NIFFF 2008 Details Start to Emerge - Italian Horror & Nobuo Nakagawa Retrospective & More!

Nestled away in a lakeside villa just northwest of the swiss alps in Switzerland sits Neuchâtel, which for the past 7 years been bringing the world one of the best film festivals focusing on "fantastic cinema" with the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF). Each year they drawn in thousands of locals and international guests, as well as screen typically close to 100 films with tons of premiers.

This year for their 8th edition, which we will be covering each step of the way, (runs July 1-6) they seem to be pulling out all the stops to make for one hell of a great cinematic time. Not only are they going to be having their usual diverse lineup of film premiers and a strong shorts program, but they are also going to be featuring a retrospective on one of the unsung masters of horror - Nobuo Nakagawa (better known now due to releases of his films Jigoku and Snake Woman's Curse on DVD)! Talk about a rare chance to see his work on the big screen!

In addition to the Nobuo Nakagawa retrospective, they are also featuring one on "the golden age of thriller and horror in Italy," which promises to be an incredible showcase of films. Guests for this will include Lamberto Bava and Ruggero Deodato. Prolific filmmaker Jess Franco will also be on hand it seems to talk about his collaborations with Erwin C. Dietrich. Last but not least, Syd Mead, (Blade Runner, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Tron, Aliens) to lead a "symposium devoted to new imaging technologies." A new award to recognize creators of Swiss digital content will also be unveiled this year.