Sitges 2024: First Wave Titles Announced, Frost And Feldman Among Honorees

SITGES2024 Starts Reving its Engines by Announcing the First Film Titles and Confirming More Guest Stars 

 

The kick-off of the 57th edition of the SITGES - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia is getting closer and at this point we can now announce a first set of films that features productions such as 'Terrifier 3', ‘A Different Man’, 'Exhuma', 'Azrael' or 'The Devil's Bath' and includes names like Quentin Dupieux, Carles Torrens, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Soi Cheang or Pablo Hernando. We can also announce new award winners of the caliber of Nick Frost, Corey Feldman, Christophe Gans and Fred Dekker. 

 

Less than three months to go until the start of the 57th edition of the SITGES - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia. Ángel Sala and Mònica Garcia i Massagué, the film competition's Artistic Director and the Director of the Foundation, respectively, presented the first films that will be part of this new edition today at the Fábrica Moritz in Barcelona and confirmed new special guests.

 

 

Nick Frost joins previously announced Mike Flanagan as one of the winners of the Honorary Time Machine Award. This British actor and screenwriter embarked on his acting career in the fantastic series 'Spaced', but his big leap to international fame wouldn't come until 'Shaun of the Dead' ( 2004), the brilliant opener of Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy, which he co-starred in alongside Simon Pegg. The other two films in the series, 'Hot Fuzz' (2007) and 'The World's End' (2013), served to crown him as one of the most hilarious British actors in recent times. 

 

We will also be reconnecting with Corey Feldman, the American actor who will also receive the Honorary Time Machine Award. With this, the Sitges Film Festival pays tribute to the life and career of one of the key actors in fantastic genre films. His almost fifty year career has led to 18 number 1 theatrical releases from every decade since the 70's with ‘Time After Time’, & Disney’s ‘Fox and the Hound’, the 80's with multiple hits from ‘Gremlins' to ‘The Lost Boys’, The 90's with ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ to ‘Maverick’, and into the 2000’s with the celebrated art film ‘The Birthday’ & his recent self-produced documentary ‘My Truth’. So along with a successful music career, his films continue as well as he will have 3 new films out in the coming months, including the premier theatrical US run of Eugenio Mira’s ‘The Birthday’.

 

Continuing along the lines of this eighties theme, we can also announce the presence of other guests we are particularly excited about, as is the case with Heather Langenkamp (the immortal leading lady in 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'), who will also be recieving the Honorary Time Machine Award. We are also very excited to have the visit of Courtney Gains and John Franklin, the legendary Malachai and Isaac from 'Children of the Corn', one of the great cult horror film franchises in recent decades.

 

Another Honorary Time Machine winner that we can now announce is American director, screenwriter and producer Fred Dekker, who will also receive this Award. This Californian rose to fame in 1986, when he co-wrote the original story that would inspire the 'House' horror movie series. That same year he debuted as a director with the cult film 'Night of the Creeps' and a year later he collaborated for the first time with Shane Black, who was in charge of the screenplay for 'The Monster Squad'. As a director, he also participated in the 'RoboCop' franchise, directing a third instalment with Frank Miller as screenwriter. In 2018, roles would be reversed in 'The Predator', with Shane Black as director and Fred Dekker as screenwriter. With this award, the Sitges Film Festival pays tribute to a fundamental figure for some of the most acclaimed horror movie series in recent decades.

 

And we conclude the list of Honorary Time Machine Award winners with one of the great cult directors in Italian genre films: Ovidio G. Assonitis. This Italian director, producer, screenwriter and executive (although born in Egypt) began his career in film as a distribution company executive. In the late 1960s he began producing genre movies, both giallo and different types of exploitation. In 1974 he debuted as a director with 'Beyond the Door' (a title released in Spain as 'Poder maléfico' -'Maleficent Power'- which can be seen at the Festival) and from that point on he would go on to intersperse productions like 'Laure' (1976) or 'The Visitor' (1979) with his own directing work like 'Tentacles' (1977) or 'Piranha II: The Spawning' ( 1981). With this award, the Sitges Film Festival celebrates a multifaceted career, as well as his key role in the development of Italian genre filmmaking.

