LUSCA Fantastic Film Fest celebrates its sixteenth edition!

The LUSCA Fantastic Film Fest, dedicated to fantasy genre films and inclusive environments for all audiences, celebrates its sixteenth edition dedicated to villains from October 19 to 26 at Caribbean Cinemas in Plaza Guaynabo.

For more than a decade, the LUSCA Fantastic Film Fest has been the only film festival in the Caribbean region at the forefront of the fantasy, science fiction, and fantasy genres.

Thrillers, anime, adventure, dark humor, the bizarre, animation, and famous cult films, both in feature films and short formats.

Leading up to this year's festival, Caribbean Cinemas is continuing to show "Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time," the fourth and final installment of the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, for another week. It will have limited screenings from October 6-12 at the following locations: Plaza Escorial and Plaza Las Americas. Tickets are available now at the cinemas or online at https://caribbeancinemas.com/movie/8534/ .

This year, the LUSCA Fantastic Film Fest, in addition to reaffirming its commitment to Puerto Rican cinema, will for the first time feature a grand prize, courtesy of Party City: a trip for two to New York City, including accommodations and VIP tickets to see "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" on Broadway. Festival attendees will have the opportunity to participate throughout the week. The winner will be selected live during the Awards Gala on Wednesday, October 26, at Caribbean Cinemas in Plaza Guaynabo.

Among the various ways to participate are donations of non-perishable food items, first aid kits, hygiene products, and other items, which will be given to a non-profit organization at the end of the Festival as part of our commitment not only to film but also to the community. The rules and opportunities to win are available at luscafilmfest.com .

With representation from 23 countries, including Puerto Rico, the Festival features a total of 145 film projects that will be screened in theaters. In addition to a diverse program of feature films and short films, the Festival includes LUSCA Campus, offering free workshops open to the public thanks to the Film Industry Development Program, the Youth Development Program, and the Department of Economic Development and Commerce. Links to reserve your spot for the workshops will be available through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/lusca-film-fest-53042404823

“We always seek to work on these kinds of initiatives that inspire young people to explore their skills and talents, especially within creative industries like film. At Lusca, we are committed to the youth of our country, promoting an attitude focused on innovation through creativity and artistic expression,” said Zoilo Rodríguez, Executive Director and Founder of the event.

As part of the varied cinematic offering, this year will feature films such as “Hideout” (Taiwan), “Damaged” (Argentina), “Dead Bride” (Italy), “Super Z” (France), “Showdown in Yesterday” (Canada), “New Religion” (Japan), “Feed Me” (United Kingdom), “Once Upon a Time in the Future” (Turkey), “Opal” (Martinique), “Planet B234” (United States), “Travels Inside Foreign Heads” (France), “The Eye and The Wall” (Guatemala) and “Guns of Eden” (United States), whose Festival circuit ends in Puerto Rico before its DVD release.

The full film selection and schedules are available at https://luscafilmfest.com/2022-schedule/ .

You can also enjoy the Puerto Rican documentary, "The Biggest Dream," by director Andrew Hernández. This documentary explores the various discoveries made over the years at the Arecibo Radar. In addition, there will be a total of 45 local short films screened in six sessions of BoriShorts. Plus, a virtual discussion with the renowned Joseph Lando, where they will have the Puerto Rican premiere of the remastered trailer for "The Power of Shakti."

"The world needs people who love what they do. We love what we do, and we do it for you and because of you. For every filmmaker who celebrates having their short film or feature selected, for every artist who gets to showcase their talent, and for every person who visits us, we are able to demonstrate that in Puerto Rico #WeDoFilm," said the festival's producer, Yalira Crespo, who assures that the diverse selection of films will appeal to all types of genre fans.

As in previous years, the Festival will feature a variety of events. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, there will be a special screening of "The Godfather" on Thursday, October 20, followed by a discussion with film analysts Juanma Fernández París and Mario Alegre. The popular Sing-Along Dress-Up Party will take place on Saturday, October 22, and this year's theme is "Chicago." In this activity, the audience enjoys the film while singing, dancing, and interacting. On Sunday, October 23, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" will be presented, and there will also be the Wizard Dueling Tournament, where participants representing their Harry Potter house compete with spells—this year, villainous spells.

Lusca Film Fest is brought to you thanks to: Party City, Film Industry Development Program, Youth Development Program, Department of Export and Trade, Puerto Rico Rums, Final Draft, The Twist PR, Atlantic University College, Liberty, ABC Puerto Rico and La X.

For more information on schedules and program details for the LUSCA Fantastic Film Fest, you can visit them at facebook.com/luscafilmfest or on their website LuscaFilmFest.com .

Tickets will be available soon at CaribbeanCinemas.com .