Imagine Film Festival Explained

Imagine Film Festival
Location:Amsterdam, Netherlands
Founded:1991
Awards:Sea Devil Award, Silver Scream Award, Silver Méliès
Date:Annually, at the end of October

The Imagine Film Festival, formerly Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival (AFFF), also known as Imagine Fantastic Film Festival or simply Imagine, is an annual film festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands.[1] The festival was created in 1991 as the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, with a focus mainly on fantasy and horror films,[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] before changing its name in 2009.[7]

History

Imagine started out as the "Weekend of Terror". After several years, this weekend turned into a full-blown festival in 1991, titled the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival (AFFF). It showed a wide array of international genre films, not just horror but also sci-fi, fantasy, martial arts and anime.

In 2004 the AFFF hosted the Golden Méliès Gala (best European fantastic long and short films).

In 2009, the festival got a new name: Imagine Film Festival. With the name change, the organization wanted to emphasize that the festival had become more focused on films that cannot be strictly defined as fantasy, horror or science fiction over the years.[8]

In 2013, after many years based at the Kriterion, the festival chose the EYE Film Institute as its home base. During the years at Eye, the festival started adding VR experiences as well as games, under the flag of "Imagine Expanded", and extended its science programme.

In 2022, both the timing and the venues were changed: to the end of October instead of mid-April, and at two new base venues.[9]

Description

Imagine takes place at the end of October, at LAB11 and de Filmhallen.[10]

The festival aims to acquaint both film lovers and the general public with a selection of new and classic films from genres such as fantasy, horror and science fiction. A large part of the program consists of genre films, exploitation films, cult films and obscure films, though the offerings have become increasingly diverse over the years.

The event is organised by the Foundation AFFF for no profit and receives subsidies from the Film Fund and the City of Amsterdam.

Awards

The Imagine Time Capsule was awarded between 2010 and 2015. Other former awards include the Black Tulip Award, the VR Award, and Lifetime / Career Achievement Award., the prizes awarded at the festival are:[11] [12]

Sea Devil Award (formerly Black Tulip)

For best feature.

As Black Tulip Award:In 2006 set jury prize, the Black Tulip Award, in 2006 was awarded in three categories, but then only in the category of Best Feature:

CategoryFilm TitleDirector
Best Feature 2022AshkalYoussef Chebbie
Best Feature 2021History of the OccultCristian Ponce
Best Feature 2020The Mortuary CollectionRyan Spindell
Best Feature 2019The Father's ShadowGabriela Amaral Almeida
Best Feature 2018Tigers Are Not AfraidIssa López
Best Feature 2017Are We Not CatsXander Robin
Best Feature 2016Into the ForestPatricia Rozema
Best Feature 2015SunrisePartho Sen-Gupta
Best Feature 2014CoherenceJames Ward Byrkit
Best Feature 2013Wolf ChildrenMamoru Hosoda
Best Feature 2012Boris Rodriguez
Best Feature 2011BedevilledJang Cheol-soo
Best Feature 2010The Seventh CircleArpad Sopsits
Best Feature 2009Let the right one inTomas Alfredson
Best Feature 2008TimecrimesNacho Vigalondo
Best Feature 2007The Bothersome ManJens Lien
Best Feature 2006Next DoorPål Sletaune
Best Feature Debut 2006MirrorMaskDave McKean & Neil Gaiman
Best Short 2006Doll Nr. 639András Dési & Gábor Móray

Méliès Awards

The Méliès Awards are an initiative of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (formerly European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation, or EFFFF), of which Imagine has been a member since 1996. Affiliated festivals each year grant two Silver Méliès Award during their festival, one for the best long and one for the best short film fantastic. The winners then join the Méliès d'Or Award ceremony.Amsterdam Méliès winners:

Amsterdam Méliès-winners:

YearFilm TitleDirector
2023InfestedSébastien Vanícek
2022AttachmentGabriel Bier Gislason
2021CensorPrano Bailey-Bond
2020Dogs Don’t Wear PantsJukka-Pekka Valkeapää
2019O Beautiful Night[13] Xaver Xylophon
2018The Place[14] Paolo Genovese
2017Skins[15] Eduardo Casanova
2016The SurvivalistStephen Fingleton
2015Liza, the Fox-FairyKároly Ujj Mészáros
2014
2013The EndJorge Torregrossa
2012Sleep TightJaume Balagueró
2011SuikerJeroen Annokkeé
2010TransmissionRoland Vranik
2009Before the FallF. Javier Gutiérrez
2008The King of the MountainGonzalo López-Gallego
2007ThemDavid Moreau & Xavier Palud
2006StormMåns Mårlind & Björn Stein
2005CalvaireFabrice du Welz
2004Anders Thomas Jensen
2003My Little EyeMarc Evans
2002The Devil's BackboneGuillermo del Toro
2001Daniel Monzón

Silver Scream Award

The Silver Scream Award is voted for by the audience of the festival.

