On the path of modernity and discovery 45 YEARS OF A PRESTIGIOUS FESTIVAL FOR PORTUGAL
On the path of modernity and discovery
45 YEARS OF A PRESTIGIOUS FESTIVAL FOR PORTUGAL
audiovisual Drive fantasporto.com/presskit.
In 2025 Fantasporto celebrates 45 years of an event that has grown strongly internationally, and which is still on the crest of a wave that has already taken practically everything from Porto and the North to Lisbon, such as industry, banks, media, services and, obviously, the political image of those responsible, etc. The North has thus been transformed into a landscape that, despite everything, is struggling to value the good that is been done here and there is a lot of it.
In Cinema, the accumulation of experience and contacts allows Fantasporto to organize a festival that we assume is always the best possible each year. A festival in the image of major international events, but without their financial base, in a country with a film market that, being tiny, does not attract foreigners.
Film events must have their own identity and Fantasporto achieved this with large production companies from around the world.
This year, 75 countries from all continents submitted films to the festival, forming part of our strong international alliances.
Because we know the market, the production that is made annually and we are aware of technological developments, we continue to defend the same logic for many years, one of new audiovisual trends and the defense of independent creators. We
insist on discovering new names, publicizing the evolution of cinema from around the world. In recent years, we have brought the emerging cinematography from the Philippines or Japan, which has already led, for example, the Hollywood Academy and the
Golden Globes to award their awards to films from these origins, something unthinkable just a few years ago.
It is, therefore, no coincidence that this year we have received around 1200 short films and 600 feature films for selection, films from 71 countries around the world. Why? Because Fantasporto's image is very strong and respected internationally. That's why the festival was invited to join the largest festival alliances in the world, such as those based in Shanghai (Belt and Road), in Istanbul (Cinetour) and the SciFi Alliance (Chengdu/London).
200 guests a year come to Fantasporto. Many of them are very well known and recognized in the regions of the world where they work. Our role is to introduce them to this part of the globe. Foreign media has helped, creating this strong image that leads magazines like Movie Maker to consider us one of the 30 “Coolest” festivals in the world, or one of the 50 most important festivals “where no fees are paid”. Also the Bible of Showbizz, Variety last year, produced four extensive texts, which can be said to be very complimentary to Fantasporto. In this work to promote what Fantasporto does, we must not forget, among many others, our partner, FilmFestivals.com, the largest festival platform in the world that also greatly supports us in promoting Fantasporto internationally.
We will be available for any matter with the media via the emails [email protected] or [email protected]
The Press Conference to present Fantasporto'2025 will be held at Batalha CC, Feb 6th
It is important to regularly access our multimedia drive for Media
which will have regular updates about the Festival, as well as more photos, texts, pressbooks of the films to be presented, press releases in Portuguese and English as well as trailers of the films to be presented
LINE UP 2025
OPENING FILM
Filme Abertura Oficial: Criadores de ídolos - Lu.s Diogo, 100’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
CLOSING FILM
Filme Encerramento: Stealing Pulp Fic@on - Danny Turkiewicz, 78’ (E.U.A.)
SELEC??O OFICIAL | OFFICIAL SELECTION
(FILMES IN.DITOS E/OU EM ANTESTREIA | PREMI.RE)
S.O. CINEMA FANTáSTICO | O.S. FANTASY FILMS
(Compej..o | COMPETITION)
Longas-Metragens / Features
Mister K - Tallulah H. Schwalb, 96’ (Pa.ses Baixos/Noruega/B.lgica)
Sana: Let me hear - Takashi Shimizu, 107’ (Jap.o)
Everyone is Going to Die - Craig Tuohy, 83’ (Gr.-Bretanha)
A Game in the Woods - Mike McCutchen, 80’ (E.U.A.)
Mom - Adam O’Brien, 97’ (Canad.)
