Neuchâtel 2022: Original Films Sweep Awards, Record Attendance Reported
The 2022 edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival draws to a close tonight with the awarding of jury prizes and the report of record attendance at Switzerland's premiere genre film event.
Per the official release: "For the first time in history, the symbolic threshold of 50,000 festivalgoers was reached (2021: 35,000), including 30,000 cinema tickets. This edition's prize list prominently features unique contemporary visions of fantasy cinema.
"The international jury granted the H.R. Giger Narcisse Award for best feature film to Summer Scars (Nos Cérémonies) (CHF 10,000 awarded by the City of Neuchâtel), the striking first feature film from French filmmaker Simon Rieth." Joyce Carol Oates, President of the International Jury, says: "Brilliant and audacious in conception, beautifully directed and performed, Nos Cérémonies is a startlingly original exploration of an intimate bond between brothers that resists translation into terms other than its own."
"The Imaging The Future Award for best production design was given to the oneiric drama Blaze (CHF 5,000, awarded by the CSEM, Centre Suisse d'Électronique et de Microtechnique) from Australian director Del Kathryn Barton."
Some 160 screenings were held over the nine days of the festival. Audience awards went to Freaks Out and Demigod: The Legend Begins; you can find reviews to both linked below. Plans are already under way for next year's festival, which will be held from June 30 to July 8, 2023.
Although we were not able to attend in person this year, I'm grateful that the festival granted us the privilege of remote coverage, enabling us to review six films, which are detailed in the gallery below. We also showcased screenings for each day, gathering information about key films, which we've summed up in the gallery below. (Here's a link to all our coverage.) In addition, a full list of prizes is included, which features a photo from the event. Click through and enjoy!