 

The Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) has decided to grant the Career Méliès Award to French filmmaker Christophe Gans. Since 'Necronomicon: Book of Dead' (1993), his debut feature, this director has become one of the leading exponents of European fantastic genre filmmaking. Subsequently, films like 'Brotherhood of the Wolf' (2001) or 'Silent Hill' (2006) became instant cult classics for horror movie fans. His name joins an illustrious list of award winners that also includes the names Paco Plaza, Lucile Hadzihalilovic or Álex de la Iglesia.

 

Another award winner that we can now reveal, in this case the winner of the Nosferatu Award, is Italian actor Fabio Testi. With this award, we honor a long career in Italian genre films since the late sixties, including westerns, poliziesco, giallo... In this regard, his most outstanding films could include 'What have you done with Solange' (1972), 'Revolver' (1973), 'The four of the Apocalypse' (1975) and 'Contraband' (1980) by Lucio Fulci or 'Red Rings of Fear' (1978) by Alberto Negrin. Beyond genre, he has collaborated with some of the great directors of the 20th century including Vittorio De Sica and Andrej Zulawski.

 

One of the most fundamental parts of a good Festival is the participation of an outstanding jury and this year, naturally, we are once again extremely proud of the representatives chosen to decide on the films selected for the Official In Competition Selection (SOFC). The judges in charge of granting the highest award will be the aforementioned Christophe Gans and Fred Dekker, Spanish filmmaker Carlota Pereda, British writer and musician Stephen Thrower and Fantastic Fest director Lisa Dreyer. 

 

The Best National Fantastic Genre Films 

 

The countless zombie fans who come to the Sitges Film Festival each and every year have a good reason to feel fortunate, because we can confirm the screening of one of the most eagerly awaited Spanish films from this genre in recent years. 'Apocalipsis Z: El principio del fin', an adaptation of Manuel Loureiro's book of the same name, will be screened during the Festival. We are presented with a story of rabid infected beings, for sure, but also one of grief, of a journey of physical and emotional survival, and all of this spiced up with action, tension and, of course, a little blood... Directed by one of Spain's most international filmmakers, Carles Torrens.

 

Another Spanish film that promises to make tongues wag is 'Una ballena' (A Whale), which arrives courtesy of Pablo Hernando. Ingrid Garcia Jonsson stars in the role of a ruthless contract killer, capable of infiltrating and disappearing without a trace. But this power comes to her from another world, a place inhabited by monstrous creatures and from which she emerges increasingly less human. The cast is completed by other outstanding names including Ramón Barea and Kepa Errasti. 

 

 

The Usual Suspects

 

The screening of 'Rubber' in 2011 instantly made Quentin Dupieux one of the directors most adored by Sitges fans. This Frenchman has since established himself as a constant presence at the Festival, presenting major hits like 'Deerskin' ( 2019) or 'Mandibles' (2020). This year, the Frenchman returns to Sitges with 'The Second Act', a sort of film within a film that blurs the boundaries between reality and fiction and that opened the most recent edition of the Cannes Festival. It also boasts a deluxe cast headed by Léa Seydoux, Louis Garrel, Vincent Lindon and Raphaël Quenard. A must-see for the many fans of this particular French filmmaker who offers one of his most reflexive (and self-reflexive) pieces.

 

Another "usual suspect" who promises to give everyone plenty to talk about once again is Soi Cheang, perhaps the main benchmark in contemporary Hong Kong thrillers. On this occasion he will present 'Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In', a film that was screened in the Midnight screenings at the most recent edition of the Cannes Film Festival. This neo-noir packed with action and martial arts started out as a project to be co-directed by none other than Johnnie To and John Woo. Finally, the director of 'Limbo' took the reins of the project, and the film has been an absolute commercial success in Hong Kong, becoming the second highest grossing movie in its history. It is undoubtedly one of the best action films of the year and its screening at the Auditori promises to be one to remember for many years to come. 

 

 

Back in 2014, the film 'Goodnight Mommy' made a huge impression on Sitges' audiences. Penned by the duet of Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, not only did audiences fall in love with the film, but the Austrian couple also fell in love with the Festival, presenting all of their feature films in competition ever since. This year couldn't be any different and their latest work, 'The Devil's Bath', presented at the Berlinale, will also be seen at the Sitges Festival. On this occasion, we are offered an example of a terrifying historical drama about women's suicide in the 18th century, presenting a dark but beautiful depiction of female depression in Austria during the beginning of the Modern Age.

