Neuchatel 2018: Gaspar Noe's CLIMAX Takes Top Prize

Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival drew its curtains on another year with its Closing Ceremony and the announcement of its awards. Legendary director David Cronenberg took the role of President of the Jury this year and so was able to personally present the Festival's top honour, the H.R. Giger Narcisse Award to Gaspar Noé for his latest work, Climax. Visibly moved, Noé expressed his admiration for Cronenberg, citing in particular his reaction to seeing Videodrome for the first time.

Climax, a visual tour de force which follows a group of young dancers during a post rehearsal party, also took home the Silver Melies for best European Fantastic Feature. Nicolas Pesce's sophomore feature Piercing, an adaptation of Ryu Murakami's twisted love story of the same name, took home both the International Critics Award prize and the Imaging the Future Award for Best Production Design.

See below for the full list of winners from this year's festival:

NIFFF 2018 Winners

H.R. Giger “Narcisse” award for best feature film (International Competition)

CLIMAX - Gaspar Noé, FR

Awarded by the International Jury

Silver Méliès for best European fantastic feature film

CLIMAX – Gaspar Noé, FR

Awarded by the Méliès Jury

International Critics award (International Competition)

PIERCING – Nicolas Pesce, US

Awarded by the NIFFF International Critics Jury

Imaging The Future award for best production design (International Competition)

PIERCING – Nicolas Pesce, US

Awarded by the International Jury

Denis-De-Rougemont Youth Award (International Competition)

UNDER THE SILVER LAKE – David Robert Mitchell, US

Awarded by the Denis-de-Rougemont High School Jury

Best Asian feature film (Asian Competition)

BAD GENIUS – Nattawut Poonpiriya, TH

Awarded by the audience


RTS Audience award (International and Asian Competitions)

KASANE – Satô Yûichi, Japan

Awarded by the audience


H.R. Giger “Narcisse” award for best Swiss short film

CREPUSCULE – Pauline Jeanbourquin, Switzerland

Awarded by the SSA/Suissimage Jury

Silver Méliès for best fantastic European short film

CREPUSCULE – Pauline Jeanbourquin, Switzerland

Awarded by the SSA/Suissimage Jury

Taurus Studio award for innovation (Swiss Shorts Competition)

DAS MÄDCHEN IM SCHNEE – Dennis Ledergerber, Switzerland

Awarded by the Taurus Studio Jury

Outside the Box Award

CÓMPRAME UN REVÓLVER – Julio Hernández Cordon, Mexico / Colombia