Dead Talents Society - John Hsu, 111’ (Taiwan)
River Returns - Masakasu Kaneko, 108’ (Jap.o)
Chainsaws Were Singing - Sander Maran, 117’ (Est.nia)
Indera - Woo Ming Jin, 104’ (Mal.sia)
The Killer Goldfish - Yukihiko Tsutsumi, 94’ (Jap.o)
A Place Called Silence - Sam Quah, 119’ (China) - CENAS EVENTUALMENTE CHOCANTES
Criadores de ídolos - Lu.s Diogo, 100’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE - (PCP/CF) - FILME ABERTURA
Touched By Eternity - Marcis Lacis, 94’ (Let.nia)
Prédio Vazio - Rodrigo Arag.o, 84’ (Brasil) - WORLD PREMIERE
Succubus - R.J. Daniel Hanna, 104’ (E.U.A.)
Cielo - Alberto Sciamma, 107’ (Gr.-Bretanha/Bol.via) – EUROPEAN PREMI.RE
Heavens: The Boy and His Robot - Rich Ho, 98’ (Singapura)
Ghost Killer - Kensuke Sonomura, 115’ (Jap.o)
Pushcart Tales - Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, 116’ (Filipinas)
Scarecrow - Chito S. Ro.o, 90’ (Filipinas) - INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
Self Driver - Michael Pierro, 90’ (Canad.)
Dollhouse - Shinobu Yaguchi, 110’ (Jap.o) – WORLD PREMIERE
The Silent Planet - Jeffrey St. Jules, 94’ (Canad.)
S.O. CURTAS-METRAGENS CINEMA FANTáSTICO / FANTASY SHORT FILMS OFFICIAL COMPETITION
(FILMES IN.DITOS E/OU EM ANTESTREIA | PREMI.RE)
Imago - Rafa Dengr., 10’50’’ (Espanha) - WORLD PREMI.RE
Crazy Lotus - Naween Noppakun, 15’10’’ (Tail.ndia)
Marimonda - David David, 11’20’’ (Col.mbia)
La Visitante - Tony Morales, 10’ (Espanha)
Room Service - James Camargo de Alba, 9’ (Col.mbia)
Happy People - Budav.ri Bal.zs, 15’ (Hungria)
Thorns - Nir Paniry, 8’ (E.U.A.) - WORLD PREMIERE
The Sea Insider Her - Alyx Powles, 9’ (Nova Zel.ndia) - INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
They Who Will Come - Elvert Ba.ares, 8’ (Filipinas)
There’s an App for That - Andreas Flack, 7’7’’ (Alemanha/Israel)
Fish - Bishrel Mashbat, 6’ (E.U.A.) - WORLD PREMIERE
Blood Will Rise/Lo Que Sangra - Juan Gonzal.z Henao, 17’44’’ (Col.mbia/Espanha)
Red Bu_erfly - Uri Peleg, 20’ (Israel) - WORLD PREMIERE
Mr Sta@c - Mike Williamson, 9’ (E.U.A.)
Una Volta - Joshua Boon, 8’ (Pa.ses Baixos)
Friend - Rana Safiyari, 14’ (Ir.) - WORLD PREMIERE
Refugee - Suki, 3’41’’’ (Fran.a)
Gosto de Te Ver Dormir - Hugo Pinto, 7’41’’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Sublime - Marie Heribel, Candice Yernaux, Julieye Buysschaert, Camille Leroy, Jos.phine Vandeville, Marjn Laurent, Lucas Foutrier,
8’20’’ (Fran.a)
Hymn of the Plague - Phillip Ivanov, Alexander Epikhov, Dimitry Gorbaty, 14’ (Alemanha/R.ssia)
The Unbearing - Also Sisters, 15’ (E.U.A.)