 

We will also have the latest film by Alice Lowe, director of 'Prevenge' (2016), which won a Special Mention in the Noves Visions section. 'Timestalker' is a fun time-travel movie where a woman from the 17th century will be reincarnated every time she falls in love with the wrong man. Starring Alice Lowe, the film has a deluxe cast with names such as Nick Frost and Jacob Anderson, among others.

 

Another of the great female protagonists in front of the cameras will be Samara Weaving, who offers a veritable tour de force in 'Azrael', a film that is giving everyone plenty to talk about since its premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW). In it, a young girl escapes her imprisonment and must be sacrificed to pacify an ancient evil that dwells deep within the surrounding wilderness. A delicious blend of folk and survival horror set in a world where no one talks, making the Australian actress a scream queen without the scream. Directed by E. L. Katz, auteur of the cult film title 'Cheap Thrills' (2013). 

 

 

The Most Fantastic Cinema from Around the World 

 

The Sitges Film Festival has always been a meeting place for the best genre films from all over the world. One of the event films of the year will be the arrival of 'Terrifier 3' at the Auditori. The macabre misdeeds of the terrifying Art the Clown are back, this time during the Christmas period. Damien Leone remains at the helm of the film series directing this third part starring David Howard Thornton and Lauren LaVera.

 

Following its screening at Sundance and Berlinale, and very much in conjunction with our leitmotif this year, arrives 'A Different Man', directed by Aaron Schimberg, an A24 production starring Sebastian Stan, a trending actor who we have seen as Marvel's Winter Soldier in the Captain America franchise, but also as a young Donald Trump in Ali Abassi's 'The Apprentice', screened at the recent Cannes Film Festival. The film follows the odyssey of an actor aspiring to stardom who decides to undergo surgery to remove tumors on his face and consequently land more roles. However, the absence of offers following the surgery and a play inspired by his former appearance, will spark an obsession in him that will drive him to the limit and lead him to do whatever it takes to regain what could have belonged to him from the very beginning. 

 

If there is one country that's known for its fantastic genre productions, this is France, which this year boasts some of the biggest genre film sensations from this first half of the year, starting with 'MadS', by David Moreau which also promises to be one of the biggest sensations at SITGES2024. We also couldn't fail to mention the incredible performance offered by young Oulaya Amamra (we saw her at the Auditori in 'Smoking Causes Coughing' just two years ago) in 'Animale', the second film by French director Emma Benestan. In the Camargue, a French region known for its bullfighting shows, Nejma (played by Oulaya Amamra) trains tirelessly to win an annual male-dominated competition. Everything goes wrong when, in the middle of the show season, several people disappear, and rumors start to spread that a wild beast is on the prowl... 

 

 

‘Exhuma’, the last film directed by Jang Jae-hyun had its world premiere at the Berlinale and shortly after it was released in South Korea, becoming one of the biggest box office hits in the country's history (with over 12 million viewers for a total of more than 80 million dollars grossed). It's one of the best examples of supernatural horror in recent years and also features Choi Min-sik, one of the most loved actors for Sitges fans since his unforgettable starring role in 'Oldboy'. Continuing our tour of titles from South Korea, comes 'Handsome Guys', a remake of the Canadian film 'Tucker and Dale vs Evil' (Best Film in the Panorama Section 2010). The film directed by Nam Dong-hyub is just as hilarious as the original and also explores the supernatural elements that were more relegated to the background in Eli Craig's version. Meanwhile, 'Noise' is a horror thriller directed by Kim Soo-jin about a woman tormented by a background noise that she constantly hears and which she links to her sister's mysterious disappearance. 

 

Arriving from Hong Kong is 'Peg O' My Heart', a terrifying film directed by and starring Nick Cheung, one of the great stars of Hong Kong television and film. In it, a cab driver begins to have serious problems getting to sleep, posing a danger to himself as well as to his passengers. One day, one of his passengers will be a psychiatrist who, affected by similar sleep problems, will begin to investigate the case on her own.  

