Following the path that led Fantasporto to international recognition, in 2026....73 countries submitted films for selection. From all continents, short and feature films arrived that well illustrate the major global concerns. After a long and difficult selection of more than 1000 films, the best examples and the best cinematic options were chosen. Of the 73 countries that tried their luck, 29 countries remained, whose films will be distributed across the competitive and non-competitive sections.
Confirming Fantasporto as a place of discovery and launch, this edition features dozens of first films and 31 World, International and European Premieres, which signifies a commitment from world cinema to Fantasporto and which greatly honors us.
THE MAJOR THEMES OF OUR TIME AND THE FUTURE
Opening the festival will be a Japanese super-production that has already grossed over 20 million yen in Japan, “Suzuki = Bakudan,” which reminds us of the damage a single man can inflict on a society of millions. And closing, another warning for today's world, the unexpected Finnish film, “After Us, The Flood,” where, using a time machine, one goes back in time and tries to repair the disastrous choices made in the present.
It is inevitable that the films to be presented will draw parallels with the times we are living in and the upheavals, many totally unexpected, that affect world geopolitics.
Fantasporto's concern in showing the best films that illustrate the themes of Modernity and its challenges, the main ones being War and Artificial Intelligence, is well illustrated in the very recent films being shown, whether
they are in the realm of imagination or those that show the reality we already sense.
One of them is Post Truth, by Alkan Avcioglu, an unexpected cry against the growing influence of everything digital in our daily lives. It explores our relationship with technology and how we are definitively in the age of algorithms, questioning the truth of facts, in a game of manipulation and "overload" of images and information that dominate all our choices. Let's remember that Fantasporto dedicated its 2025 edition to Artificial Intelligence, namely through conferences in the Movie Talks that take place at Bar do Batalha during the festival - And now, in 2026, it will address the different ways of making films, when all its adjacent professions and techniques are at stake due to digital advances.
The world is changing. And science fiction shows just that. The long-term effects on society are worrying, as we can see in the excellent "Futuro, Futuro" by Brazilian director Davi Pretto, with its vastly different social classes that are unfamiliar with each other, or in the Chinese film "Journey To No End," a science fiction story about the mandatory transition to a virtual world at age 40 to combat loneliness. Also noteworthy are the transformations in the urban fabric, real estate speculation, and abusive media practices, and their effects on modern cities that drive many to despair, the theme of the Australian film "Skeleton Girls, a Kidnapped Society," a very original "punk thriller," Richard Eames' first film. The Chinese film "Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts," while telling the surprising story of a serial killer, also addresses one of the themes of the future: the number of elderly people needing care. This theme, also explored in the Japanese film "IAI," reminds us that the population is increasingly aging.
Still thinking about the media, we have a fabulous example of the damage that social networks and reality shows can cause, especially to young people. “#Iwilltellyouthetruth” by Japanese director Keisuke Toyoshima shows how violence is imposed on young people and how the desire for notoriety is fueled by the number of followers. And also “After Us the Flood,” which closes the festival, ends up being a warning about the mistakes being made now and their influence on the future of the planet.
REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESENT AND THE PAST
In this interplay between the future, the present, and the past, two films bring the dramas of ancient wars. On the one hand, “Sisa,” by director Robles Lana from the Philippines, depicts the drama of life during the occupation of the country by American troops who arrived after the Spanish colonization, and the resistance that the offended always attempt against the usurpers.
On the other hand, a unique film, “Papa Buka”, by a well-known and award-winning Indian director, Dr. Biju Damodaran, whose work has been recognized worldwide at Fantasporto. This time, it takes us to the aftermath of a war in Papua New Guinea. The guide for those searching for their ancestors will be a wise old man who reveals the dance, the music, the tribes, their biodiversity, the cultural heritage and above all the suffering in a war that was alien to him. This film was an Oscar nominee.
Reflecting the times we live in, we have the very topical theme of migration and the clash of values and ways of life in a remarkable first film by Norwegian director Nina Knag, “Don’t Call Me Mama”. A woman faces the desire to help the displaced, in a struggle where the desire for survival on various levels overrides the values that are created as unshakeable.
“What Will People Say,” also from Norway, tells the story of a conservative Pakistani family's dilemma with a teenage daughter who simply wants to integrate into Western society. “The Trek,” arriving from South Africa in a World Premiere, is reminiscent of Westerns, but at the same time transports us to the contrast between civilizations: a group of white people seeking a better life and a native black man whose wisdom they are slow to accept. Also worth seeing is the Greek film by one of Fantasporto's discoveries, Vassilis Mazomenos, titled “Endless Land.” A poetic and visually stunning elegy about memory, exile, and generational cycles, set in a remote village, it tells a story of loss and continuity rooted in the eternal rhythms of rural life and migration – one of the most beautiful examples of modern European cinema. “Lopsided (Tigkiliwi)” also presents a story of tenderness and tenacity in which a young boy mobilizes a poor and hopeless community, an example of Filipino cinema and its importance on the world stage.
