THE AWARDS
The accolades and distinctions granted by the Festival
The heart of Curtas Festival do Imaxinario lies not only in the screening of works, but in the recognition of those who make them possible. With these awards, we pay tribute to the talent, vision, and titanic effort hidden behind every creation.
The accolades granted by the Festival are much more than a physical object; they are a symbol of quality and a seal of cultural guarantee. From the Official Section categories to the Honorary Awards for lifetime achievement, each distinction seeks to highlight the most unique voices on the current scene. Learn here about the history, criteria, and meaning of each of our awards.
COMPETITIVE AWARDS
The awards for the different competitive sections are granted by an International Jury composed of renowned professionals from the film and cultural fields, appointed by the festival management.
FEATURE FILMS
FANTÁSTICO OFFICIAL SECTION
- Best Fantastic Feature Film
The festival’s top prize. Awarded to the best film, recognizing the work that best combines cinematic quality with the exploration of the fantastic genre. Coca Statuette. - Best Latin American Film
A cross-cutting recognition of the fantastic cinema produced in Latin America present in the selection, celebrating the region’s unique cultural voice. Coca Statuette. - Best Director
Rewards the exceptional directorial vision and narrative control of a filmmaker within the selection. Coca Statuette. - Best Performance
Recognizes the most convincing and memorable performance (lead or supporting) among the films in the selection’s competition. Diploma. - “Millicent Patrick” Award for Best Visual or Special Effects
A tribute to the pioneer of special effects. This award honors technical and artistic excellence in the creation of FX, whether practical or digital, within the Fantástico O.S. Diploma.
ALUCINE OFFICIAL SECTION
- Best Alucine Feature Film
This award is dedicated to the most visceral and unrestrained horror cinema, rewarding the most extreme, bloody, and radical proposals in the Selection. Coca Statuette.
SHORT FILMS
FANTÁSTICO OFFICIAL SECTION
- Curtas Grand Prix for Best Short Film
Awarded to the best short film in the official competition. Coca Statuette and a cash prize of 666 euros. - Best Animated Short Film
Recognizes the best work in the animation category, highlighting technique and creativity in this format. Coca Statuette. - Méliès d’Argent Award for Best European Short Film
Awarded on behalf of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) to the best European fantastic short film, automatically nominating it for the Méliès d’Or. Statuette.
FEITO EN GALICIA OFFICIAL SECTION
- Award for Best Short Film Made in Galicia
An award intended for the best production made in Galicia or directed by Galician filmmakers, supporting the visibility of regional talent. Coca Statuette.
FANTASTIC VIDEOCLIPS OFFICIAL SECTION
- “Roberto Camba” Award for Best Music Video
A specific jury evaluates the best fusion between music and imagery in fantastic-themed pieces under 10 minutes. Coca Statuette.
AUDIENCE AWARDS
- Audience Award for Best Feature Film and Short Film
Chosen through direct voting by those attending the screenings (by average score and via the festival app), rewarding the audience’s favorite films in both long and short formats. Diploma.
THE COCA STATUETTE: AN ICONIC AND ECOLOGICAL TROPHY
The coveted Curtas figure represents a Coca (a Galician mythological being, half serpent, half dragon) and was created by the artist Marcos García Lago. It has been the festival’s characteristic trophy since 2018. It is made from a resin obtained from recycled textile pieces, which are turned into powder and mixed with water, making it a completely ecological and circular trophy, unique in the world thanks to this formula designed and patented by the artist.
HONORARY AWARDS
At Curtas Festival do Imaxinario, we know that the fantastic genre doesn’t emerge from nothing; it is built upon the vision of those who dared to look into the darkness to bring back light. Our Honorary Awards are a recognition of those life paths that have left a unique mark on the collective imagination.
Beyond the competition, these accolades celebrate pure creativity. From the filmmakers who redefined the language of the genre, to the actors who lent their souls to iconic characters, and the multidisciplinary artists who shaped the impossible. Here we honor those who turned fantasy into a tangible reality for us all.
MASTER OF THE FANTASTIC
The Master of the Fantastic Honorary Award pays tribute to the architects of the impossible. Granted by the organization of Curtas Festival do Imaxinario, this award recognizes the career, talent, and influence of directors, screenwriters, illustrators, writers, or technicians who have decisively contributed to the evolution of the fantastic genre (horror, fantasy, and science fiction).
It does not solely reward a long-standing career, but the ability to leave a unique mark on the collective imagination. The creator who knew how to look into the darkness to bring back light, who challenged narrative conventions and inspired new generations.
The Master of the Fantastic award has been received by:
2025 – Paco Plaza
2025 – Marcus Nispel
2025 – Arturo Balseiro
2024 – Richard Stanley
2023 – Lamberto Bava
2023 – Neil Marshall
2022 – Mick Garris
2021 – Joe Dante
2021 – Elia Barceló
2020 – Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
2019 – David Lloyd
2018 – John Howe
2018 – Ciruelo Cabral
2017 – Esteban Maroto
2017 – Luis Royo
2016 – Juan Giménez
2016 – Alfonso Azpiri
ICON OF THE FANTASTIC
The Icon of the Fantastic Honorary Award celebrates interpretative talent in its most visceral and charismatic state. Presented by Curtas Festival do Imaxinario, this recognition is intended for those actors and actresses who lent their skin, their voice, and their soul to the characters that define fantastic, horror, and science fiction cinema.
Genre cinema demands a special commitment: the ability to make the impossible believable, to humanize the monster, or to convey the most primal fear. The recipient of the “Icon of the Fantastic” is not just an exceptional performer; they are a cult figure, someone whose mere presence in a shot evokes the history of the genre and immediately connects with the viewer’s emotional memory.
From the Scream Queens who redefined survival to the villains who fascinated us with their darkness, this award thanks those who turned fantasy into a tangible reality for the audience of Curtas.
The Icon of the Fantastic award has been received by:
2025 – Diana Peñalver
2023 – Catriona McColl
2022 – Lone Flemming
2018 – Macarena Gómez
CURTAS AWARD
The Honorary Curtas Award represents the multidisciplinary essence of Curtas Festival do Imaxinario. This award stems from the conviction that artistic creation is a living ecosystem that draws from all disciplines equally, without being limited by labels or thematic borders.
With this recognition, the festival pays tribute to prominent personalities whose work enriches popular culture and the collective imagination, regardless of the genre or medium used. It is intended for writers as well as illustrators, composers, directors, actors, and artisans; creators who, through their technical and narrative mastery, are capable of building worlds from nothing.
The Honorary Curtas Award highlights creativity and excellence in their purest form, recognizing that behind every great work there is a visionary mind capable of seeing beyond reality, whatever their canvas or the style of their proposal.
The Curtas award has been received by:
2025 – Tomás Hijo
2022 – Dave McKean
2022 – Rafael Sabugueiro Gestal (in memoriam)
2021 – Manel Loureiro
2021 – Nacho Vigalondo
2020 – Javier Olivares
2020 – Miguel Anxo Prado
2020 – Paula Cons
2019 – Pasqual Ferry
2019 – Clara Alvarado
2019 – Isabel Blanco
2019 – Tiago Da Silva
2019 – Manel Manquiña
2018 – Nekro
2018 – Ariel Olivetti
2018 – Antonio Durán “Morris”
2017 – Jesus Merino
2017 – Juanma Bajo Ulloa
2016 – Salvador Larroca
2016 – Nacho Fresneda
2016 – Mo Caró
2015 – Alberto Hortas