 

From Ireland comes one of the big surprises in horror moviemaking from this first half of the year. Its name is 'Oddity', directed by Damian Mc Carthy. Cursed objects, mediums and a truly disturbing atmosphere have made this film one of the biggest horror movie surprises from this first half of the year, winning over audiences at South by Southwest (SXSW) to the point of garnering the Audience Choice Award in the Midnighter section. 'Krazy House' also arrives from Europe, in this case the Netherlands. Here, we move away from horror with a satire on American sitcoms from the 1980s and Cold War fears with a top-notch cast that includes Alicia Silverstone, Kevin Connolly and, once again, Nick Frost. Very close, from Great Britain, comes 'Sister Midnight' by the Indian director based in England Karan Kandhari. The film, presented in Canne’s Directors’ Fortnight, places us precisely in his native India, and tells the story of an arranged marriage that gradually enters into a spiral of darkness. A story of self-realization with touches of humor that represents a very interesting contribution to fantastic cinema in the Hindi language.

 

 

Another European country that will be represented will be Poland, with a screening of the latest release from filmmaker Bartosz M. Kowalski (best known for 'Playground' (2016), his debut feature). 'Night Silence (Cisza Nocna)' is the story of Lucjian, a prestigious retired actor who enters (initially on a temporary basis) a nursing home. Although everyone seems very friendly at first, little by little he will begin to experience strange dreams and visions that will increasingly blur his perception of what's real and what isn't.

 

The Sitges Film Festival is always committed to the best Latin American fantastic genre and 'Mi bestia', by Colombian director Camila Beltrán, is a good example of this. Set in Bogota in 1996, the film tells the story of Mila, a 13-year-old girl terrified by the rumor that the Devil will come during the next lunar eclipse. Everything around her begins to grow stranger, she even feels as if she's changing too: Couldn't she be the devil everyone is waiting for?

 

And of course, projects from the USA couldn't be missing. One of them is Joshua Erkman’s 'A Desert', a horror film about a photographer of abandoned places with hints of neo-noir and road movie elements that offers a disturbing atmosphere and very powerful visual effects. On the other hand, 'Dead Mail', co-directed by Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy presents documentary aesthetics blended with slasher movie, which tells us the story of a case from the 80s where a mysterious note arrives at a post office. A very eighties film both in its storyline and its aesthetics. Finally, we can also announce the screening of 'Shelby Oaks', the long-awaited feature debut from Ohio critic and content creator Chris Stuckmann. The film is inspired by the mysterious disappearance of the YouTubers called Paranormal Paranoids, opening with the appearance of a final tape received by a girl named Riley, who will start to obsess and to believe that maybe the imaginary demons from her childhood were more real than she thinks...

 

Finally, German director Tilman Singer, auteur of the cult film 'Luz', helms 'Cuckoo', an American-German co-production that also promises to become a cult film. In it, we follow Gretchen (played by Hunter Schafer), a teenage girl who travels with her father and stepmother to a small village in the German Alps, where bizarre things begin to happen. The cast includes other top-level names including Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick and Greta Fernández. 

 

 

Beyond Fantastic

 

The Sitges Film Festival is also a meeting place for those genres bordering on the fantastic genre. In this regard, the French thriller promises to be one of the big features this year, with films like 'Night Call' directed by Michiel Blanchart. In it, Mady is a young student by day and to make a living, he works as a locksmith at night. One day, he opens the wrong door, thereby becoming an accomplice to a large-scale crime. Also arriving from France is 'The Kingdom', directed by Julien Colonna. The film is set in 1995, and we follow the steps of Lesia, a 15-year-old girl who lives a quiet life until she goes back to live with her father, a notorious criminal boss. A gang war will break out and put both their failed relationship and their ability to survive to the test.

 

Another very appetizing thriller for Sitges fans is 'Steppenwolf', the latest film by Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov. Presented at the Rotterdam Festival, it's one of the most nihilistic and merciless films to come to Sitges in recent years. An introduction, in grand style, to the work of one of the most interesting directors in peripheral filmmaking in today's cinematic panorama. 

 

 

Continuing with the same genre, although in this case with horror overtones, this year we have the return of one of the great Japanese masters: Kiyoshi Kurosawa will bring us his latest work, 'Cloud'. The Japanese director returns to the horrors and dangers of the Internet (a subject he terrorized Sitges with in 2001 with 'Kairo') with the story of a young man who tries to make money by reselling products over the Internet. Little by little, suspicious events will occur around him, and his daily life will be altered in chilling ways.

 

Finally, another "repeater" returns to the Festival to present his latest work: we're referring to Jean Luc Herbulot, director born in the Republic of the Congo and who, two years ago, presented 'Saloum' in Noves Visions. On this occasion, the filmmaker presents 'Zero', an American production where two Americans end up in Dakar, Senegal, with bombs attached to their bodies and 10 hours to find out why and manage to defuse them in order to stay alive.  

