Fantasporto

Robin Aubert (“Les Affamés”)  

With extremely recent films, some already from 2018,  the 38th Fantasporto screened World premières, International and European premières. Its program was saluted both by the national and international press, corroborated by the juries, as “exceptional”, with most of the directors in  competition  coming to  Oporto, representing about 30 countries.

The Canadian feature “Les Affamés” by Robin Aubert, just won the Best Film Award at the 38th edition of the Oporto International Film Festival, together with the Best Director award, in the fantasy main official section. It is the second time that the director has won at the festival – back in 2006 he won Best Director with his first feature “Saints Martyrs des Damnés”.

The film is set in a remote village in Quebec, the French speaking part of Canada, where people suffer sudden changes and turn against the ones they love most.

The Special Award of the Fantasy Jury and the “Best Cinematography,  went to “November” by Rainer Sarnet, Estonian representative to the Oscars, based on a traditional folk tale set in the long Estonian winter.

The Korean feature “A Day” by Cho Sun-ho, received a Special Mention and tells the story of a father trying to prevent his daughter’s death, reliving the same day incessantly.

Best Screenplay was awarded to Korean “Glass Garden”, de Shin Su-won, a fantasy about a woman scientist studying  human and tree genes.

The Philipino actor Ian Veneracion  was rewarded for his role in “Ilawod – The Water Spirit” by Dan Villegas, with Jessica McLeod  winning Best actress with her performance in  “The Hollow Child”, by Jeremy Lutter.

The Japanese “Ajin – Demi-Human” by  Katsuyuki Motohiro  was awarded Best Visual Effects. The winning Fantasy Short film was the French  “Belle à Croquer”, by Axel Courtière.

FANTASPORTO DIRECTORS WEEK  2018 WAS WON BY KIM JIN-MOOK’S  ”TRUE FICTION”

South Korean films got top prizes in this 38th edition of the well-known Oporto film Festival . “True Fiction” by Kim Jin-Mook, presented in World Premiere, about an ambitious young politician seeking the protection of an older senator, won the Best Film Award, together with the Best Screenplay award of this official section of Fantasporto.

The Special award of the Jury went to Fantasporto past honoree, Milcho Manchevski, for his feature “Bikini Moon”, telling the story of a Afganistan veteran now living in the streets of New York.

“The Charmer” by Milad Alami, a Danish production got Best Actress award to actress Soho Rezanejad , a story about the problems that Middle East migrants face in Europe  nowadays.

The Best Actor Award went to Eric da Silva for his performance in the Portuguese feature by Luis Diogo, “A Sublime Life”, playing the leading part of a doctor who discovers two radical ways to happiness.

The Egypcian Marwan Hamed  won Best Director for his “Al-Asleyeen / The Originals”,  also presented in World Premiere, a big budget  production about a man whose life is unexpectedly changed after being let go from his bank.
 

“AJIN – DEMI-HUMAN”, by KATSUYUKI MOTOHIRO WINS  FANTASPORTO’S  ‘ORIENT EXPRESS’

The Official ‘Orient Express’ section was won by  the Japanese  “Ajin – Demi-Human” by Katsuyuki Motohiro, a production coming from Toho, one of the biggest production houses in the world, and telling the fantastic story  of humans who don’t die and  can do whatever they want.

The Special Orient Express award was granted to “Bhoy Intsik” by Joel Lamangan, Philipines,  a film set in the streets of Manila and another great example of the state of the art of today’s cinema coming from this country.

NON OFFICIAL AWARDS

The Audience Award went to

“The Child Remains”, by Canadian Michael Melski,  and the Critics Award  was granted to the  Hungarian feature “The Butcher, The Whore end the One-Eyed Man”, by János Szász.

“APARIÇÃO” by Fernando  Vendrell WINS BEST PORTUGUESE FILM IN FANTASPORTO 2018

The feature ”Aparição” by Fernando Vendrell won the top Best Portuguese Film  in Fantasporto 2018. The Catholic University won the Film School competition, with a Special Mention for creativity to the film “Quem Bate à Porta” by Afonso Marmelo coming from ESMAD.