YearFilm TitleDirector
2023The Boy and the HeronHayao Miyazaki
2022Escape to the Silver GlobeKuba Mikurda
2021Alien on StageLucy Harvey and Dannielle Kummer
2019One Cut of the Dead[16] Shinchiro Ueda
2018Isle of DogsWes Anderson
2017Get OutJordan Peele
2016They Call Me JeegGabriele Mainetti
2015Ex Machina
2014Jodorowsky's DuneFrank Pavich
2013The BatteryJeremy Gardner
2012The RaidGareth Evans
2011The Perfect HostNicholas Tomnay
2010Mary and MaxAdam Elliot
2009Let the right one inTomas Alfredson
2008RECJaume Balagueró en Paco Plaza
2007Adam's ApplesAnders Thomas Jensen
2006Ordinary ManVincent Lannoo
2005Kung Fu HustleStephen Chow
2004Tempus FugitEnric Folch
2003Spirited AwayHayao Miyazaki
2002Donnie DarkoRichard Kelly
2001Heart of the WarriorDaniel Monzón
2000Galaxy QuestDean Parisot
1999eXistenZDavid Cronenberg
1998Dark CityAlex Proyas
1996From Dusk Till DawnRobert Rodriguez
1995Dellamorte DellamoreMichele Soavi
1994Return of the Living Dead 3Brian Yuzna
1993BraindeadPeter Jackson
1992AkiraKatsuhiro Otomo
1991The Silence of the LambsJonathan Demme
1990NightbreedClive Barker

VR Award

In 2018, the inaugural VR Award was awarded to an eight-channel video Australian work called The Summation of Force, by filmmaker Matthew Bate and photographers Narelle Autio and Trent Parke.[17] [18]

Lifetime/Career Achievement Award

The Lifetime/Career Achievement Award has been awarded to the following people:

Imagine Time Capsule

This prize was awarded for online entries between 2010 and 2015:

YearFilm TitleDirector
2015We Love RobotsBram Roza and Jurriaan Verdoold
2014Looking for LaikaThijs Molenaar and Laurens Roorda
2013MonsterpopBoriz Baatsen
2012Mayan ProphecyGeoffrey Cramm
2011Under the DressSasha Meijer
2010The Vegan VampireSuzi Terror

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Imagine FIlm Festival . 2023-12-05 . FilmFreeway . en.
  2. Web site: British Council Film: Imagine Film Festival . 2023-12-05 . film-directory.britishcouncil.org.
  3. Web site: Mulder . Frank . 2023-11-05 . Tiger Stripes & Vermin winnaars Imagine Film Festival 2023 • Activiteiten . 2023-12-05 . De Nachtvlinders; hét online horrormagazine van Nederland . nl-NL.
  4. Web site: Imagine Fantastic Film Festival . 2023-12-05 . De Hallen Amsterdam . en-US.
  5. Web site: s.r.o . Appio Digital . Imagine (Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival) DOKweb . 2023-12-05 . dokweb.net . en.
  6. Web site: IMAGINE: Fantastic Film Festival – A feast for the senses and lots of food for thought . 2023-12-05 . acasadevidro.com . pt-PT.
  7. Web site: Peters . Mark . 2014-03-27 . Imagine Film Festival - Amsterdam Fantastic Film Fest! . 2023-12-05 . Amsterdamapartments.com . en.
  8. Web site: Imagine nieuwe naam AFFF . Filmtotaal . 7 February 2009 . nl . 7 October 2022.
  9. Web site: 2022-12-03 . Imagine 2022 Review: EXHIBIT #8 Displays Dutch Found Footage Fun . 2023-12-05 . ScreenAnarchy.
  10. Web site: Imagine Film Festival . I amsterdam . 14 August 2024.
  11. Web site: Awards & Jury's . Imagine Filmfestival Amsterdam . 8 November 2023 . 14 August 2024.
  12. Web site: Imagine Fantastic FIlm Festival 2024 . FilmFreeway . 14 August 2024.
  13. Web site: Prijswinnaars Imagine Film Festival 2019 bekend! - Imagine Film Festival . imaginefilmfestival.nl . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190426204356/https://imaginefilmfestival.nl/nieuws/and-the-winner-is/ . 2019-04-26.
  14. Web site: Imagine Film Festival 2019 The Winners of the Imagine Awards 2018 - . imaginefilmfestival.nl . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190426204352/https://imaginefilmfestival.nl/nieuws/the-winners-of-the-imagine-awards-2018/ . 2019-04-26.
  15. Web site: Imagine Film Festival 2019 - Awards Imagine Film Festival uitgereikt . imaginefilmfestival.nl . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190426204355/https://imaginefilmfestival.nl/nieuws/awards-imagine-film-festival-uitgereikt/ . 2019-04-26.
  16. Web site: Silver Scream Award goes to... - Imagine Film Festival . imaginefilmfestival.nl . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190420100124/https://imaginefilmfestival.nl/en/nieuws/silver-scream-award-goes-to/ . 2019-04-20.
  17. Web site: Closer Productions . Closer Productions . 14 August 2024.
  18. Web site: Autio and Parke win Imagine VR Award . Hugo Michell Gallery . 21 March 2018 . 14 August 2024.