37th EDITION OF THE OPORTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL STARTS THE 24 FEBRUARY TILL 4TH MARCH.
Coming next February, the 37th edition of the renowned film festival, considered in the Top 10 of the independent film festivals of the world, is coming, once again, to celebrate the most recent film production.
With two main competitions, Director’s Week (for all kinds of films) and Fantasy (for fantasy genre shorts and features) , the festival has received offers from 60 countries, of which only 35 were integrated in the final selection. Known as a place to discover new talent, Fantasporto has several world openings and a main theme in 2017, “The Cinema of Our Times”.
In fact, all major problems of today’s world are reflected in the film production in competition, whether of the imagination/fantasy section or on real life issues in the Directors Week. Portuguese Cinema also integrates the final line-up, including films from professionals and film schools.
The 2017 Tribute goes to director Ate de Jong whose cult film Drop Dead Fred celebrates 25 years after its release. It will also be an occasion to honor the presence of recently deceased actress Carrie Fisher (Star Wars) who plays, with Rik Mayall, an important role in the film. De Jong will also present in person his newest film Love is Thicker than Water.
The festival will screen many current issues such as war themed features like Bloodlands (Albania) or Land of Light about the refugee Syrian children, the problem of adultery in a Muslim country in Sins of the Flesh (Egypt), the difficulties of the integration of migrants in The Citizen (Hungary) or the sustainability of our planet and foreign menaces in lots of sci-fi recent production such as in Realive (Spain) , Division 19 (UK/USA) , Caught (UK) or The Darkest Dawn (UK). Burocrats are fiercely portrayed in Punch the Clock (Brazil) and the effects of the world’s economic crisis are clear in Lines by Greek director Vassilis Mazomenos. The Evil Within (USA), by Andrew Getty will have its world opening, after its director has was found dead in 2015. The Net, by celebrated awarded director Kim Ki-Duk, brings a new light on the Korean north and south problem. Robots, space travelling, spirits, zombies and aliens in all sorts of imaginative narratives are guaranteed fun and joy for fantasy fans with Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of Time, The Attack of the Leatherhosen Zombies, OMG I’m A Robot, The Rift, Rewind, Seoul Station or Tuos. A Ilha dos Cães, A Floresta das Almas Perdidas and Comboio de Sal e Açucar are the representatives of Portugal in the competitions.
A retrospective of Tawain action/martial arts films of the 60´s and 70´s and a retro of recent Argentinean fantasy features, as well as a presentation of fantasy novellas coming from Brazilian TV Globo, complete the program.
The Opening film is The Age of Shadows, by Jee-woon Kim, Korean candidate to the Oscars and former Fantasporto winner in 2011 with A Tale of Two Sisters. The Closing ceremony features the Henry James based , Brazilian film Though the Shadow by Walter Lima Jr.
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