VIDEO March 1 highlights of fantastic films at Fantasporto
Sala 1
15.15
CF
Scared to Death- Paul Boyd- 98’ (EUA) horror sobrenatural, comédia
A house, empty for 70 years, is visited to be the setting for the filming of a horror film about a night of spiritualism. And what better way to
introduce the actors in the film to the spiritual theme than a realistic séance inside the house? Especially since the person showing them around the
house (formerly an orphanage) is a medium who would like to meet the film's protagonist, the legendary The Grog (a remarkable performance by
Kurt Deimer, who also wrote the music, as in “Hellbilly Hollow”, also screened this year). But not everything goes as planned. Fun and innovative,
this supernatural horror comedy was selected for London's FrightFest. Director Paul Boyd won the Best Film Award at the New York Latino Film Fest.
17.15
CF
Post Truth- Alkan Avcioglu- 103’ – (Turquia) - documentário digital, futuro, AI
Spoken in English, this is the first feature-length documentary film entirely generated with Artificial Intelligence. It explores our relationship with
technology and how we are now in the age of algorithms. Everything we see and appreciate, whether true or not, ends up being imposed on us by
camouflaged manipulation and an overload of images and information that dominate all our choices. It also talks about a top-secret meeting in
2007 in California, where humanity's top decision-makers gave structure to the future world they dreamed of. A film that is absolutely essential
viewing and which opens our eyes to the reality of today and tomorrow. This is the director's first feature film, reminiscent of Geoffrey Reggio's
famous ‘Koyaaniskatsi’ (1982) he pays tribute to. This film has already won the Audience Award at the Frontdoc Film Festival.
19.30
SR/PCP
Cativos- Luís Alves- 92’ (Port) - thriller, horror
Love is captivity. This is the premise that guides this film. A man imprisons a woman in a basement and quotes lines from well-known films to her. He
tells her that she is his ex-girlfriend who left him. What follows is a game of power and seduction that keeps the audience in suspense. Director Luís
Alves is known for several short films such as ‘A Cova’ (2011) and ‘O Caso Coutinho’ (2022), which was screened at Fantasporto in 2023 and won at
the Thess International Film Festival, among other awards. With Ana Varela in a memorable performance and Filipe Amorim in the difficult role of
the kidnapper, this is the director's first feature film.
21.30
SR
The Trek- Meekaaeel Adam- 103’ (Africa do Sul) - aventura, animismo, viagem
In the 19th century, a man, his pregnant wife and young daughter cross the arid lands of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, guided by a violent
man. They are joined by a native with his knowledge and the help of the spirits, although constantly antagonised. The struggle between good and
evil, dependent on the whims of nature and the discovery of an example of the quality of contemporary South African cinema. The first feature film
by the director, an experienced and award-winning cinematographer.
Sala 2
15.00
RETROSPECTIVA NORUEGUESA
What will people Say – Iram Haq - 107’ (Nor/ Alem/ Sue) - 2017
16-year-old Nisha lives a double life. At home with her family she is the perfect Pakistani daughter, but when out with her friends, she is a
normal teenager. Born in a strict migrant household in Norway suffers the brunt of cultural dichotomy when her father finds her with a boy in her
bedroom. This film was, among 17 wins, the Audience Award in the Friburg Festival, Palm Springs festival Youth Award and also winner of Best Film,
Direction, Screenplay and Actor in the Amanda Awards (Norway). It was also selected for The Cleveland, Edinburgh and Hamburg Festivals among
others.
17.15
P&P
The Last Assassins - James Anthony Usas - 84’ (EUA) - survival, science-fiction
The world lives in a permanent winter and is shrouded in a deadly fog. In the distant future, Nobel must take a young girl to her aunt, whom she has
never met, after her father has been killed. He has sworn to protect the members of that family, and few remain. When they arrive at an abandoned
laboratory, holograms tell the family's story. But can the digital world become physical? The young woman may be the solution. This is the director’s
first feature, following the shorts “House of the Gathering” (2011) and “Deliveries” (2010).
19.00
RETRO Noruega
Blind- Eskil Vogt- 96’ (Nor)- 2014
This is the first feature film by director Eskil Vogt, who has already received numerous awards, including Best European Film at the Berlin Film
Festival, Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Trondheim Film Festival, and Best Screenplay at the Sundance Film Festival. It tells the story of a
woman who has recently gone blind and must relearn how to live, taking refuge in a fantasy world.
21.00
SR
Endless Land – Vassílis Mazomenos – 80 ́ (Gre) - drama
A poetic and visually striking elegy on memory, exile and generational cycles, set in a remote village of Epirus Northern Greece, delivering a moving
story about loss and continuity, rooted in the timeless rhythms of rural life and migration. Letting the images speak for themselves, sometimes
poignantly, this is one of the most beautiful examples of modern European cinema.
The director is a member of the European Film Academy and screened his first film at Fantasporto, “Money, a Mythology of Darkness” (2000), as
well as many of the eleven he directed afterwards, including the most recent “Exile” (2019) and “Purgatory” (2020). He has now won 36
international awards and is one of the best-known voices in Greek cinema. He received the Fantasporto Career Award in 2001.
