Fantaspoa, the International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre, was created in 2005 as a trailblazing festival aimed at showcasing fantastic films in Brazil.
At Fantaspoa, we have three official sections: the International Feature Film Competition, the Short Film Competition (featuring live-action/animation and national/international categories, and the prestigious Melies D’Argent competition), and the Ibero-American Feature Film Competition. Additionally, the festival features special programming sections that vary with each edition.
The festival awards 16 prizes in various competitive categories at each edition, including a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. This award has been bestowed upon renowned auteurs of the fantastic genre in the past, including Roger Corman, Christina Lindberg, Larry Wilson, Luigi Cozzi, Lamberto Bava, Ruggero Deodato, Claudio Simonetti, Stuart Gordon, David Schmoeller, Frank Henenlotter, Lloyd Kaufman, Simon Boswell, Bill Plympton, Katt Shea, Jeff Lieberman, IGG Nabwana, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Mark L. Lester and Takashi Shimizu.
The festival hosts over 70 guests annually, who attend in person and engage in Q&A sessions post-screenings, bridging the gap between the audience and filmmakers. Such initiatives, coupled with industry workshops and lectures, aid in promoting the study, dissemination, and production of cinema in Brazil.
Over Fantaspoa’s 20-year history, it has established itself as the biggest genre festival in Latin America and as the main film event in the city of Porto Alegre.
For many filmmakers who've attended Fantaspoa in person, the festival has become a beacon of camaraderie, forging lasting friendships and connections that feel like family.
Fun fact: over 120 have the festival logo tattooed. (This is optional, of course.)
The festival is widely regarded as Brazil's finest platform for showcasing exceptional films in the fantastic genre. Fantaspoa is the only South American festival to become a member of the Méliès – European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation (EFFFF). The Méliès Federation brings together the 25 most significant fantastic genre film festivals worldwide.
Dread Central named Fantaspoa as one of the Best Horror Festivals in the World for both 2021 and 2022. In 2019 and 2021, Fantaspoa was listed in the MovieMaker's Bloody Best Genre Fests in the World. In 2023, MovieMaker named it one of the 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee and one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World. In 2024, MovieMaker again named Fantaspoa one of the 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.
Mark your calendars for April 10-27, 2025, for the 21st edition of Fantaspoa.
We invite filmmakers that create in the fantastic cinema genre to submit their work on www.filmfreeway.com/fantaspoa
Short Films:
Best Brazilian Short Film
Best International Animated Short Film
Best International Live-Action Short Film
Ibero-American Selection:
Best Film
Best Direction
Best Screenplay
Best Actress
Best Actor
International Competition:
Best Film
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Art Direction
Best Special Effects