 

 

The Season's Best Animation 

 

Como cada año, el Festival de Sitges vuelve a ser un lugar de reunión para la Like every year, the Sitges Film Festival is once again a gathering place for the most fantastic and irreverent animation on the international scene. This is the case of 'Spermageddon', a lighthearted and hilarious comedy about sexual awakening during adolescence, where spermatozoa must compete in a race that only one can win. Our beloved Tommy Wirkola teams up with Rasmus A. Sivertsen for this outrageous animated production.

 

Another proposal that promises to be one of the film competition's most inventive and fascinating is 'Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust', a French production by Indian director Ishan Shukla. This filmmaker presents us with a society where everyone wears boxes on their heads to eliminate any kind of differences. In this context, a rumor begins to circulate that an almost mythical land exists in where freedom is absolute. Combining 3D and 2D animation and a surprising voice cast that includes Asia Argento, Lav Diaz and Gaspar Noé, Ishan Shukla offers us a reflective oddity with obvious echoes of George Orwell's '1984'.

 

Meanwhile, Swiss director Claude Barras (known especially for the marvelous 'The Life of Zucchini') presents 'Sauvages', an exciting and poetic ecological adventure about the serious consequences of widespread deforestation in the Borneo jungle. In it, a boy, a girl and a baby orangutan will defy all obstacles to defend themselves from this savage destruction.

 

And speaking of animation, we couldn't leave out a Japanese production, absolute masters of the medium worldwide. Ghost Cat Anzu' premiered at the Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight and is undoubtedly one of the most interesting anime proposals of the year. Nobuhiro Yamahita and Yôko Kuno direct this story about an 11-year-old girl and her friendship with her grandfather's ghost cat.

 

Chinese animation is gaining ground as one of the great global powers. Last year we had the screening of 'Deep Sea', a visually stunning film and this year we will have 'The Umbrella Fairy' and 'The Storm' as representatives of the Asian giant. These films, directed respectively by Shen Jie and Yang Zhigang , feature some of the elements that are so popular in Chinese animation: an impeccable visual and technical aspect and a fantastic story that draws from the country's mythology. 

 

To conclude, the last animated production we can announce is a film that represents a turning point for its country's film industry. Presented at the Annecy Festival, 'Diplodocus' is the first 3D animated film in the history of Poland. Directed by Wojtek Wawszczyk and based on the legendary comic by Tadeusz Baranowski, it tells the story of a dinosaur who sets out on an adventure to save his parents, who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. 

 

 

The Most Fantastic Documentaries

 

As for non-fiction, one of Sitges' most regular directors in recent years will be returning. Alexandre O. Philippe, responsible for '78/52' (2017) or 'Memory: the Origins of Alien' (2019) will be presenting, on this occasion, the Spanish premiere of 'Chain Reactions', a documentary about 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (1974) that features the interventions of the Master of Horror Stephen King, illustrious filmmakers like Takashi Miike or Karyn Kusama, actor Patton Oswalt or horror film expert Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, juror last year in the Official In Competition Selection.

 

Another fascinating project that will be screened is the documentary 'Grand Theft Hamlet'. Winner of the Documentary Feature competition at SXSW, it's about two struggling actors who, during the pandemic, decide to stage a full production of Shakespeare's Hamlet inside the video game Grand Theft Auto. Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls direct this funny and poignant documentary that also offers a story about artistic creation in times of crisis.

 

Finally, Alberto Sedano's 'Exorcismo' explores Spanish genre filmmaking following Franco's death, shining the spotlight on films that were considered "rated S" because of their use of sex and violence. Through interviews with directors, actors and historians, as well as fragments of films by Jess Franco, José Ramon Larraz or Ignacio Iguino among others, 'Exorcismo' defends a film movement that not only had a profound effect on society and the history of Spanish cinema, but also had a great influence on genre films in the rest of the world. 

 

 

Rediscovering Cult Classics 

 

This year the Sitges Film Festival is paying tribute to Tod Browning's classic 'Freaks' (1932), which has a brand-new restored edition. In its honor, a film series will be held focusing on the transforming power of the fantastic genre, with films dealing with the circus world, fairs... Tribute will also be paid to two of the fundamental directors in the development of genre films in Spain: León Klimovsky and Jesús Franco. From the first, we can already announce that 'Dr. Jekyll vs. the Werewolf' (1971), and 'The People Who Own the Dark' (1976) will be screened. Continuing with cult directors, another great director from whom one of his classics will be screened is Ovidio G. Assonitis, whose cult film 'Beyond the Door' can be seen.

