The inaugural Fantastic:Brasil initiative, launched at the recent Rio Film Festival, has successfully established a vital bridge for Latin American genre cinema, fostering new talent and facilitating international circulation for diverse projects. This collaborative platform, backed by a network of global film institutions, concluded its first edition by celebrating several award-winning films, ranging from queer narratives to women-directed fantastic features, and innovative vertical format productions.

Fantastic:Brasil, hosted from October 2nd to 7th at the RioMarket, the festival's industry hub, brought together a consortium of prominent film organizations. Key partners included the Fantastic Pavilion Cannes, Fantastic Embassy EFM Berlinale, Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, FICCI Industria, #LINK Documentary Industry Meeting, Mórbido Film Fest, and Sanfic Industry in Chile. This extensive network was designed to support the development, training, pitching, and global distribution of fantastic film projects, addressing the critical need for wider circulation for unique stories.

Pablo Guisa Koestinger, founder of Mórbido Film Fest and executive director of the Fantastic Pavilion at the Marché du Film, underscored the program's mission. Speaking at the event, Koestinger highlighted that talent is abundant globally, but opportunities for these stories to reach international audiences are often limited. He articulated the vision of building a "Fantastic Nation," where projects originating in one Latin American country can seamlessly connect with partners and audiences across continents, from Colombia to Berlin, Cannes, and beyond. He expressed confidence that films showcased during this first edition would achieve widespread recognition in the coming years.

The program featured three distinct calls, each targeting a specific segment of Latin American fantastic cinema. 'WomanInFan Brasil,' an extension of the Sitges Film Festival’s initiative, championed fantastic genre projects led by Brazilian women. 'Monstra – Fantastic Queer Lab,' in partnership with Mórbido Film Fest’s #LGBTerror section, supported queer fantastic genre projects from across Latin America. Additionally, '#LINK Vertical' focused on the creation and international dissemination of audiovisual works specifically designed for the vertical 9:16 format, exploring themes of true dystopia by setting speculative futures against the backdrop of real Rio de Janeiro locations. Each call provided selected teams with intensive development labs and pitching sessions with industry experts.

The awards celebrated the innovative spirit of these emerging filmmakers. The 'Fantastic Round Robin Award,' presented by Fantastic Pavilion and Marché du Film, Cannes, went to Lucas Procópio Caetano’s “Entranhas” from the MONSTRA, Fantastic Queer Lab, and Fernanda Pessoa de Barros’s “Fotograma” from WomanInFan Brasil. The 'Mórbido Lab' award, in collaboration with SANFIC, Santiago, Chile, was bestowed upon Antonia Baudouin Andrade’s “Chupacu,” also from MONSTRA, Fantastic Queer Lab. Gabriela Amaral Almeida’s “O Que Acontece Quando a Coisa Acaba” and Guenia Reichmann Lemos’s “Unclaimed Copper” (Working Title) received recognition for 'WomanInFan – Next phase in Cartagena,' signaling their progression to future stages. Furthermore, post-production awards for teasers were given to “Entranhas” (by Mística) and Giovanna Patané Giovanini’s “Phantasmas Anonymas” (by Acau). These recognitions aim to propel the winning projects onto the global stage, leveraging the extensive network of partner festivals and markets to ensure their visibility and success.

This initiative represents a significant step towards globalizing genre cinema from Latin America, providing a crucial platform for filmmakers to develop their projects and connect with a worldwide audience. The collaborative effort fosters cross-cultural exchange and ensures that unique voices and narratives from the region gain the recognition and support they deserve, ultimately enriching the international film landscape.