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!
PRIZE LIST
H. R. GIGER “NARCISSE” AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION) CHF 10,000 granted by the City of Neuchâtel
SUMMER SCARS (NOS CÉRÉMONIES), Simon Rieth, France
World Sales: Wild Bunch International
Honourable mention: BLAZE, Del Kathryn Barton, Australia
World Sales : Mk2 Films
IMAGING THE FUTURE AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION) CHF 5,000 granted by the CSEM (Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique) BLAZE, Del Kathryn Barton, Australia World Sales : Mk2 Films
Awarded by the international jury: Joyce Carol Oates (author, US), Mariana Enriquez (author, AR), Prano Bailey-Bond (director, UK), Robin Coudert (ROB) (musician & composer, FR), Martika Ramirez Escobar, (director, PH)
INTERNATIONAL CRITICS NIFFF AWARD
Honorary
ASHKAL, Youssef Chebbi, France, Qatar, Tunisia
World Sales : The Party Film Sales
Awarded by the International Critics jury: Gérard Delorme (Journalist Chaos, FR), Judith Beauvallet (Journalist Demoiselles d’Horreur, FR), Nicolas Martin (Journalist France Culture, FR)
DENIS-DE-ROUGEMONT YOUTH AWARD (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION)
Hamilton watch
HYPOCHONDRIAC, Addison Heimann, United States
World sales : Reel Suspects
Awarded by the Denis-de-Rougemont High School jury
RTS AUDIENCE AWARD (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION)
Broadcasting rights
FREAKS OUT, Gabriele Mainetti, Italy, Belgium
World Sales : Rai Com, True Colors
Awarded by the audience
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST ASIAN FILM (ASIAN COMPETITION)
Honorary
DEMIGOD: THE LEGEND BEGINS, Chris Huang Wen-chang, Taiwan
World sales : Pili International Multimedia Co., Ltd.
Awarded by the audience
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST EUROPEAN FANTASTIC FEATURE FILM
Nomination
MEN, Alex Garland, United Kingdom
Local distributor : Ascot Elite Entertainment Group
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST EUROPEAN FANTASTIC SHORT FILM
Nomination
MR. PETE & THE IRON HORSE, Kilian Vilim, Switzerland
Production: YK Animation Studio GmbH, SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen
Awarded by the Méliès jury: Victorine Van Alphen (audiovisual artist, NL), Lee Cronin (Director, IE), Lara Lom (Managing director & executive VFX producer, CH)
H. R. GIGER “NARCISSE” AWARD FOR BEST SWISS SHORT FILM
CHF 10,000 granted by the SSA and SUISSIMAGE
LES HÉRITIÈRES, Avril Lehmann, Switzerland
Production: Amka Film Productions SA, École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne Département Cinéma, Lido Pictures, RTS Radio Télévision Suisse
Honourable mention: AVANT 3 NUITS, Minna Prader, France
Production : Superstructure
Awarded by the SSA/SUISSIMAGE jury: Elie Grappe (Director, FR), Carola Stern (SUISSIMAGE delegate, CH), Adrien Kuenzy (Redactor in chief, Ciné-bulletin, CH)
BLAISE CENDRARS HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH AWARD (SWISS SHORTS, INTERNATIONAL SHORTS, NEW SHORTS FROM ASIA)
Honorary
AVANT 3 NUITS, Minna Prader, France
Production : Superstructure
Awarded by the Blaise Cendrars High School jury
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM (SWISS, INTERNATIONAL AND ASIAN SHORTS) Honorary
MOSHARI, Nuhash Humayun, Bengladesh
Production : Little Big Films
Awarded by the audience
Our Reviews:
Ashkal
Festival Information Page
Review by Shelagh Rowan-Legg
Bad City
Festival Information Page
Review by Peter Martin, Who Swears He Will Not Tell the Police Anything
Day Zero
Festival Information Page
Review by Zombie Crazy Peter Martin
Demigod: The Legend Begins
Festival Information Page
Review by Puppetmaster Peter Martin
Leio
Festival Information Page
Review by Thai Monster Lover Peter Martin
Shin Ultraman
Festival Information Page
Review by Kaiju Lover Peter Martin
Year of the Shark (original title: L'année du Requin)
Festival Information Page
Review by Shark Fan Peter Martin
Daily articles:
THE FIVE DEVILS Starts Thing Off
SOMETHING IN THE DIRT, HYPOCHONDRIAC, SHIN ULTRAMAN
DECISION TO LEAVE, DAY ZERO, DUAL
PUSSYCAKE, FREAKS OUT and More
Dario Argento and DARK GLASSES, Ali Abbasi and HOLY SPIDER
Adrian Teh and THE ASSISTANT, Monie Chorki and BABYSITTER, Lee Jang-Hoon and MIRACLE