Salut, Imagine Fantastic Film Festival 2024! On Sunday November 3rd you can still catch up on The Best of Imagine, but yesterday was our official closing night. We capped our most succesful edition ever with a screening of Belgian thriller Night Call and drinks in LAB111. Before the film, festival director Chris Oosterom announced the three films taking home an award: the Sea Devil for best feature at the and the Méliès d’Argent for Best European feature and short. Worth mentioning: Dutch genre film is doing great! Because both d’Argent awards went to Dutch films this year (whereas the recipient of Imagine’s own Sea Devil Award, for best international feature at the festival, comes from the other side of the world).
Méliès d’Argent for Best European Fantastic Film
Tallulah H. Schwab’s Mr. K opened Imagine ten days ago. The story, about an illusionist who gets lost in a maze-like hotel full of weird guests, tends to stick with you, and it sure stuck with the jury. Quoted from the jury rapport written bij journalist Joyce Roodnat, producer Marleen Slot and direct Michael Middelkoop: ‘We picked a film that is both surreal and real. Where refugees stay silent and sceptics dance next to the fire.’
In her speech, the director thanked her cast and crew, and the festival. She also thanked all the people who helped her breathe new life into Mr. K whenever she was doubtful.
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Méliès d’Argent for Best Short Film
Filmmaker/actriceJuliette van Ardenne, programmer Miranda van Gelder and journalist Barend de Voogd gave Barlebas by director Malu Janssen met the Méliès d’Argent for best short European film. Barlebas is about the witch hunts in the late Middle Ages, shot in glorious black-and-white. From the jury rapport: ‘Through poetic images and beautiful sound design, a world is created that can’t just be seen and heard, but smelt and felt too.’
In her speech, Janssen said she loves amplifying female voices, and hopes there will be more space for women and women-led stories in the industry soon.
Imagine Sea Devil Award for best feature at Imagine 2024
This year’s Sea Devil went to Rita, by Guatamalan director Jayro Bustmante. In Rita, the tragic (true) story of a deady fire in a boarding school for girls is transformed into an amazing magical-realist take. According to the jury, containing programmer Mackenzie Fincham, film journalist Julius Koetsier and curator René Wolf, the film is ‘more than a political plamflet: it’s a deeply moving film, proving how reality is often best told through the lens of the fantastic.
Silver Scream Award
You saw and you voted. The in-between scores for The Silver Scream Award, Imagine’s audience prize, were all over the place this week, but the number 1 stayed consistent from the get-go: Anora, a crime fairy tale directed by Sean Baker. Not the most conventional Imagine title maybe, but you lapped it up. Plus Anora won the Palme D’Or this year, so we’re not the only ones who love it.
