Fantaspoa 2014 Lineup: Tromasterpieces, JORGE AND ALBERTO VS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS, THE DIRTIES, & More!
From May 9 to 25, the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre is going to be the place to be for the genre cinema aficionado. The reason is Fantaspoa, the largest fantastic film festival in Latin America, which in 2014 is celebrating its tenth edition with a huge selection of films and an impressive list of guests. Fantaspoa 2014 revealed just yesterday its lineup and it includes more than a hundred movies from all over the world. There are many highlights, of course, and a couple of competitive sections; one for international cinema and the other for films from Ibero-America.
The latest works of such filmmakers as Nacho Vigalondo, Xan Cassevetes, Bill Plympton and Lucky McKee are amongst the International Competition selection, while the Ibero-America spot is dominated by Argentinean productions. Based on my ScreenAnarchy colleagues' reviews, Der Samurai, Escape from Tomorrow, Kid's Police, and Open Windows are definitely must-see films and all of them are part of Fantaspoa's International Competition.
Fantaspoa is also ready to celebrate Troma's 40th anniversary and the man himself, Lloyd Kaufman, is going to Brazil to share his guerrilla filmmaking knowledge with one of his Make Your Own Damn Movie master classes. The timing couldn't be better as Kaufman's own damn magnum opus, The Toxic Avenger, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year as well (it was released in 1984). The festival's homage to the truest American film independents offers their latest effort, Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1, and a very fine selection of classic Tromasterpieces, such as the complete Toxie saga, Class of Nuke 'Em High, and Trey Parker's Cannibal! The Musical.
Kaufman won't be the only film legend in Porto Alegre this May as Fantaspoa will honor too Basket Case's Frank Henenlotter, Dust Devil's Richard Stanley, and Simon Boswell, composer for such films as Santa Sangre, Shallow Grave and Lord of Illusions. For the special screenings, the festival chose a couple of Bruce LaBruce efforts (with the Canadian director in person), while their own production Jorge and Alberto vs the Neoliberal Demons is world premiering during the closing night of Fantaspoa X.
You can check out the full lineup in the gallery below; for schedule, visit the festival's official website.