 

Additionally, we can now announce one of the big "events" of this year's edition: the 4K screening of the cult film 'The Birthday', which celebrates its 20th anniversary. Both Corey Feldman, its star, and Eugenio Mira, the director, will be present at the screening. Another great screening for horror fans will be the 35 mm version of Tobe Hooper's 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre', an undisputed classic in its genre. A unique opportunity to rediscover an immortal movie in the best possible way.

 

We can also announce the two films that will be part of "Catalunya Imaginària", an initiative included in Sitges Classics that aims to showcase certain classic titles from Catalan genre filmmaking. This year's selections will be 'Pastel de sangre' (1971), an episodic horror film directed by Francesc Bellmunt, Jaime Chávarri, Emilio Martínez-Lázaro and José María Vallés; and 'Acosada' (1985), a horror film by Sebastià D'Arbó, with Victoria Vera in the leading role. 

 

 

First Brigadoon Film Titles

 

This year the Brigadoon section will be back in the Llevant Room at the Hotel Meliá Sitges again to offer us a selection loaded with classic genre film gems to be discovered (or rediscovered), documentaries and also an in competition short film section (where the Brigadoon Paul Naschy Award will be presented) with some of the year's most interesting and unabashed horror films.

 

As for feature films, we will be able to see 'Traumatika', a story of infernal possessions by Pierre Tsigaridis (who was already at the Festival presenting 'Two Witches'). We will also have the screening of 'Dick Dynamite 1944', the latest madness from British director Robbie Davidson where Dick will have to face Nazi scientists who plan to turn the population of New York into zombies; and 'Marisa y Gomoso' , an irreverent Argentinean comedy by Pablo Parés.

 

In the non-fiction section, we can discover the incredible career of American cult director Albert Pyun in 'Albert Pyun: King of Cult Movies' by director Lisa D'Apolito and fans of the physical format shouldn't miss 'Boutique: To Preserve and Collect' by Ry Levey, a documentary that reviews the history of physical media and its role in the restoration and preservation of a cinema that would otherwise have been lost. 

 

 

Kids, Cameras... Action!! 

 

We've announced the launching of Kids en Acció, a project promoted by Acció Cinema, from Catalunya Film Festivals, the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation and the Sitges International Film Festival.

 

This is a program designed for children and young audiences where, through a selection of films, social issues including poverty, childhood at risk of exclusion, vulnerability due to gender, etc., are addressed. In addition, the selection responds to the values promoted by WomanInFan and its desire to make visible the work of female creators within the fantastic genre, providing the largest possible number of films directed by women.

 

Each screening will be preceded by a presentation by a guest NGO, based in Sitges or Garraf, in charge of projects to address the topics being dealt with. There will be both family and school screenings, which will be attended by students from Sitges' schools and high schools. 

 

HORROR GIRLS. WomanInFan Europe 

 

The first horror film directed by a woman in Spain was released in 1973. The film was 'Vera, un cuento cruel' and its director was Josefina Molina. More than fifty years later, only about twenty women directors have approached the genre in our country. Which political, social and cultural factors have influenced in making the fantastic genre a terrain of overwhelmingly male auteurship is part of the analysis presented in the new volume of WomanInFan, focused on European productions and entitled 'Horror Girls. WomanInFan Europe'. The title pays homage to the late film historian David J. Skal, who defined himself as a "monster boy". In this regard, the volume exposes the groundbreaking and referential European 'horror girls' with a special focus on four different filmographies: Spain, France, Germany and Italy. 

 

The volume will go on sale in October, during the Festival, with the participation of Mònica Garcia Massagué (who also acts as its coordinator),  Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Ángel Sala, Olivia Cooper-Hadjian, Marcus Stiglegger and Manlio Gomarasca.  

