Imagine Film Festival
The Imagine Film Festival is an annual film festival in Amsterdam. The festival aims to acquaint both film lovers and the general public with a selection of historical and recent films from genres such as knowledge fantasy, horror and science fiction. A large part of the program consists of genre films, exploitation films, cult films and obscure films, though the offer has 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.
The Festival was created in 1991 as the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, before changing its name in 2009.
Program
The main program consists of several new European, Western and Asian genre films. Many of these films have their European or Dutch premiere during the AFFF. Some films go in the rotation afterwards.There is also the festival of knowledge and discussion between professionals and other interested parties, through free access 'Q & A', a symposium and a masterclass.
Since 2000 there is a special educational youth part of the festival: AFFF Kids. This gives children the opportunity to connect with film and film production, knowledge in a playful way and involve them in the discussion on current and historical themes, which are mentioned in the films shown.
The Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival in 1984 founded by Jan Doense, director of short films and founder of The Night of Bad Taste. In more than two decades, the AFFF become the Weekend of Terror into a mature 'player' in the festival circuit. Through the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation, the AFFF since 1996 is connected, the Foundation works closely with many other European film festivals in this genre.
History
In 1991, in the Alhambra Theatre on the Weteringschans the first Weekend Of Terror laid the foundation for the current Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival. During this weekend were lovers of horror movies relish the better splatter and horror.But Weekend Of Terror was also a haven for movie lovers who diligently in another Italian zombie fest collapsed, but it was also agreed that the work of David Cronenberg deserved serious attention. With Cronenberg retrospective in 1984, the festival was ahead of its time, while with selections from the work of Lucio Fulci and Herschell Gordon Lewis prevailing views about quality were challenged.
Meanwhile, the AFFF grown into a 'player' in the festival circuit, while paying attention to films from various genres. Thus organized the AFFF in 2004 the Golden Méliès Gala, when prices for the best European fantastic long and short film were presented. Furthermore, saw the AFFF his adult status recently confirmed by the awarding of the grants by both the Ministry of Education and the City of Amsterdam.
Since 2009, the festival has a new name: Imagine Film Festival. With the name change, the organization wants to emphasize that the festival has become more focused on films that can not be strictly defined as fantasy, horror or science fiction over the years. In 2013, the festival moved to the EYE Film Institute Netherlands in Amsterdam North.
Prizes
During the festival the following prizes:Silver Scream Award
Lifetime / Career Achievement Award
Silver Méliès
Golden Méliès Nomination
The Black Tulip Award
Imagine Time Capsule
Lifetime/Career Achievement Award
The Lifetime/Career Achievement Award has been awarded since 2000. The winners are:2014 - Alejandro Jodorowsky
2013 - Neil Jordan
2012 - Stan Lee
2011 - Rutger Hauer
2010 - Dick Maas
2008 - Tim Burton
2007 - Terry Gilliam
2006 - Roger Corman
2005 - Ray Harryhausen
2005 - Paul Naschy
2004 - not awarded
2003 - Lloyd Kaufman
2002 - Paul Verhoeven
2001 - Dario Argento
2000 - Wes Craven
Silver Scream Award
The Silver Scream Award is voted by the audience of the festival.| Year | Film Title | Director |
| 2019 | One Cut of the Dead | Shinchiro Ueda |
| 2018 | Isle of Dogs | Wes Anderson |
| 2017 | Get Out | Jordan Peele |
| 2016 | They Call Me Jeeg | Gabriele Mainetti |
| 2015 | Ex Machina | Alex Garland |
| 2014 | Jodorowsky's Dune | Frank Pavich |
| 2013 | The Battery | Jeremy Gardner |
| 2012 | Gareth Evans | |
| 2011 | The Perfect Host | Nick Tomnay |
| 2010 | Mary and Max | Adam Elliot |
| 2009 | Let the right one in | Tomas Alfredson |
| 2008 | REC | Jaume Balagueró en Paco Plaza |
| 2007 | Adam's Apples | Anders Thomas Jensen |
| 2006 | Ordinary Man | Vincent Lannoo |
| 2005 | Kung Fu Hustle | Stephen Chow |
| 2004 | Tempus Fugit | Enric Folch |
| 2003 | Spirited Away | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 2002 | Donnie Darko | Richard Kelly |
| 2001 | Heart of the Warrior | Daniel Monzón |
| 2000 | Galaxy Quest | Dean Parisot |
| 1999 | eXistenZ | David Cronenberg |
| 1998 | Dark City | Alex Proyas |
| 1996 | From Dusk Till Dawn | Robert Rodriguez |
| 1995 | Dellamorte Dellamore | Michele Soavi |
| 1994 | Return of the Living Dead 3 | Brian Yuzna |
| 1993 | Braindead | Peter Jackson |
| 1992 | Akira | Katsuhiro Otomo |
| 1991 | The Silence of the Lambs | Jonathan Demme |
| 1990 | Nightbreed | Clive Barker |
Méliès Awards
The Méliès Awards are an initiative of the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation, the AFFF since 1996 member. Eight so-called affiliated festivals granted each year to two Silver Méliès Award during their festival, namely one for the best long and one for the best short film fantastic. The winners then join the two things Méliès d'Or Awards, which will be awarded to one of the eight festivals involved annually.Amsterdam Méliès winners:
Amsterdam Méliès-winnaars:
| Year | Film Title | Director |
| 2019 | O Beautiful Night | Xaver Xylophon |
| 2018 | The Place | Paolo Genovese |
| 2017 | Skins | Eduardo Casanova |
| 2016 | The Survivalist | Stephen Fingleton |
| 2015 | Liza, the Fox-Fairy | Károly Ujj Mészáros |
| 2014 | Der Samurai | Till Kleinert |
| 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 |
Black Tulip Award
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 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 | 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 |
Imagine Time Capsule
This prize is awarded for online entries since 2010:| 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 |