“Bound” and “Unhook the Stars”: Winners of the two competitive sections Of Fantasporto’97

For ten days Oporto, Portugal’s second largest city, was the centre of the film world. The 17th edition of FANTASPORTO – Oporto International Film Festival, has just closed with a massive attendance of public, distributors, professionals, and media coverage.

The Oporto International Film Festival – FANTASPORTO, is Portugal’s leading film festival with circa 85,000 spectators, and screened in its 8 theatres (almost 3.000 seats) over 190 films (features and shorts) coming from far away countries such as New Zeland and Japan, with 43 different screenings per day.
The main centre of activities for the official sections was the Auditório Nacional Carlos Alberto with great attendance of an enthusiastic crowd, constantly solding out in the evening screenings, some ending at 6.a.m.

The media coverage included all four national television networks and the presence of circa 120 accredited journalists from all nation-wide newspapers, magazines and radio stations.
The Foreign press, also present at the Oporto Festival, included representatives of Japan, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Belgium, Norway and Canada.

As in past editions, the festival had the support of the IPACA -Portuguese Film and Audiovisual Institute, and of the Ministry of Culture.

The Programme also included a Retrospective of German Films (programmed with the assistance of the Goethe Institut), a Retrospective of the Asian Cinema (Animé- Mangas) and a Monty Python Retrospective.

A Special Career Award was granted to the Belgian Director Raoul Servais whose presence honoured the Closing Night.

Attending FANTASPORTO were many of the directors and producers of the films in competition, namely Directors

Carlos Silva, director of “Mortinho por Chegar a Casa”
Jon Kroll, director of “Menno’s Mind”
Alberto Schiamma, director of “The Killer Tongue”
Brian Yuzna, director of “The Dentist”
David Latt, director of “Killers”
Paul Maslak, director of “Sworn to Justice”
Howard Goldberg, director of “Eden”.
Elio Quiroga, director of “Fotos”,
Pierre Gang, director of “Sous Sol / Not Me”.
Jorg Buttgereit, director of “Nekromantic”
Isabella Sandri, director of “The World Upside Down”.
Jon Farschou, director of “Body Switch”
Estebam Ibarretxe, director of “Solo se Muere Dos Veces”
Julian Richards, director of “Darklands”
Mirea Ros, director of “La Moños”
Edgar Pera, director of “A Konspiração dos Mil Tímpanos”
Ricardo Resende and Elsa Bruxelas, directors of “O Homem do Comboio”.
Lloyd Kaufman, director of “Tromeo and Juliet”.
and the presence of many more directores, producers, actors and distributors and other people of the film industry which make Fantasporto their meeting point.

The Federation of European Film Festivals had here its Second General Assembly of the Year, concerning the development of the Méliès; D’Or Award

The Official Selection

The Official Selection was divided into two categories: Fantasy Films (Competitive), Directors Week (Competitive).

The Official Fantasy Film Competition presented:

The Killer Tongue – Alberto Sciamma (Spain)
The Dentist – Brian Yuzna (USA)
Within The Rock – Gary J. Tunnicliffe (Can)
Little Witches – Jane Simpson (Can.)
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline – Alan Smithee (USA)
Frankenstein and Me – Robert Tinnell (Can)
Zone 39 – John Tatoulis (Australia)
Body Switch – Jorn Faurschou (Dan)
Los Corsarios del Chip – Rafael Alcazar (Spain)
Darklands – Julian Richards (G.B.)
Wizard of Darkness – Shimato Sato (Jap)
Ghost in the Shell – Mamoru Oshii (Jap)
Bound – Larry & Andy Waschowski (USA)
Fotos- Elio Quiroga (Spain)
Sweet Angel Mine – Curtis Radclyffe (G.B.)
Solo se Muere Dos Veces – Esteban Ibarretxe (Spain)
Killers – David Michael Latt (USA) / World premiere
The Relic – Peter Hyams (USA)

International Fantasy Film Award

The International Jury of the 17th Oporto Film Festival – Fantasporto 97 has decided to grant the following awards:

