The Imagine Film Festival, formerly Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, also known as Imagine Fantastic Film Festival or simply Imagine, is an annual film festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The festival was created in 1991 with a focus mainly on fantasy and horror films.
History Imagine started out as the "Weekend of Terror". After several years, this weekend turned into a full-blown festival in 1991, titled the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival (AFFF). It showed a wide array of international genre films, not just horror but also science fiction, fantasy, martial arts and anime.
In 2004, the festival hosted the Golden Méliès Gala, awarding the best fantastic European films, in both, features and shorts categories.
In 2009, the festival got a new name: Imagine Film Festival. With the name change, the organization wanted to emphasize that the festival had become more focused on films that cannot be strictly defined as fantasy, horror or science fiction over the years.
In 2013, after many years based at the Kriterion, the festival chose the Eye Film Institute as its home base. During the years at Eye, the festival started adding VR experiences as well as games, under the flag of "Imagine Expanded", and extended its science programme.
In 2022, both the timing and the venues were changed: to the end of October instead of mid-April, and at two new base venues.
Overview Imagine takes place at the end of October, at LAB111 and De FilmHallen.
The festival aims to acquaint both film lovers and the general public with a selection of new and classic films from genres such as fantasy, horror and science fiction. A large part of the program consists of genre films, exploitation films, cult films and obscure films, though the offerings have become increasingly diverse over the years.
The event is organized by the non-profit Foundation AFFF, with support from the Film Fund and the City of Amsterdam.
Awards The festival awards the following prizes: Sea Devil Award, for best fantastic feature film Silver Méliès, for best fantastic European film; one for features and one for shorts Silver Scream Award, voted by the audience, all feature films (except classics) eligible Former awards include the Imagine Time Capsule (2010–2015), the Black Tulip Award, and the VR Award.
Sea Devil Award Formerly Black Tulip Award. In 2006, the jury prize was awarded in three categories but afterwards only in the category of best feature: CategoryFilm titleDirectorBest Feature 2025MāramaTaratoa StappardBest Feature 2024RitaJayro BustamanteBest Feature 2023Tiger StripesAmanda Nell EuBest Feature 2022AshkalYoussef Chebbieas Black Tulip AwardBest Feature 2021History of the OccultCristian PonceBest Feature 2020The Mortuary CollectionRyan SpindellBest Feature 2019The Father's ShadowGabriela Amaral AlmeidaBest Feature 2018Tigers Are Not AfraidIssa LópezBest Feature 2017Are We Not CatsXander RobinBest Feature 2016Into the ForestPatricia RozemaBest Feature 2015SunrisePartho Sen-GuptaBest Feature 2014CoherenceJames Ward ByrkitBest Feature 2013Wolf ChildrenMamoru HosodaBest Feature 2012Eddie: The Sleepwalking CannibalBoris RodriguezBest Feature 2011BedevilledJang Cheol-sooBest Feature 2010The Seventh CircleArpad SopsitsBest Feature 2009Let the Right One InTomas AlfredsonBest Feature 2008TimecrimesNacho VigalondoBest Feature 2007The Bothersome ManJens LienBest Feature 2006Next DoorPål SletauneBest Feature Debut 2006MirrorMaskDave McKean & Neil GaimanBest Short 2006Doll Nr. 639András Dési & Gábor Móray
Méliès Awards The Méliès Awards are an initiative of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (formerly European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation), of which Imagine has been a member since 1996. Affiliated festivals each year grant two Silver Méliès Award during their festival, one for best fantastic feature, and one for best fantastic short. The winners then join the Méliès d'Or Award ceremony.
Amsterdam Silver Méliès winners YearFilm titleDirector2025The Last VikingAnders Thomas Jensen2024Mr. KTallulah H. Schwab2023InfestedSébastien Vanícek2022AttachmentGabriel Bier Gislason2021CensorPrano Bailey-Bond2020Dogs Don’t Wear PantsJukka-Pekka Valkeapää2019O Beautiful NightXaver Xylophon2018The PlacePaolo Genovese2017SkinsEduardo Casanova2016The SurvivalistStephen Fingleton2015Liza, the Fox-FairyKároly Ujj Mészáros20142013The EndJorge Torregrossa2012Sleep TightJaume Balagueró2011SuikerJeroen Annokkeé2010TransmissionRoland Vranik2009Before the FallF. Javier Gutiérrez2008The King of the MountainGonzalo López-Gallego2007ThemDavid Moreau & Xavier Palud2006StormMåns Mårlind & Björn Stein2005CalvaireFabrice du Welz2004The Green ButchersAnders Thomas Jensen2003My Little EyeMarc Evans2002The Devil's BackboneGuillermo del Toro2001Heart of the Warrior Daniel Monzón
Silver Scream Award The Silver Scream Award is voted by the audience of the festival. YearFilm titleDirector2025The Last VikingAnders Thomas Jensen2024AnoraSean Baker2023The Boy and the Heron Hayao Miyazaki2022Escape to the Silver Globe Kuba Mikurda2021Alien on StageLucy Harvey & Dannielle Kummer2019One Cut of the DeadShinchiro Ueda2018Isle of DogsWes Anderson2017Get OutJordan Peele2016They Call Me JeegGabriele Mainetti2015Ex MachinaAlex Garland2014Jodorowsky's DuneFrank Pavich2013The BatteryJeremy Gardner2012The RaidGareth Evans2011The Perfect HostNicholas Tomnay2010Mary and MaxAdam Elliot2009Let the Right One InTomas Alfredson2008RECJaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza2007Adam's ApplesAnders Thomas Jensen2006Ordinary ManVincent Lannoo2005Kung Fu HustleStephen Chow2004Tempus FugitEnric Folch2003Spirited AwayHayao Miyazaki2002Donnie DarkoRichard Kelly2001Heart of the WarriorDaniel Monzón2000Galaxy QuestDean Parisot1999eXistenZDavid Cronenberg1998Dark CityAlex Proyas1996From Dusk till DawnRobert Rodriguez1995Dellamorte DellamoreMichele Soavi1994Return of the Living Dead 3Brian Yuzna1993BraindeadPeter Jackson1992AkiraKatsuhiro Otomo1991The Silence of the LambsJonathan Demme1990NightbreedClive Barker
VR Award In 2018, the inaugural VR Award was awarded to an eight-channel video Australian work called The Summation of Force, by filmmaker Matthew Bate and photographers Narelle Autio and Trent Parke.
Lifetime / Career Achievement Award The Lifetime / Career Achievement Award has been awarded to the following people: 2025 - Ben Wheatley (Career Achievement Award) 2024 - Phil Tippett (Career Achievement Award) 2019 - William Lustig (Career Achievement Award) 2014 - Alejandro Jodorowsky (Career Achievement Award) 2013 - Neil Jordan 2012 - Stan Lee 2011 - Rutger Hauer 2010 - Dick Maas 2008 - Tim Burton (Career Achievement Award) 2007 - Terry Gilliam (Career Achievement Award) 2006 - Roger Corman 2005 - Ray Harryhausen 2005 - Paul Naschy 2004 - not awarded 2003 - Lloyd Kaufman 2002 - Paul Verhoeven 2001 - Dario Argento 2000 - Wes Craven
Imagine Time Capsule This prize was awarded for online entries between 2010 and 2015:
YearFilm titleDirector2015We Love RobotsBram Roza & Jurriaan Verdoold2014Looking for LaikaThijs Molenaar & Laurens Roorda2013MonsterpopBoriz Baatsen2012Mayan ProphecyGeoffrey Cramm2011Under the DressSasha Meijer2010The Vegan VampireSuzi Terror
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