Fantasporto

Starting next February 20th, the 38th edition of Fantasporto- Oporto International Film Festival, ends on March 3rd (competitions) and March 4^th (the awards screenings), 3 more days than usual.

A great festival, full of household names and sensational discoveries. The Official Opening will screen the feature “Marrowbone”, from the producer of “Pan’s Labirynth”, and the Competitions Opening will present the Russian mega-production “Anna Karenina: Vronsky’s Story”, by Karen Shaknazarov. For the Closing Night, Fantasporto screens “Le Fidèle”, Belgian’s entry for the Oscars.

New exciting films, some awarded in other festivals, most in World, European or International Premières, bring to Oporto hundreds of professionals to introduce their films, the lucky 100 selected from the nearly 600 features and shorts sent for selection, representing 59 countries from all over the world. In the four main competitions - Fantasy, Directors’ Week, Orient Express and Portuguese Cinema, the highlights also go to director and film critic Lauro António and the World Première of 3 Portuguese feature films.

They are “A Life Sublime” by Luis Diogo, “Red Nose Doctors” by Bernardo Lopes and Helder Faria and “Aparition” by Fernando Vendrell. 8 Universities and Film Schools participate in the festival. Complementing the programme, a Retrospective of the Taiwanese director Chang Tso-Chi, and the unreleased and seldom seen Taiwan B-Movies from the 70’s and 80’s. Lectures, debates, workshops and other events within the frame of the festival, are with free access.

Porto, a World Heritage City, welcomes you to the 38th Fantasporto! A Great City, a Great Film Event!

Mario Dorminsky Festival Director