Best Film Award Fantasporto 97
Best Film Award Fantasporto 97 – “BOUND” – Waschowski Brothers (USA)
Best Direction – Robert Tinnell – “Frankenstein and Me” (Can.)
Best Actor – Juan Inciarte – “Solo se Muere Dos Veces” (Spain)
Best Actress – Jennifer Tilly – “Bound” (USA)
Best Screenplay – Julian Richards “Darklands” (G.B.)
Best Special Effects – Image Animation – “The Killer Tongue” (Spain)
BEST SHORT FILM FANTASPORTO 97 – “L’enchanteur” Richard Wright (França)
JURY’SPECIAL AWARD – Ex-Aequo – “Sweet Angel Mine” – Curtis Radcliffe (G.B.) and “Darklands” – Julian Richards (G.B.)
Mention of the International Jury – “Ghost In The Shell” – Mamoru Oshi

Directors’ Week Award

The film “UNHOOK THE STARS” was the Winner of the Directors Week, an official competition of the17th Oporto International Film Festival – FANTASPORTO 1997.

Other Awards of the International Jury:
Best Director – Scott Hicks “SHINE” (Australia)
Best Screenplay – Greg Mottola – “The Daytrippers”(Canada)
Best Cinematography – Frederic Elmes “The Empty Mirror”(G. B.)
Special Award Of The Jury – “The Daytrippers” – Greg Mottola (Can)

Under the patronage of the Portuguese Film Institute and the Ministry of Culture, this competition included films such as:

Shine – Scott Hicks (Aust)
Unhook the Stars – Nick Cassavettes (USA)
Land of Milk and Honey – Joseph Destein (USA)
The World Upside Down – Isabella Sandri (Ita)
The Purse Snatcher – Maria Peters (Hol.)
Chicken – Grant Lahood (N.Z.)
Boyfriends – Neil Hunter / Tom Hunsinger (USA)
Other Voices, Other Rooms – David Rocksavage (USA)
Lulu – Srinivas Krishna (Can.)
The Daytrippers – Greg Mottola (Can.)
The Empty Mirror – Barry J. Hershey (USA)
Sous-Sol / Not Me – Pierre Gang (Can.)
A Konspiração dos Mil Tímpanos – Edgar Pêra (Por)
O Homem do Comboio – Ricardo Rezende / Elsa Bruxelas(Por)
Manny & Lo – Lisa Krueger (USA)
Eden – Howard Goldberg (USA )
Nothing To Loose – Eric Bross (USA)
O Guarani – Norma Bengel (Brasil)
Animia de Cariño – Carmelo Espinosa (Sp.)
Unhook the Stars – Nick Cassavettes (USA)
La Moños- Mireia Ros (Spain)

Past winners of the New Directors Week were Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” (G.B.), Sharuna Bartas’ “Three Days” (Lituania), Tom Kalin’s “Swoon” (USA),”Bodies, Rest and Motion” by Michael Sternberg (USA), “Clean,Shaven” by Lodge Kerrigan (USA) and “Two on a couch” by Amir Razazadeh (Can)

Mèlies; D’argent Fantasporto Award

This Prize, granted to the Best European Fantasy Film in the competitive section of the Festival and had the following candidates:

The Killer Tongue – Alberto Sciamma (GB)
Mortinho por Chegar a Casa – Carlos da Silva / George Sluizer (Port / Holland)
Body Switch – Jon Farchou (Danemark)
Sweet Angel Mine – Curtis Radcliff ( GB)
Darklands- Julian Richards (G.B.)
Fotos – Elio Quiroga (Spain)

El Dia de La Bestia by Alex de La Iglesia, the winner of the 1st Méliès; D’Or was also screened ourt of competition.
THE MƒLIéS D’ARGENT FANTASPORTO AWARD went to “DARKLANDS” – Julian Richards (G.B.) Special Mention of the Jury – “MORTINHO POR CHEGAR A CASA” – Carlos da Silva e George Sluizer (Portugal / Holland)

Critics’ Award And Audience Award

The Critics’ Award was given to “Darklands” by Julian Richards (G.B.)
The Audience Award was given to “Forgotten Silver” by Peter Jackson (New Zealand)

The 18th Oporto International Film Festival- Fantasporto 98 will take place between the 20th and the 28th February1998!