05/03/2007

Spanish-Mexican production Pan's Labyrinth [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Guillermo del Toro was the top winner of the 27th Fantasporto Film Festival. Porto's festival fantastical films ended last Saturday night with an awards ceremony in which the film’s lead, Sergio Lopez, was also attributed the prize for Best Actor.

After seven Goyas (see news) and three Academy Awards (see news) these two prizes come as further recognition for a film that was released domestically last Thursday by Lusomundo.

Moreover, this is not the first time the Fantas are recognising del Toro’s talent, as his debut feature Cronos picked up the Fantas' top prize back in 1994.

Aridana Gil, who also stars in Pan's Labyrinth, was chosen Best Actress for her performance in Daniel Calparsoro's stylish thriller Ausentes [+see also:
trailer
film profile], while another Spanish title, Un Franco, 14 Pesetas – the directorial debut of actor Carlos Iglésias, based on his own childhood experiences as an immigrant in Switzerland – received the top prize of the Fantas' sidebar section Director's Week (which does not focus exclusively on fantastic titles).

Although Asian productions swept the other major prizes there was still room for a Special Mention for Jens Lien's The Bothersome Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jens Lien
interview: Jørgen Storm Rosenberg
film profile] (Norway) and a Special Jury Prize to local dark comedy Suicídio Encomendado.

The latter, Artur Serra Araújo’s directorial debut, tells the story of a young man (João Fino) who decides to hire the services of a company offering assisted suicides, run by Dr. Cruz Morte (literally "Dr. Death", played by the very popular José Wallenstein). The film was produced by Matosinhos-based FBF Filmes, which will also distribute it theatrically in two weeks.

Fantasporto will be back next year from February 23-March 9 and organisers have already announced one retrospective on Portuguese director Fernando Lopes (98 Octanas) and another focused on Danish cinema.