Imagine Film Festival
{{Short description|Annual film festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox film festival
| name = Imagine Film Festival
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| location = Amsterdam, Netherlands
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| founded = 1991
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| awards = Sea Devil Award, Silver Scream Award, Silver Méliès
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| date = Annually, at the end of October
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| website = {{URL|https://www.imaginefilmfestival.nl/en/}}
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The Imagine Film Festival, formerly Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, also known as Imagine Fantastic Film Festival or simply Imagine, is an annual film festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands.{{Cite web |title=Imagine Film Festival |url=https://filmfreeway.com/ImagineFIlmFestival |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=FilmFreeway |language=en}} The festival was created in 1991 with a focus mainly on fantasy and horror films.{{Cite web |title=British Council Film: Imagine Film Festival |url=http://film-directory.britishcouncil.org/imagine-film-festival |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=British Council}}{{Cite web |last=Mulder |first=Frank |date=2023-11-05 |title=Tiger Stripes & Vermin winnaars Imagine Film Festival 2023 • Activiteiten |url=https://denachtvlinders.nl/winnaars-imagine-film-festival-2023/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=De Nachtvlinders |language=nl-NL}}{{Cite web |title=Imagine Fantastic Film Festival |url=https://dehallen-amsterdam.nl/en/agenda/imagine-fantastic-film-festival/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=De Hallen Amsterdam |language=en-US}}
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 festival hosted the Golden Méliès Gala, awarding the best fantastic European films, in both, features and shorts categories.
In 2009, the festival got a new name: Imagine Film Festival.{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Mark |date=2014-03-27 |title=Imagine Film Festival - Amsterdam Fantastic Film Fest! |url=https://www.amsterdamapartments.com/amsterdam-film-fest/ |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=Amsterdam Apartments |language=en}} 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.{{cite web | title=Imagine nieuwe naam AFFF | website=Filmtotaal | date=7 February 2009 | url=https://www.filmtotaal.nl/nieuws/12992 | language=nl | access-date=7 October 2022}}
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.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-03 |title=Imagine 2022 Review: EXHIBIT #8 Displays Dutch Found Footage Fun |url=https://screenanarchy.com/2022/12/imagine-2022-review-exhibit-8-displays-found-footage-fun.html |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=ScreenAnarchy}}
Description
Imagine takes place at the end of October, at LAB111 and de Filmhallen.{{cite web | title=Imagine Film Festival | website=I amsterdam | url=https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/whats-on/calendar/festivals/events/imagine-film-festival | access-date=14 August 2024}}
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 the Lifetime / Career Achievement Award.
{{As of|2024}}, the prizes awarded at the festival are:{{cite web | title=Awards & Jury's | website=Imagine Filmfestival Amsterdam | date=8 November 2023 | url=https://www.imaginefilmfestival.nl/en/awards/ | access-date=14 August 2024}}{{cite web | title=Imagine Fantastic FIlm Festival 2024 | website=FilmFreeway | url=https://filmfreeway.com/ImagineFIlmFestival | access-date=14 August 2024}}
- Sea Devil Award, for best fantastic feature film
- Silver Méliès, for best fantastic European film; one for features and one for shorts
- Silver Scream Award, voted by the audience, all feature films (except classics) eligible
=Sea Devil Award=
Formerly Black Tulip Award. In 2006, the jury prize was awarded in three categories but afterwards only in the category of best feature:
| class="wikitable"
!Category!!Film Title!!Director | ||
| Best Feature 2024
|Rita | ||
| Best Feature 2023 | ||
| Best Feature 2022
|Ashkal |Youssef Chebbie | ||
| colspan="3" |as Black Tulip Award | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best Feature 2021
|Cristian Ponce | ||
| Best Feature 2020
|Ryan Spindell | ||
| Best Feature 2019 | The Father's Shadow | Gabriela Amaral Almeida |
| Best Feature 2018 | Tigers Are Not Afraid | Issa López |
| Best Feature 2017 | Are We Not Cats | Xander Robin |
| Best Feature 2016 | Into the Forest | Patricia Rozema |
| Best Feature 2015 | Sunrise | Partho Sen-Gupta |
| Best Feature 2014 | Coherence | James Ward Byrkit |
| Best Feature 2013 | Wolf Children | Mamoru Hosoda |
| Best Feature 2012 | Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal | Boris Rodriguez |
| Best Feature 2011 | Bedevilled | Jang Cheol-soo |
| Best Feature 2010 | The Seventh Circle | Arpad Sopsits |
| Best Feature 2009 | Let the Right One In | Tomas Alfredson |
| Best Feature 2008 | Timecrimes | Nacho Vigalondo |
| Best Feature 2007 | The Bothersome Man | Jens Lien |
| Best Feature 2006 | Next Door | Pål Sletaune |
| Best Feature Debut 2006 | MirrorMask | Dave McKean & Neil Gaiman |
| Best Short 2006 | Doll Nr. 639 | András 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 best fantastic feature, and one for best fantastic short. The winners then join the Méliès d'Or Award ceremony.
Amsterdam Méliès-winners:
=Silver Scream Award=
The Silver Scream Award is voted by the audience of the festival.
=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.{{cite web | title=Closer Productions | website=Closer Productions | url=https://www.closerproductions.com.au/people | access-date=14 August 2024}}{{cite web | title=Autio and Parke win Imagine VR Award | website=Hugo Michell Gallery | date=21 March 2018 | url=https://hugomichellgallery.com/blogs/news/autio-and-parke-win-imagine-vr-award | access-date=14 August 2024}}
=Lifetime/Career Achievement Award=
The Lifetime/Career Achievement Award has been awarded to the following people:
- 2024 - Phil Tippett (Career Achievement Award)
- 2014 - Alejandro Jodorowsky (Career Achievement Award)
- 2013 - Neil Jordan
- 2012 - Stan Lee
- 2011 - Rutger Hauer
- 2010 - Dick Maas
- 2008 - Tim Burton (Career Achievement Award)
- 2007 - Terry Gilliam (Career Achievement Award)
- 2006 - Roger Corman
- 2005 - Ray Harryhausen
- 2005 - Paul Naschy
- 2004 - not awarded
- 2003 - Lloyd Kaufman
- 2002 - Paul Verhoeven
- 2001 - Dario Argento
- 2000 - Wes Craven
=Imagine Time Capsule=
This prize was awarded for online entries between 2010 and 2015:
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Film Title !Director |
| 2015 |
| 2014 |
| 2013 |
| 2012 |
| 2011 |
| 2010 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.imaginefilmfestival.nl/en/}}