 

The Shadow Fair: Phantasmagorias, Freaks and Circuses in Horror Movies 

 

What leads us to carry out a study on a handful of films with the themes of the fair, the circus and the horror genre as its central themes? Film has managed to capture the intriguing essence of the circus essentially through two genres: melodrama and horror, like Siamese twins, one tragic and circumspect, the other histrionic and wicked. The circus concentrates everything necessary to describe the initiatory journey through a story where each of the components of the community are an attribute -only one- of an ultimate hero. The clown, the tamer, the male acrobat and the female tightrope walker are a giant who sleeps when traveling, wakes up at dawn and every week comes to life in a different place, in a palace of fabrics and canvas.

 

Enjoy the journey through a wasteland illuminated with old light bulbs, a faded path between wagons hand in hand with Mònica Garcia i Massagué, Pepe Aracil, Jorge Loser, Xavi Sánchez Pons and Lluis Rueda... a crew commanded by Ángel Sala and Jordi Sánchez Navarro. 

 

The CHINA Agency Speaks to Us About the SITGES2024 Poster 

 

Once again this year, the CHINA agency, part of LLYC, has been responsible for the Festival's visual identity. Rafa Gil, the agency's Creative Director, talks about the creative process of this fantastic poster: "On most occasions, we use certain media and techniques to capture an idea. In this poster, the idea resides as much in the process as in the result. We wanted to talk about the transformative power of film, and in particular about the Sitges Film Festival's different and unusual films. To tell the story, we applied chemicals on the celluloid emulsion of a portrait to create a distortion on the face. After three days of tests with photographer Mikel Bastida, there it was, our freak." 

 

Sitges Collaborates With Repsol as a Multi-energy Sponsor to Reduce the Festival's Carbon Footprint.

 

This year, Sitges is collaborating with Repsol as a multi-energy partner with the goal of reducing the Festival's carbon footprint. The company will be contributing its technology to offer Sitges the solution that best suits its needs at all times and that allows it to reduce its carbon footprint as much as possible: among other measures, Repsol will be supplying 100% renewable fuels for the generators that will power the different film competition's venues and supply the organization's vehicles, and 100% electric energy for the Festival's official fleet. In addition, used cooking oil will be collected from the on-site food trucks to produce renewable fuel, promoting a circular economy, and free recharging points for solar-powered cell phones will be made available to all visitors. 

 

The Dream Makers: apoyando al nuevo talento 

 

CUPRA, nuestro Automotive Partner, sigue con su misión de apoyar a la próxima generación de cineastas con la iniciativa “The Dream Makers”, dos competiciones destinadas a darle el foco al joven talento. La primera de ellas está destinada a jóvenes de entre 22 y 30 años, que deberán presentar un guion de temática abierta para un cortometraje. El jurado, formado por J. A. Bayona, Daniel Brühl, Wayne Griffith, Sergi Casamitjana, Aintza Serra y Ángel Sala decidirá un ganador que se anunciará durante el Festival, y tendrá como premio el apoyo económico para la realización del cortometraje.  

 

También se premiará a jóvenes de entre 17 y 21 años con un cortometraje de temática específica (cuyos detalles se anunciarán mañana mismo en un evento en CASA SEAT) y tendrán como premio una beca completa para realizar estudios de cine en la ESCAC. 

 

20 Years of Carnet Jove Jury 

 

Once again this year the International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, in collaboration with the Agència Catalana de la Joventut (Catalan Youth Agency), through the Carnet Jove Youth Card, is organizing the Sitges Carnet Jove Jury, celebrating its 20th edition this year. Since 2005, this year a total of 100 young people will have been part of the Festival's different juries over these 20 years. The Jury, made up of five people -one of whom serves as president-, has the mission of presenting the Carnet Jove Jury Award to the best film in the Official Fantàstic Selection and the Sitges Documenta Award to the best documentary production. The objective of this collaboration is to professionalize film reviewing, giving five young people interested in this field, or in the field of film in general, the opportunity to be a part of the Festival's official jury. The call for applications closed on July 4th and is currently in the process of being decided on. 

 

SGAE Nova Autoria Awards 

 

The Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE) and the SGAE Foundation, through the SGAE Territorial Council in Catalonia, are once again collaborating with Sitges for the 24th SGAE Nova Autoria Awards. The objective is to promote emerging talent at a festival of international prestige. The awards will be given in the categories of best screenplay, best directing/production and best original music. The Nova Autoria Awards party will be held on October 5th at the Prado Movie Theater. 