Huir - Kike Maillo, Alejandro Pereira, 15’ (Espanha)
Dark Globe - Donato Sansone, 4’ (It.lia/Fran.a)
Sisowath Quay - St.phanie Lansaque, Fran.ois Leroy, 16’ (Fran.a)
Hush Now - Laen Sanchez, 4’ (Fran.a)
Playing God - Mayeo Burani, 9’ (It.lia/Fran.a)
The Companions - Jos. Maria Flores, 13’ (Espanha)
Crisantemo - Ra.l Diez, 7’02 (Espanha)
S.O. SEMANA DOS REALIZADORES | DIRECTORS WEEK OFFICIAL SECTION
(Longas-metragens / Compej..o |Features / Compejjon)
(FILMES IN.DITOS E/OU EM ANTESTREIA | PREMI.RE)
Cold Wallet - Cuyer Hodierne, 93’ (E.U.A.)
Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards - Junichi Ishikawa, 116’ (Jap.o)
Ranshima Bound - Yoshitaka Kamada, 84’ (Jap.o) - WORLD PREMIERE
Zero - Jean Luc Herbulot, 90’ (E.U.A.)
Stealing Pulp Fic@on - Danny Turkiewicz, 78’ (E.U.A.) - EUROPEAN PREMI.RE - FILME ENCERRAMENTO
Lola Magdalena - Joel Lamangan, 120’ (Filipinas)
Baby Assassins: Nice Days - Yugo Sakamoto, 113’ (Jap.o)
Welcome to the Village – Hideo Jojo, 100’ (Jap.o) INTERNATIONAL PREMI.RE
Peter Five Eight - Michael Zaiko Hall, 102’ (E.U.A.)
Samurai Detec@ve Onihei: Blood for Blood - Tomohiko Yamashita, 110’ (Jap.o)
S.O. PREMIERE & PANORAMA | OFFICIAL SECTION P&P
(Fora de Compej..o / Out of Compejjon)
(FILMES IN.DITOS E/OU EM ANTESTREIA | PREMI.RE)
O Apóstolo - Fernando Corjzo, 85’ (Espanha) 2013 - Pr.mio Juri Fantasporto 2013
Buscando a la Santa Compa?a - Fernando Corjzo, 81’ (Espanha) - document.rio 2023
A Caixa - Carlos Rodrigues e Ant.nio Figurinhas, 99’ (Angola)
IA: A Revolu??o no Cinema Digital - Jo.o Moreira, 60’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Histórias Estranhas 2: Demónios e Possess?es - Rodrigo Arag.o, Jos. Pedro Lopes, 82’ (Brasil/Portugal)
Zinema - Kornii Hrytsiuk, 80’ (Ucr.nia)
The Carna@on Revolu@on: Portugal from Dictatorship to Democracy - Einar Braathen e Anne Kjersj Bjorn, 51’ (Noruega)
S.O. ORIENT EXPRESS | ORIENT EXPRESS OFFICIAL SECTION
(FILMES IN.DITOS E/OU EM ANTESTREIA | PREMI.RE)
Sana: Let me hear - Takashi Shimizu, 107’ (Jap.o)
Dead Talents Society - John Hsu, 111’ (Taiwan)
River Returns - Masakasu Kaneko, 108’ (Jap.o)
Indera - Woo Ming Jin, 104’ (Mal.sia)
The Killer Goldfish - Yukihiko Tsutsumi, 94’ (Jap.o) - WORLD PREMIERE
A Place Called Silence - Sam Quah, 119’ (China) - CENAS EVENTUALMENTE CHOCANTES
Heavens: The Boy and His Robot - Rich Ho, 98’ (Singapura)
Ghost Killer - Kensuke Sonomura, 115’ (Jap.o)
Pushcart - Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, 116’ (Filipinas)
Scarecrow - Chito S. Ro.o, 90’ (Filipinas) - INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
Dollhouse - Shinobu Yaguchi, 110’ (Jap.o) - WORLD PREMIERE
Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards - Junichi Ishikawa, 116’ (Jap.o)
Welcome to the Village - Hideo Jojo, 100’ (Jap.o) INTERNATIONAL PREMI.RE
Ranshima Bound - Yoshitaka Kamada, 84’ (Jap.o) - WORLD PREMIERE
Lola Magdalena - Joel Lamangan, 120’ (Filipinas)
Baby Assassins: Nice Days - Yugo Sakamoto, 113’ (Jap.o)
Samurai Detec@ve Onihei: Blood for Blood - Tomohiko Yamashita, 110’ (Jap.o)
PORTUGUESE FILM COMPETITIONS
S.O. PR.MIO CINEMA PORTUGU.S - MELHOR FILME 2025 | OFFICIAL SECTION BEST FILM
(Compej..o)
Longas-metragens | Features
Criadores de ídolos - Lu.s Diogo, 100’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE - (PCP/CF)
Curtas-metragens | Shorts
