09/03/2015 - Hungarian director Károly Ujj Mészáros’ feature debut also snagged the Best Special Effects Award

The 35th Fantasporto, which came to an end this weekend, has awarded the Grand Prix in its official competition to the Hungarian film Liza, the Fox-Fairy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Karoly Ujj Mészáros
film profile] by Károly Ujj Mészáros. Recently released in Hungary to much acclaim, Liza, the Fox-Fairy is a mix of fantastic film and romantic comedy, revolving around a shy nurse looking for love. Her only companion is a long-dead Japanese pop star who transforms her into a fox-fairy out of jealousy. Consequently, all the men who fall for her seem condemned to death...

Also pocketing the Best Special Effects Award, the title was initially developed at Cannes’ Cinefondation in 2010, and is co-produced by Hungarian outfits FilmTeam and Origo Film Group.

The Canadian movie Wolfcop by Lowell Dean, about a policeman-turned-werewolf, bagged the jury’s Special Award, while France’s Romain Basset was named Best Director for his first feature, Horsehead [+see also:
trailer
film profile], and South Korea’s Jong-Ho Lee made off with the Best Script Award for Mourning Grave. In the acting categories, Rupert Evans stood out for his performance in The Canal, and Georgia Bradley was rewarded for her work in Hungerford.

In the Directors’ Week sidebar, the winner was Shawkat Amin Korki’s German-Iraqi title Memories on Stone – which was also handed the Best Script Award in this section – while the jury’s Special Award went to Ernesto de Nova’s El Rayo [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. The Best Director Award was bestowed upon Shim Sung-Bo’s Haemoo, which was the festival’s opening film.

The Portuguese Film Prize went to Nuno Noivo and João Fanfas’ short Renaissance, while Lisbon’s Universidade Lusófona won the film-school contest.

Fantasporto will return next year between 26 February and 5 March.