By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The 2022 edition of the major Brazilian genre event spread the wealth among a number of genre features.
Fantaspoa XVIII, held in Porto Alegre, Brazil April 15-May 1, screened 188 movies both in theaters and virtually, with more than 40 filmmaker Q&As and other events. The complete list of the festival’s award-winners:
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION (Jurors: Diego Faraone, Matheus Marchetti, and Fernando Sanches)
Best Film: THE SADNESS (pictured above; Rob Jabbaz)
Best Direction: Kirill Sokolov (NO LOOKING BACK)
Best Actress: Christina Ricci (MONSTROUS)
Best Actor: George Webster (GOD’S PETTING YOU)
Best Screenplay: Lorenz Merz (SOUL OF A BEAST)
Best Art Direction: Stefan Lernous (HOTEL POSEIDON)
Best Special Effects: Victor Chang (THE SADNESS)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Best Newcomer Actress: Sofia Krugova (NO LOOKING BACK)
Best Blood (and shit) Bath: Lukas Rinker (HOLY SHIT!)
Best Ensemble Cast: Vincent Grashaw (WHAT JOSIAH SAW)
BRAZILIAN FEATURE FILM COMPETITION (Jurors: Florencia Franco, Nicanor Loreti, and Jimena Monteoliva)
Best Film: EX AEQUO–JESUS KID (Aly Muritiba) and SUBJECT (Léo Falcão)
Honorable Mention: THE CITY OF ABYSSES (Priscyla Bettim and Renato Coelho), for its aesthetical originality.
IBERO-AMERICANA COMPETITION (Jurors: Carlos Ferreira, Kirill Sokolov, and JJ Weber)
Best Film: EVERYONE WILL BURN (David Hebrero)
Best Direction: Chema García Ibarra (SACRED SPIRIT)
Best Screenplay: Fabián Forte (LEGIONS)
Best Actress: Haydeé Cáceres (MOON HEART)
Best Actor: Demián Salomón (RED DOT and WELCOME TO HELL)
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM (Jurors: Nancy Denney-Phelps, Igor Legarreta, and Pedro Rivero)
Best Film: BOB CUSPE–WE DO NOT LIKE PEOPLE (Cesar Cabral)
MONDO BIZARRO COMPETITION (Jurors: Kapel Furman, Rodrigo Ramos, and Dane Taranha)
Best Film: SOME LIKE IT RARE (Fabrice Eboué)
SHORT FILM COMPETITION–Award Given by ACCIRS Film Critics (Jurors: André Kleinert, Bruna Haas Pacheco, and Maurício Vassali)
Best Brazilian Short Film: THE INFERNAL MACHINE (Francis Vogner dos Reis)
Best Animated International Short Film: BESTIA (Hugo Covarrubias)
Best Live-Action International Short Film: TUNDRA (José Luis Aparicio)