Novembro - Pedro Sena Nunes, 3' 23'' (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Picture Break - Pedro Nogueira, 7?L30?L?L(Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Minus the Flesh - Lu.s Miranda, 1’51’’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
A Pari??o - Canuto, 14’57’’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Gosto de te ver dormir - Hugo Pinto, 7’41’’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE - (PCP/CF)
O Fim Era Apenas o Início - Ant.nio Aleixo, 17’06 (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Refra??o - In.s Albuquerque, 8’52 (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
A Goiva - Alexandre Amado, 15’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Na Hora de P?r a Mesa, éramos Cinco - Paulo A. M. Oliveira, 15’40’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Viés - Pedro Vaz, 14’33’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
Hat - Jo.o Moreira, 13’04’’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
CINEMA PORTUGUêS FORA COMPETI??O | OUT OF COMPETITION
Longas-metragens
IA: A Revolu??o no Cinema Digital - Jo.o Moreira, 60’ (Portugal) - WORLD PREMIERE
PR.MIO CINEMA PORTUGU.S - MELHOR FILME (ESCOLAS DE CINEMA) | BEST FILM / FILM SCHOOLS
(Compej..o / Compejjon)
ESCOLA ART.STICA SOARES DO REIS
O Elefante na Sala - Maria Lima, 8’17’’ (Portugal) - EASR
UBI - UNIVERSIDADE DA BEIRA INTERIOR
Natureza Morta - David Figueiredo, 11’44’’ (Portugal)
UNIVERSIDADE LUS.FONA DE LISBOA
O Compositor - Afonso Lucas, Rodrigo Moyy, 17’58’’ (Portugal)
UNIVERSIDADE CAT.LICA do Porto - Escola das Artes
Rostos de Casa - Sofia Afonso, 8’55’’ (Portugal)
UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO
Lethes - Filipa Galv.o, Maria Teixeira, Sara Santos, In.s Machado, 14’58’’ (Portugal)
ETIC
Entre Limhas - Andr. Lino, 16?L (Portugal) - ETIC
ESMAD
Umbral - Miguel Andrade, 14’11’’ (Portugal) – ESMAD
FANTAS CLASSICS
RETROSPECTIVA CINEMA TAIWAN | TAIWAN FILM RETROSPECTIVE
WOMEN′S REVENGE AND DESIRE IN TAIWANESE CINEMA
With the support of the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Insjtute
Vengeance of the Phoenix Sisters - Chen Hung-Min, 87’ - 1968 (Taiwan)
Story of Mother - Sung Tsun-shou, 89’ - 1973 (Taiwan)
Girls School - Mi Mi Lee, 91’ - 1982 (Taiwan)
The Woman of Wrath - Tseng Chuang-hsiang, 100’ - 1984 (Taiwan)
This Love of Mine - Chang Yi, 111’ - 1986 (Taiwan)
2025 WILL BRING THE BEST FANTASPORT EVER
Celebrating 45 years with a program of high quality and very diversified, selected from works from all over the world. The Americas, Europe and the best Asian production companies, in particular from China, the Philippines and Japan are highlights with the presence of several world premieres from companies such as Parallax, Toho, Sony, Pony Canyon, Toei, Fuji -TV or Warner Japan, with films directed by known names in current cinema. Even though the most creative cinema we have had at Fantasporto in recent years comes from Japan, the same happens with European Cinema. A Europe that will never cease to surprise, especially with films that won significant awards in Cannes and Venice. There will be films nominated for Oscars by their countries, without forgetting the growing presence of South America or New Zealand. We cannot forget the premiere of Singaporean cinema at Fantasporto 2025 or the selection of films that come to us from Canada, the United States and even Portugal, also significant.
