‘AGENTE SECRETO’ AWARDED BEST FEATURE FILM AT THE 35TH FANCINE
‘Double or Nothing’ and ‘Future Is Panorama’ awarded best animation and live-action shortfilms, respectively.
The 35th edition of Fancine now has its winners. Tonight, the Fantastic Film Festival of the University of Málaga held its closing gala in Sala 1 of the Albéniz, wrapping up with a post-apocalyptic, humor-filled tone in which both the audience and presenters once again “turned the lights back on” after a week of uninterrupted cinema. During the ceremony, once again led by the Higher School of Dramatic Art of Málaga (ESAD), the official awards lineup was announced.
This year, ‘Agente Secreto’, by Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho, has been recognized by the Official Jury—composed of journalist and writer Pablo Bujalance, essayist and Professor of Political Science at the University of Málaga Manuel Arias Maldonado, and professor and researcher at the University of São Paulo Sabrina da Paixão Bresio—with the Clínicas Rincón Dental Award for Best Feature Film, endowed with €6,000.
The production won over the jury thanks to its ability to blend suspense, reflection, and a highly personal take on contemporary genre cinema, in a story of corruption, political persecution, and police repression set during Brazil’s military dictatorship. With this win, Mendonça Filho makes history by becoming the first director to receive the Best Film award at two editions of the festival. He previously achieved this in 2019 with ‘Bacurau’, an achievement that cements him as a key filmmaker for the festival, whose work resonates strongly with the spirit of Fancine.
Alongside it, the other major winner on the podium was ‘Resurrection’, by Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan, which took home three awards. The jury highlighted the film’s visual and conceptual strength, as well as its distinctive authorial voice, granting him the Best Director award—further cementing his status as one of the key figures in contemporary Asian cinema. The film also picked up several technical prizes: Best Soundtrack and Best Cinematography, the latter awarded to Jingsong Dong
Also taking two “gatetes” (the festival’s awards) is the French-speaking film ‘Reflection in a Dead Diamond’, which stands out in the technical categories with wins for Best Special Effects and Best Editing.
In the acting categories, Tahar Rahim was awarded Best Actor for ‘Alpha’, while Patricia López Arnáiz received the Best Actress award for her role in the Spanish film ‘Singular’.
The Best Screenplay award went to Ricky Camilleri and Oscar Boyson for ‘Our Hero, Balthazar’, which had its Spanish premiere at this 35th edition of Fancine.
Other awards
The Youth Jury, made up of students from the University of Málaga, awarded the Aula Magna Prize for Best Animated Short Film to ‘Double or Nothing’, by Swiss filmmaker Tokay. The film also received the Méliès d’Argent, becoming Fancine’s nominee for the Méliès d’Or for Best European Fantastic Short Film, presented by the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF).
Meanwhile, ‘Future Is Panorama’, by Syrian director Muschirf Shekh Zeyn, was awarded the Famadesa Prize for Best Live-Action Short Film. Both works receive a cash prize of €1,500.
And finally, as part of this Fancine farewell, the results of the audience vote were also announced. The public—always a key part of the university festival—chose ‘La sangre’, by Spanish filmmaker Joaquín León, as Best Live-Action Short Film, and ‘Free the Chickens’, by Slovak director Matúš Vizár, as Best Animated Short Film. Both awards, sponsored by Cervezas Victoria, come with a €500 prize each.
The Audience Award for Best Feature Film, also sponsored by Cervezas Victoria and endowed with €1,000, went to ‘El último vikingo’, directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, one of the most celebrated titles among audiences at this year’s edition.
Finally, both the specialized press and the official jury agreed in recognizing the aesthetic and narrative depth of ‘Resurrection’. The Gato Rabioso Award, granted by the accredited press, went to the film by Bi Gan, a distinction that further reinforces the film’s strong presence in this year’s list of winners.
A high-energy closing gala
The closing gala maintained the irreverent spirit that has defined this year’s edition, built around a humorous narrative of global blackouts, runners generating electricity, and a survival storyline set in an Albéniz turned into “ground zero.” The presenters’ absurd dialogue, unexpected interruptions, and a final musical number brought this mock apocalyptic chronicle to life.The evening concluded with a screening of ‘No Other Choice’, by acclaimed South Korean director Park Chan-wook, which brought the 35th Fancine to a close with a sharp critique of the ruthless job market and extreme competitiveness.
About FANCINE
FANCINE is a film festival organized by the University of Málaga through its Vice-Rectorade for Culture. This year, the event celebrates its 35th edition, taking place from 12 to 18 November, in partnership with the Málaga Film Festival and with the support of various public and private institutions. Over its long history — and within its thematic scope — it has become a benchmark on the international festival circuit, thanks to its strong commitment to fantasy, horror, science fiction, and related genres. With a program that balances international releases and innovative works of independent and auteur cinema, FANCINE continues to offer a contemporary and open perspective on the genre, featuring premiere screenings at Cine Albéniz alongside a range of parallel activities in other venues across the city.
This year with the collaboration of the Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA), the Fundación Unicaja, Ayuntamiento de Málaga, Delegación Territorial en Málaga de la Consejería de Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, la Diputación de Málaga, ProMálaga, Polo Digital Málaga, la ESAD (Higher School of Dramatic Art), Cervezas Victoria, Centro Cultural Coreano en España, Clínicas Rincón Dental, Famadesa, Aula Magna, Nics Lab y Fundación General de la UMA