We arrive at the penultimate day of the 2026 Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival, located in the heart of Switzerland, where the only Swiss festival dedicated to genre films has held sway for the past week.
Overlooking a beautiful lake, Neuchatel is known as the center of the Swiss watch industry, and is perfect for strolling at a leisurely pace. The festival takes advantage of its setting with time set aside every day for exploring board games and various virtual worlds.
Throughout the festival, varied theatrical events have also been staged. Today, for example, is Arts de rue : Réaction en chaîne", which has a very inviting description:
"Samuelito creates a whole obstacle course full of twists and turns and adventure to make candy fly into his mouth. You'll encounter a slingshot, a dog doing a front flip, a child from the audience hopping after a lollipop, and a saber-toothed tiger that pounces on a toy car..."
The event is presented by the theatre company Samuelito, in collaboration with the CCHAR, which has been involved in other events during the festival.
The early afternoon slot features Kiyoshi Kurosawa's medieval thriller The Samurai and the Prisoner and Alberto Vazquez' dystopian animated Decorado, but if you've already seen those, we are very intrigued by Diego Fuentes' Matapanki, which follows the exploits of a "young punk" who "acquires superpowers."
Well, that's a twist that frightens me. Here's the full official synopsis: "Ricardo, a young punk living with his lovable grandmother, acquires superpowers after knocking back a ferociously potent cocktail known as Matapanki. Driven by a collective, generational frustration, he sets out to change Chilean society. But one fatal mistake draws international attention, forcing Ricardo and his crew into a satirical showdown with the President of the United States."
As much as I would love to see J. Lee Thompson's Happy Birthday to Me or Jane Schoenbrun's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma in the late afternoon slot, attention must be paid to Joko Anwar. His latest film, Ghost in the Cell, sounds like the Indonesian master is up to new tricks.
"Labuan Angsana prison in Indonesia is infamous for its extreme brutality. A quiet journalist is incarcerated there, unknowingly bringing with him a mischievous, vengeful supernatural entity that attacks the most violent prisoners. To survive, everyone has to purify their aura in this social horror comedy where the phrase 'strength in unity' takes on a literal meaning."
Someday, I will tell you my true feelings about poodles. Nonetheless, in the early evening slot, we still favor Alex Goyette's Breeder, which is enjoying its International Premiere as part of the International Competition.
The film screened at last months's Tribeca Festival, where our own Olga Artemyeva gave us her discerning impressions: "Of course, any horror movie lover knows that it is never a good idea to go to an unfamiliar, remote location; it's where really bad things always await. The curious thing is that Russell seems to know this, too, but is eager to forgo his intuition because the reality doesn't give him many options: it's either going along with the creepy poodle lady or giving up on his work. ...
"Controversial parts don't automatically diminish the film's other evident qualities, and Breeder is still a pleasantly entertaining number that showcases its authors' talents and ambitions."
In the late evening slot, we'd love to see The Furious again; it's an incredible film that rewards multiple viewings. But we suspect that this may be the perfect night to see some folk horror, so it's off to Gaua that you must go.
"Basque Country, 17th century. Amid a witch hunt, Kattalin flees her husband and becomes lost in a forest where a mysterious presence roams. Over the course of a night filled with fantastic tales, creatures from Basque folklore, and unspeakable secrets, she finds herself drawn into the legends themselves. A haunting gothic tale."
While you could conclude your day with Privadas de suas vidas, if a chronically-constipated protagonist draws you in, I must favor David Lynch's Mulholland Drive, which I first saw at a late-night screening during its original release. It held me riveted then, and I am positive that seeing it in the open air past midnight in the company of devoted cinema lovers will hold everyone's attention now. Bonus: it's a free screening!
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.