International Film Festival of Porto screens fantasy as main genre

The 37th edition of FANTASPORTO- PORTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IS HELD BETWEEN 20TH FEBRUARY AND 5TH MARCH 2017, at the Rivoli - Municipal Theatre. The competition begins on the 24th February.

The Porto International Film Festival features 125 never released films from 60 countries and it is scheduled to be held from 20 February to 5 March 2017.

The Festival focus on Official Competition is Fantasy Films - new features and short films, unreleased in Portugal with fantasy as main genre.

Rated in Variety as one of the 25 leading festivals of the world, Fantasporto was founded in 1981 by Mário Dorminsky in Porto.

"This will be a generalist festival, focused on fantastic and eastern film," said founder of Fantasporto, Mario Dorminsky. The topic for Directors Week /Manoel de Oliveira Award is "Cinema of Our Time".

"The Age of Shadows" by Jee-woon Kim, is the screening opening of the Festival; it was showcased in Venice and Toronto Festivals and was Best Film at the Philadelphia Film Festival. This film is an Oscar nominee in South Korea, and was a box-office hit in Asia last year.

The festival programme focus on the subject-matter of Fantasy and the so called reality cinema, showcasing feature films, short films, animation and experimental film.

How social, political and economic context affect us is addressed in all films, namely the warfare with "Bloodlands" from Albania, the drama of migrants with "The Citizen" from Hungary, the reality of Muslim women facing adultery in "Sins of the Flesh", produced by the celebrated Youssef Chahine or Europe's economic reality in "Lines" from Greece.

Spanish science fiction "ReAlive" or the British-American "Division 19" mark the reflection process concerning the sustainability of our future.

Criticism to bureaucracy with "A Repartição do Tempo", one of the largest and most entertaining blockbusters in Brazil this year.

Korean and multi awarded wining Kim Ki Duk with "The Net" and animé Yeon Sango master, "Seoul Station" will also showcase in Rivoli.

Moments of cinematic madness with "Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of Time",  "The Attack of the Leatherhosen Zombies", "OMG I'm A Robot",  "The Rift", "Seoul Station" or "Tuos".

Another highlight is Andrew Getty and "The Evil Within" (USA) in World premiere. The multimillion-dollar Getty family director died in 2015, and this being his only and remarkable film finalized the following year and turned into cult film. 

Portuguese film screening with long features "A Ilha dos Cães","A Floresta das Almas Perdidas" and "Comboio de Sal e Açucar". 

Several homages and film screenings will be featured at this 37th edition.

"Drop Dead Fred" (1991) and "Love is Thicker than Water", by Ate de Jong will receive the Fantasporto Career Award.

TV Globo will feature world premieres of soap operas and TV series.

The festival consolidates international prestige with 60 countries having submitted films for the competition. Another new feature will be the "Mini Me" section dedicated to children and pre-adolescent audiences.

Fantasporto partners with University of Minho, University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro, Catholic University of Porto and Lusófona University of Lisbon, as well as many other Schools and Polytechnic Institutes.

Fantasporto is a New Cinema production with the support of ICA (Ministry of Culture) and the City Hall of Porto. Unicer and TVCine and Series are its main sponsors.

There are available special price rates for the festival, namely Hotel booking (by request) and special pass prices.

For more information, please check the Fantasporto homepage.