Taiwan's cinematography will be honored with films from its cinematographic history. In this case, with a retrospective on Women's History, from the 70s to the present. From political documentaries to animation, especially films made with Artificial Intelligence (in focus in this edition), feature films and short films will fill your eyes with the quality and modernity of what is being done around the world.
Another curiosity is the fact that at this moment, a month and a half into the Festival, we have already confirmed a large number of foreign guests, including directors, producers, actors and journalists, taking into account they are not yet familiar with the program only presented today.
As always, we will discuss audiovisual in another side event, the Movie Talks, on different topics, with debates on the most important cinema topics. The focuses in 2025 are “First Productions” and the dangers and advantages of Artificial Intelligence.
There will also be book presentations making Fantas once again a place for Culture in all its aspects.
In defense of national cinema, Fantasporto 2025 opens with a World Premiere of a Portuguese film, in the presence of its actors and the rest of the team, ending with a very entertaining (and cinephile) North American film. To culminate a year's work, today we announce the final Line Up of Fantasporto 2025 that will take place at Batalha between February 28th and March 9th.
45th Porto International Film Festival.
THE ROUTE OF A GREAT FESTIVAL
Along the years, Fantasporto has become a general festival, respected throughout the world of cinema. It began with filling the gaps in the film industry in 1981 and continues to be based on this principle – that of giving space to all quality cinema that does not enter the commercial exhibition circuits, known since 1981 as the International Film Festival in Porto. Always with the concern to constantly innovate the programming with the discovery of new talents and unknown cinematographies, expanding audiences and educating future generations.
In this spirit, Fantasporto has an educational aspect, whether within the scope of Cinema or in other correlative creative areas such as music, robotics, holography, special effects or in areas linked to Knowledge, such as Literature, Communication, Arts or History showcased in the importance of masterclasses, Q&A’s and professional and inter-professional meetings.
Therefore, its objectives to show the latest and most innovative in the world of cinema. Fantasporto seeks to reflect on Cinema as a creative, formative and cultural phenomenon, with a view to expanding and increasing the quality of its target audiences, achieving greater space for Portuguese Cinema among its professionals and the public, making the festival into something unique, both nationally and internationally. Still important objectives are the reinforcement of publicity and promotion, the expansion of programming to the entire cinematographic world, particularly in the new sections created in recent years, the strict compliance with the announced programming, the increase in activities, the right path, it seems, given the clear prestige of the festival. This expectation is consistent with the festival's international classification among the best in the world and one of the 3 most important in the field of fantasy alongside Brussels and Sitges (Spain).
It is a generalist festival but with sectors that are now appreciated by our audiences, such as the Directors' Week, the Portuguese Cinema Award or the Retrospectives, yet Fantasporto has Fantasy Cinema as its predominant section. The festival’s international image cannot and should not be lost in this capacity and is increasingly strong in the World of Genre Cinema which, as it can be seen from the programming of commercial theaters, is still very much alive. We are equally rigorous in the regular discovery of new Portuguese talent and we also clearly assume that there will be a taste for the cinema for future generations. This can be explained, for example, with the strengthening of new areas of work with Universities and Film Schools, with the participation of teachers, students and their representatives.
The broad and timely promotion of the festival's general program, as usual, announced two months before its start, has all the information for member communication in its multimedia drive. Tickets will be sold online one month in advance, which allows moviegoers to have all the information they need to choose the films they want to see.
Fantasporto needs stability corresponding to the quality and prestige work carried out. In a region that has only grown in terms of tourism, the sustained presence of cultural events, both for its inhabitants and for those who visit us, also represents its economic and cultural vitality. As is the case with Fantasporto. Welcome to the 45Th Fantasporto!
January 2025