| Location | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1991 |
| Awards | Silver Scream Award, Silver Méliès, Black Tulip Award |
| Festival date | Annually, at the end of October |
| Website | www |
The Imagine Film Festival, formerly Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival (AFFF), also known as Imagine Fantastic Film Festival or simply Imagine, is an annual film festivalinAmsterdam, 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]
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[8]). 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]
Imagine takes place at the end of October, at LAB11 and de Filmhallen, both in the western part of Amsterdam.[citation needed]
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 organized by the Foundation AFFF for no profit and receives subsidies from the Film Fund and the City of Amsterdam.
Prizes awarded at the festival include:
The Lifetime/Career Achievement Award has been awarded to the following people:
The Silver Scream Award is voted for by the audience of the festival.
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:
| Year | Film Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Infested | Sébastien Vanícek |
| 2022 | Attachment | Gabriel Bier Gislason |
| 2021 | Censor | Prano Bailey-Bond |
| 2020 | Dogs Don’t Wear Pants | Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää |
| 2019 | O Beautiful Night[11] | Xaver Xylophon |
| 2018 | The Place[12] | Paolo Genovese |
| 2017 | Skins[13] | Eduardo Casanova |
| 2016 | The Survivalist | Stephen Fingleton |
| 2015 | Liza, the Fox-Fairy | Károly Ujj Mészáros |
| 2014 | The Samurai [de] | Till Kleinert [de] |
| 2013 | The End | Jorge Torregrossa |
| 2012 | Sleep Tight | Jaume Balagueró |
| 2011 | Suiker | Jeroen Annokkeé |
| 2010 | Transmission | Roland Vranik |
| 2009 | Before the Fall | F. Javier Gutiérrez |
| 2008 | The King of the Mountain | Gonzalo López-Gallego |
| 2007 | Them | David Moreau & Xavier Palud |
| 2006 | Storm | Måns Mårlind & Björn Stein |
| 2005 | Calvaire | Fabrice du Welz |
| 2004 | The Green Butchers | Anders Thomas Jensen |
| 2003 | My Little Eye | Marc Evans |
| 2002 | The Devil's Backbone | Guillermo del Toro |
| 2001 | Heart of the Warrior | Daniel Monzón |
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:
| Category | Film Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Best Feature 2023 | Tiger Stripes | Amanda Nell Eu |
| Best Feature 2022 | Ashkal | Youssef Chebbie |
| Best Feature 2021 | History of the Occult | Cristian Ponce |
| Best Feature 2020 | The Mortuary Collection | 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 |
This prize was awarded for online entries between 2010 and 2015:
| Year | Film Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | We Love Robots | Bram Roza and Jurriaan Verdoold |
| 2014 | Looking for Laika | Thijs Molenaar and Laurens Roorda |
| 2013 | Monsterpop | Boriz Baatsen |
| 2012 | Mayan Prophecy | Geoffrey Cramm |
| 2011 | Under the Dress | Sasha Meijer |
| 2010 | The Vegan Vampire | Suzi Terror |
