Neuchatel 2026 Daily: From MORT UN DIMANCHE DE PLUIE to IF I GO WILL THEY MISS ME to LIGHT PILLAR and More

Perched precariously before the weekend begins, Thursday has always been a day to anticipate great wonders.

In the case of the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival, Thursday is their seventh day, with two more to follow. Your body may be feeling the effects of one week of festivities, but surely your mind and emotions will be revived by getting out of your place of lodging and feasting upon a few movies.

Bear in mind that there are still board games to play and writing workshops to attend, along with other activities that are offered without any price of admission (i.e. free). Visit the festival site for all events and screenings scheduled for today, 9 Thursday.

Solely focusing on the screenings, here are our picks:

Let's get right to the films, starting with a selection from the festival's 'Amazing Switzerland, Beyond Heidi' section: Mort un dimanche de pluie. The image below in the gallery may look peaceful, but look a little deeper at the synopsis: "Accused of a fatal accident, a couple tries to escape the grip of a one-armed psychopath. As their modern home gradually turns into a prison, the coldness and greed of their bourgeois relationship is laid bare under relentless rain. Shot with a fragmented visual style and carried by outstanding performances from Nicole Garcia and Jean-Pierre Bacri, this is a descent into a waking nightmare."

The screening begins at 11:00. Don't be late!

(Screening details.)

In the early afternoon, as much as I'd enjoy seeing Eega again, I'm more curious about If I Go Will They Miss Me. Danielle Brooks, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Bodhi Dell star.

Directed by Walter Thompson-Hernandez, the film's synopsis further intrigues: "Anthony lives with his parents under the flight paths of Los Angeles airport. Obsessed with mythology, he struggles to connect with other children while his father, a stable hand, grows increasingly absent. His life changes when he is visited by strange children who move through the landscape with their arms outstretched like airplanes. A poetic tale about family bonds and the power of imagination."

As someone who was born in Los Angeles, I am eager to see what tales the film tells.

(Screening information.)

Alternatively, if you are looking to lift your spirits, we recommend Match Monde, sight unseen.

Official synopsis: "The Match-to-Match app connects you with people nearby who want to fight, whether for money, glory or simply for the thrill. After being harassed by a few of the app users, Mikio is unexpectedly rescued by a mysterious drifter. Written by Yugo Sakamoto (Baby Assassins) and directed by Ryusuke Kurahashi - a disciple of Takashi Miike - this manga adaptation blends absurdity and action comedy."

(Screening details.)

Late afternoon is a good time for I Grew an Inch When My Father Died, which asks a good question: "How can friendship survive a murder? On Leyte Island (Philippines), director P.R Monencillo Patindol portrays a community far from the modern world. A vegetal microcosm, stripped of colour, comes to life and follows the characters in their wanderings. Between magical realism and superstition, this coming-of-age story, shot entirely on a smartphone, explores grief and rebuilding."

(Screening information.)

To sustain a contemplative mood, we suggest Xu Jingwek's animated Light Pillar, which our own Martin Kudlac saw and reviewed out of this year's Berlinale: "Light Pillar examines loneliness and hesitant forms of connection. Its narrative progression privileges atmosphere and subjective perception over linear plotting. Rather than advancing through dramatic escalation, the film unfolds through the protagonist's introverted engagement with his surroundings, allowing space and texture to articulate what dialogue leaves unsaid."

(Screening details.)

After that, how could you resist the world premiere of Les Âmes en peine? "In a nineteenth century transformed by the arrival of electricity, the Black Evil - a mysterious disease that condemns its victims to a restless agony - throws the world into turmoil. A divine curse or the consequence of progress? In a remote village now overshadowed by towering Tesla structures, Zélie, trapped under the violent rule of her father Jacob, is determined to seize her chance to break free."

The film is further described as "Black Rot Gothic." Sounds like a winner!

(Screening information.)

To cap off the night, you could see and/or revisit two films that we've already covered: Jump Scare, an indie from the U.S. -- (Screening information) -- or Hotspring Sharkattack 2: Great Kyushu Showdown (Screening information).

Your choice! But choose wisely, my friends ...

The Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival, hereafter referred to as Neuchatel 2026, is "the only Swiss festival dedicated to genre films," per their official description. "The event is mainly devoted to a specific film genre: fantasy. This main theme is complemented by two others: digital creation and Asian cinema."

As one of eight official media partners, we are publishing daily guides to the program, with links to our reviews, where available. You can bookmark our Neuchatel 2026 page for all our updates this year. The festival will run from 3-11 July.