most important films. A spacial programme for the newest animation features and a full view of the most recent oriental talent
And more, still to come…
Welcome to Fantasporto. Recognized by Variety as Portugal’s leading film festival.
29tth February till 9th March in the World Heritage City of Oporto, in the north of Portugal, on the banks of the River Douro and near the waves of the Atlantic ocean and the most spectacular sunset in the world.
More to come on the blog
05.02.2008 | Editor's blog
Cat. : 1 Alejandro Jodorowski Bruno de Almeida Carlos Alberto Cinema of Portugal Entertainment Entertainment Europe Fantasporto Fantasporto Fantasy Films Fernando Lopes Fernando Lopes Geography of Europe Geography of Portugal John Ventimiglia Michael Imperioli Oporto Porto Portugal Rivoli Theatre the first Manoel de Oliveira Award the Méliès D’Or award World Heritage City