This year's edition stands out for its volume and variety, featuring a total of 19 feature films and 29 short films in its official section. The festival will officially kick off on Friday, May 8, at the Teatro Campos Elíseos with the premiere of La Casa en el Árbol, a feature film directed by Luis Calderón, combining Basque, Spanish, and international cinema.
Screenings will be held at emblematic venues such as Azkuna Zentroa, Golem Alhóndiga cinemas, and Bilbao's Sala BBK. The visual identity of this edition takes on special prominence with the presence of Batman as the central figure of the poster.
“"Bilbao will once again become a great cinematic stage. FANT has managed to place our city on the international map of fantastic and horror cinema, genres that have a loyal, passionate, and increasingly broad audience."
One of the festival's highlights will be the awards ceremony for key figures in the industry. Director and musician Eugenio Mira will receive the Fantastic Star award, while Bilbao-born composer Aránzazu Calleja will be honored with the FANT de Honor award. The FANTrobia award, aimed at emerging talents, will be presented this year to director and screenwriter Bruno Martín.
FANT reinforces its commitment to Basque cinema through the Fant Laburrean-Euskal Filmak section and a specific award for short film production in this language. As a novelty, the festival introduces the Fuera de Plano section, a space that will host exhibitions and presentations related to the film industry days before the official inauguration.