 

Support for the 57th Edition  

 

This year the Festival's screenings will be at the following venues in the official circuit: Meliá Sitges Auditorium, Tramuntana Room, Llevant Room (Brigadoon), Sitges Casino Prado movie theater, Escorxador - Cultural Center and Miramar Cultural Center.

 

Once again this year, the Festival is grateful for the commitment of all the cooperating institutions and companies: Moritz (main sponsor), Cupra (automotive partner), Repsol (multi-energy partner), CaixaBank (strategic partner), TV3, Catalunya Ràdio and 3CAT (official TV network and radio station), La Vanguardia (official newspaper), and Meliá Sitges (sponsor and official headquarters).

 

The Festival confirms its agreements with Aullidos, China Madrid, CineyTele, Cinemascomics, Cobega-Coca Cola European Partners, Cruz Roja, El Cinèfil, Factorial, FNAC, Fotogramas, Fundación Japón, FX Animation, Grup Flaix FM, Grup Iguana, Grupo Main, Iberia, IES Joan Ramon Benaprès Escola Hostaleria, Montaz Media, Nació Digital, Ocimag, Port d’Aiguadolç, Renfe, Sensacine, SGAE and Fundació SGAE, The Original Cha-Chá, Transperfect Translations SL, Tresc and Vertix.

 

Sitges 2024 is organized thanks to the participation of the Sitges Town Hall, the Catalonian Generalitat’s Department of Culture’s Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises), and receives financing from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports’ Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts), the Barcelona Diputació (City Council), and the Carnet Jove - Departament de Benestar i Família (Department of Welfare and Family). 

 

List of Films Announced in Official Sections 

 

‘A Desert’ - Joshua Erkman (United States) 

 

‘Apocalipsis Z: El principio del fin’ - Carles Torrens (Spain) 

 

‘Animale’ - Emma Benestan (France, Belgium, Saudi Arabia) 

 

‘Azrael’ - E. L. Katz (United States) 

 

‘Chain Reactions’ - Alexandre O. Philippe (Switzerland) 

 

‘Cuckoo’ - Tilman Singer (Germany / USA) 

 

‘Cloud’ - Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Japan) 

 

‘Dead Mail’ - Joe DeBoer & Kyle McConaghy (United States) 

 

‘Diplodocus’ - Wojtek Wawszcyk (Poland) 

 

‘Exhuma’ - Jang Jae-hyun (South Korea) 

 

‘Exorcismo’ - Alberto Sedano (Spain) 

 

‘Ghost Cat Anzu’ - Nobuhiro Yamashita & Yoko Kuno (Japan) 

 

‘Grand Theft Hamlet’ - Sam Crane & Pinny Grylls (Great Britain) 

 

‘Handsome Guys’ - Nam Dong-hyup (South Korea) 

 

‘Krazy House’ - Steffen Haars & Flip Van der Kuil (Netherlands) 

 

‘MadS’ - David Moreau (France) 

 

‘Mi bestia’ - Camila Beltrán (Colombia) 

 

‘Night Call’ - Michiel Blanchart (France, Belgium) 

 

‘Night Silence (Cisza Nocna)’ - Bartosz M. Kowalski (Poland) 

 

‘Oddity’ - Damian Mc Carthy (Ireland) 

 

‘Peg O’ My Heart’ - Nick Cheung (Hong Kong) 

 

‘Sauvages’ - Claude Barras (Switzerland) 

 

‘Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust’ - Ishan Shukla (France) 

 

‘Shelby Oaks’ - Chris Stuckmann (United States) 

 

‘Sister Midnight’ - Karan Kandhari (Great Britain) 

 

‘Spermageddon’ - Rasmus A. Sivertsen & Tommy Wirkola (Norway) 

 

‘Steppenwolf’ - Adilkhan Yerzhanov (Kazakhstan) 

 

‘Terrifier 3’ - Damien Leone (United States) 

 

'The Devil's Bath' - Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz (Austria)

 

‘The Kingdom’ - Julien Colonna (France) 

 

‘The Second Act’ - Quentin Dupieux (France) 

 

‘The Storm’ - Yang Zhigang (China) 

 

‘The Umbrella Fairy’ - Shen Jie (China) 

 

‘Timestalker’ - Alice Lowe (Great Britain) 

 

‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’ - Soi Cheang (Hong Kong) 

 

‘Una ballena (A Whale)’ - Pablo Hernando (Spain) 

 

‘Zero’ - Jean Luc Herbulot (United States)