Get your fantasy, sci-fi and horror films fill at Porto’s Fantasporto

From 20 February to 4 March, the Rivoli Theatre in Porto welcomes the 38th edition of Fantasporto – Porto International Film Festival. Usually known by locals and fans as just ‘Fantas’.

What began as an idea amongst a group of friends at artists’ favourite Café Luso in the early 1980s, went on to become one of the oldest and the longest-running independent film festivals in Portugal. The festival has since launched the European careers of some (now) great names like Guillermo del Toro (Oscar-nominated for 2018), Peter Jackson (Academy Award Winner), David Lynch, and others.

This year’s festival will exhibit over 100 films from 59 countries in its four main competition sections – Fantasy, Directors’ Week, Orient Express, and Portuguese Cinema – and six films as part of a special Taiwan B-Movies retrospect.

The festival’s theme is ‘Ethics – The boundaries of Science, Arts, and the Cinema’, with parallel events, including lectures and debates, happening throughout the two weeks.

Fantasporto has been the only horror, sci-fi, and fantasy film festival in the country to attract a crowd of loyal fans and welcome European and World premieres of films by future well-known directors like Peter Jackson (won the Fantasporto award in 1993 for Braindead) and Guillermo del Toro (won the Fantasporto award in 1994 for Cronos).

Tickets are available from €5-8 at the Rivoli Theatre’s ticket office and all-access passes are available for €100.

By Sandra Henriques