FANTASTIC, HORROR AND SOME LAUGHS
Watch the Fantastic trailers, shorts and features
The Fantastic Cinema section always has new releases, as the genre is one that revisits and transforms itself over time. "The Dollmaker," as well as "Portraits of the Apocalypse," are examples of a vibrant Argentinian cinema, where horror always takes on new forms. Also from Australia comes "Lenore," with the obsessions of lonely people who only find relief on screens, which, in the end, only accentuate their despair. In both Argentinian and Australian films, the loneliness of the modern world is present.
But there are also films that follow the patterns with well-tested and successful themes—rural life and the dangers of unknown environments, as in "Hellbilly Hollow." In this film, the macabre attracts groups of teenagers seeking thrills to the amusement park set up on a farm in Alabama. Or in “Scared to Death,” from the United States, a supernatural horror comedy playing with the terrors within a house. Another example of this type of horror behind closed doors is the superb “Don’t Leave the Kids Alone,” where two children take advantage of their unexpected freedom to fight each other and discover what they didn’t want to know. “The Curse” capitalizes on the desire for notoriety online to tell us a story of a curse. Or the Argentinian/Uruguayan “The Whisper (El Sussurro),” which reminds us how classic themes are always open to new interpretations, whether they come from evil spirits or traditional vampires. And in this area, many good films await viewers who enjoy horror, such as "Crushed," which shows that teenagers can cause irreparable damage. Also within the realm of fear is the only Portuguese film in competition at the Directors' Week (and also at the Portuguese Cinema Awards), "Cativos" by Luís Alves, a very successful recreation of the kidnapping theme. And "The Haven" shows how a pandemic can inspire a horror film.
Spanish cinema is currently at the forefront of European fantasy film production. Showing its strength are the excellent "Gaua," one of the best witchcraft stories in recent cinema, and "Under Your Feet (Bajo Tus Piès)," a modernized return to the classic stories of Hansel and Gretel. Two big-budget productions, full of special effects and outstanding actors.
Also not to be missed is a Spanish film, "Luger," which has the production quality of Catalan cinema and the exceptional and rare combination of a high-quality script and direction, sometimes reminiscent of Tarantino's characters in "Pulp Fiction." Similarly, in short films, the Spanish maintain a high level of quality. This can also be appreciated in the Galician Short Film Retrospective, in collaboration with the Imaxinario Short Film Festival, all in preview in Portugal. Also typical of Japanese films are the "grandiose" fight scenes, this time in a comedic tone, with "The Specials" by Eiji Uchida, which arrives in a World Premiere. But what do these gangsters who want to kill the rival gang's boss lack? Being close to him. To do that, they have to learn to dance. And adventure and action galore in "The Last Assassins" (USA) or "Sword of Vengeance" (Serbia).
SHORT FILMS - THE FANTASTIC COMPETITION IN SMALL FORMAT
It is especially in the realm of fantastic short films that the vanguard of cinematic creation in the area of Fantasy can be found. The 2026 CF Competition is particularly rich, to the point that we had to create 3 sessions for its screening. Almost all of the 73 countries that sent films for selection were represented.
They also submitted short films, which made choosing the best ones difficult. Finally, all techniques possible today were represented in this format, from classic animation to fully digital creation to realistic or fantastical live-action narration. Thus, we have a very rich selection from the following countries: France, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland, China, United States, Malaysia, Brazil, Taiwan, and Iran.
The themes range from classic horror to a futuristic vision, generally quite pessimistic, from everyday dramas to school fights, from rural spirits to murderous revenge, from space environments to intimate stories, from robots to everyday struggles, all, of course, within a very imaginative perspective. It should also be noted that the Korean Ho-Seung Son presents two short films in this category of the official Fantastic Cinema section.
Welcome to the world of the 46th Fantasporto and World Cinema, where the vast majority of films are presented in their absolute premiere in Portugal, discover the great names of tomorrow and talk to our guests in an informal setting.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CINEMA.
WELCOME TO FANTASPORTO 2026
SOME OF THE THEMES PRESENT IN THE FILMS IN COMPETITION
Social networks, reality shows and their dangers – The Curse, I Will Tell You the Truth, Lenore, Post Truth, I Will Tell You the Truth
Real estate speculation – Skeleton Girls, Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts
Sustainability and climate crisis – After Us, The Flood
Immigration – Don’t Call Me Mama, Endless Land, What Will People Say, My Uncle Jens
War – Papa Buka, Sisa
The Possible Future – National Pension, Futuro Futuro, Kamarade, Primus the Robot, Skeleton Girls, Post Truth, After Us, The Flood
Care for the elderly – IAI, Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts