“As Orson Welles once said – “ Look what 700 years of democracy have brought to Switzerland: chocolate and the cuckoo clock”. Well since the picturesque city of Neuchâtel is precisely the Home of Swiss chocolate and watches, you might conclude that it is the quietest place on earth.”
Created in 2000, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) has become a major film event in Switzerland in just 14 editions. Indeed, the NIFFF’s quality and original programs, as well as its prestigious guests, convinced both the public and the critics. NIFFF is taking place at Théâtre du Passage, Arcades, Jardin anglais, Temple du Bas, Apollo and the Rex.
The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) is a Swiss film festival dedicated to fantastic movies. It was created in 2000 by a group of friends and is now renowned nationally and internationally as an unavoidable reference in genre cinema. The NIFFF defines itself through a rich and diversified programming, constructed around three central axes : Fantastic cinema, Asian cinema and Digital images. The films shown at the Festival are very diversified, going from worldwide expected movies by renowned directors to unknown and underground films d’auteurs. Famous fantastic film directors have already honored the NIFFF with their presences, including George A. Romero, Joe Dante, John Landis, Terry Gilliam, Hideo Nakata.
Since 2000, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) has rocked the city to the ground, welcoming cult guests such as Roger Corman, Phil Tippett, Dario Argento, Ray Harryhausen, Stuart Gordon, Shinya Tsukamoto, Tobe Hooper, Marc Caro and many more.
Now one of the most important film festivals in Switzerland, NIFFF gives away the “Narcisse” Award by Oscar Winner H.R.Giger, the famous designer of Alien. After The bothersome Man in 2006, You, the living by Roy Andersson won the Narcisse award in 2007, leading a high profile selection of over 70 features and shorts, all presented in Swiss or International Premiere.
NIFFF holds various sections, from its International Competition for fantastic features to special programs and workshops devoted to Special Effects and the Digital Image. With two Competitions for feature films (fantastic and Asian) and its side programs the event offer the best platform to promote Fantastic and Asian recent productions in the country.
The 2015 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival’s Guests of Honor are Chris Carter (american television and film producer, director, writer and screenwriter : The X-Files, Millennium, Harsh Realm, The Lone Gunmen) and Michael Moorcock (the famous british SF&F writer).
The New Worlds Of Fantasy’s Guest is John Howe (Canada), illustrator and production designer.
NIFFF International Critic’s Award Jury : Sarah Stutte (Germany , Deadline-magazin.de), Gilles Esposito (France, mad-movies.com), Lorenzo Del Porto (Italy, Nocturno.it), Raúl Gil (Spain, ScifiWorld.es), Shelagh Rowan-Legg (Canada, TwitchFilm.com).
Neuchâtel (French pronunciation: [nøʃatɛl]), Old French: neu(f) “new” + chatel “castle” (French: château), is the capital of the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel.
The city has as of December 2013 approximately 33,600 inhabitants (80,000 in the metropolitan area).
The city is sometimes referred to historically by the German name Neuenburg, which has the same meaning, since it originally belonged to the Holy Roman Empire and later Prussia, which ruled the area until 1848.
The official language of Neuchâtel is French (Neuchâtel is situated in Suisse romande or Romandie, the French-speaking parts of western Switzerland ; in 2010 about 1.9 million people, or 24.4% of the Swiss population, lived in Romandie ; the bulk of Romand population lives in the Arc Lémanique region along Lake Geneva, connecting Geneva, Vaud and the Lower Valais).
The movies from the competition are :
TALE OF TALES (Il racconto dei racconti) – Matteo Garrone, Italy, 2015
LIZA, THE FOX-FAIRY – Károly Ujj Mészáros, Hungary, 2015
LOVE – Gaspar Noé, France, 2015
GAZ DE FRANCE – Benoit Forgeard, France, 2015
THE CORPSE OF ANNA FRITZ – Hèctor Hernández Vicens, Spain, 2015
HELLVETIA SHOW – Pedro & Ramon , Switzerland, 2015
POLDER – Julian M. Grünthal & Samuel Schwarz, Switzerland, 2015
HOMESICK – Jakob Erwa, Germany, 2015
Benni Diez, Germany, 2015
MEN & CHICKEN – Anders Thomas Jensen, Denmark, 2015
BRIDGEND – Jeppe Rønde, Denmark, 2015
LOVEMILLA – Teemu Nikki, Finland, 2015
SLOW WEST – John Maclean, UK, 2015
SCHERZO DIABOLICO – Adrián García Bogliano, Mexico, 2015
TURBO KID – François Simard & Anouk Whissell & Yohann-Karl Whissell, Canada, 2015
MAGGIE – Henry Hobson, USA, 2015
EXCESS FLESH – Patrick Kennelly, USA, 2015
EMELIE – Michael Thelin, USA, 2015
WE ARE STILL HERE – Ted Geoghegan, USA, 2015
THE INVITATION – Karyn Kusama, USA, 2015
AVA’S POSSESSIONS – Jordan Galland, USA, 2015
GREEN ROOM – Jeremy Saulnier, USA, 2015
SOME KIND OF HATE – Adam Egypt Mortimer, USA, 2015
CONTRACTED: PHASE II – Josh Forbes, USA, 2015
DEATHGASM – Jason Lei Howden, New Zealand, 2015
STRAYER’S CHRONICLE – Zeze Takahisa, Japan, 2015
YAKUZA APOCALYPSE – Miike Takashi, Japan, 2015
OFFICE – Hong Won-chan, South Korea, 2015
FULL STRIKE – Henri Wong & Derek Kwok, Hong-Kong, 2015
CRUMBS – Miguel Llansò, Ethiopia, 2015
The first characteristic of the NIFF festival is a rich and diversified programming constructed around one central axis:
Fantastic cinema and two complementary axes: Asian cinema and Digital Images.
FANTASTIC CINEMA : PIONEERING AESTHETICS FOR THE SEVENTH ART
The concept of “fantastic cinema” upon which the NIFFF’s programming is based, is open and encompasses those films which transcend the commonly accepted view of ’normal reality’ defined by the ’laws of nature.’ These transgressions can take many different forms, from the most spectacular to the more subtle. They can actually allow us to enter completely imaginary worlds, introducing a minute doubt into our habitual perception of everyday reality.
The festival is interested in all these divergences. This allows the programming to include a huge variety of films: from blockbusters to films d’auteur, from black comedy to Sci-Fi, and from stop-motion animation to CGI. The aim of the Festival is to emphasize both the creativity of the genre today and its role in the history of cinema here and abroad.
The NIFFF offers five competitions : an international competition, an Asian competition, a Best Swiss Short Film Competition, a Best European Short Film Competition and a Swiss Video Art Competition entitled Actual Fears and inaugurated in 2008.
Since its creation, the NIFFF has been programmed each year during the first week of July, except in 2001. In 2015, the NIFFF celebrates its 15th edition and counts amongst the major cinematographic events in Switzerland, supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture.
ASIA: FANTASTIC FOR NEW TRENDS
Over the years, the vitality of Asian cinema has been acknowledged internationally. Despite the fact that Asian cinema produces its fair share of blockbusters and wins awards in many of the largest film festivals, its access remains very limited in Switzerland ; hence, the Festival’s decision to launch New Cinema from Asia, a competition devoted to Asian cinema only. This competition is not restricted to fantastic films, as it also encompasses other major popular genres : thrillers, comedies, kung fu and sword films. Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong are well represented, but films from less expected countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines also attract remarkable attention. A unique opportunity to explore the tremendous diversity of this booming cinema, still largely unrecognized here.
DIGITAL IMAGES: THE CINEMA OF TOMORROW
From the very beginning, “fantastic cinema” was closely associated with technology. Thanks to special effects, filmmakers were able to give form to their imaginary worlds. Today, developments in computer technology produce extraordinary results in the creation and manipulation of images. To take the measure of these recent technologies, the festival not only presents a selection of films created with digital imagery, but also organizes a symposium bringing together designers, scientists and industrialists. Screenings, meetings, workshops and demonstrations give experts and laymen a unique opportunity to discover the latest artistic and technological innovations in the field of digital images.
For more information, please visit : www.imagingthefuture.ch
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) : List of Award Winners
Year | Award | Film | Country | Director |
2014 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Housebound | New Zealand | Gerard Johnstone |
Silver Méliès Award for Best European Film | Blind | Norway | Eskil Vogt | |
Imaging The Future Award for Best Design Production | The Mole Song : Undercover Agent Reiji | Japan | Takashi Miiike | |
Best Asian Movie Award | Yasmine | Brunei | Siti Kamaluddin, Chan Man-Ching | |
International Critic’s Award | It Follows | United States | David Robert Mitchell | |
Youth Award | ||||
Audience RTS Award | What We Do in the Shadows | New Zealand | Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi | |
H. R. Giger «Narcisse» Award for Best Swiss Short | Lothar | Switzerland | Luca Zuberbühler | |
Silver Méliès Award for Best European Short | ||||
Taurus Studio Innovation Award | Pappkameraden | Switzerland | Stefan Bischoff, Stephan Wiki | |
2013 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Dark Touch | France Ireland Sweden | Marina de Van |
Mad Movies Award to the «Maddest» Movie | ||||
Youth Award | ||||
Special mention of the International Jury | Chimères | Switzerland | Olivier Beguin | |
Silver Méliès Award for Best European Film | Au Nom du fils | France | Vincent Lannoo | |
Imaging The Future Award for Best Design Production | Ghost Graduation | Spain | Javier Ruiz Caldera | |
Special mention of the Imaging The Future Jury | Mars et Avril | France | Martin Villeneuve | |
Best Asian Movie Award | Eega | India | S.S Rajamouli, J.V.V Sathyanarayana | |
Speciale mention of the Mad Movies Jury | ||||
Blaise Cendrars Youth Award | The Crack | Colombia Argentina | Alfonso Acosta | |
Audience RTS Award | You’re Next | United States | Adam Wingard | |
Titra Film Award | The Dyatlov Pass Incident | Finland | Renny Harlin | |
H. R. Giger «Narcisse» Award for Best Swiss Short | Palim Palim | Switzerland | Marina Klauser, Pia Hellenthal | |
Taurus Studio Award | ||||
Special mention of the SSA/Suissimage Jury | Pocket Rocket | Switzerland | Walter Feistle | |
Taurus Studio Innovation Award | Effort | Switzerland | Eleonora Berra | |
Silver Méliès Award for Best European Short | Entre Ange et Demon | Switzerland | Pascal Forney | |
2012 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Citadel | Ireland | Ciaran Foy |
Special mention of the Mad Movies Jury | ||||
Silver Méliès Award for Best European Film | ||||
Special mention of the International Jury | Vanishing Waves | Lithuania | Kristina Buozyté | |
Best Asian Movie Award | Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings | Philippines | Jade Castro | |
Youth Award | The Butterfly Room | Italy | Jonathan Zarantonello | |
Mad Movies Award for the «Maddest» Movie | Resolution | United States | Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead | |
Titra Film Award | Grabbers | United Kingdom | Jon Wright | |
TSR Audience Award | ||||
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Zimmer 606 | Switzerland | Peter Volkart | |
Taurus Studio Award | ||||
Silver Méliès Award for Best European Short | ||||
Taurus Studio Innovation Award | Magnetfelder | Switzerland | Jan-Eric Mack | |
2011 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Trollhunter | Norway | André Øvredal |
TSR Audience Award | ||||
Silver Méliès for Best European Film | ||||
Special Mention from the International Jury | Stake Land | United States | Jim Mickle | |
Best Asian Film Award | Hello Ghost | South Korea | Kim Young-tak | |
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | Wake Wood | United Kingdom Ireland | David Keating | |
Mad Movies Award for the «Maddest» Film | The Violent Kind | United States | Butcher Brothers | |
Titra Film Award | Insidious | United States | James Wan | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Evermore | Switzerland | Philip Hofmänner | |
Taurus Studio Award | ||||
Taurus Studio Award for Innovation | Employe Du Mois | Switzerland | Olivier Béguin | |
Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Short | Brutal Relax | Spain | David Munoz, Adrian Cardona, Rafa Dengra | |
2010 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Enter The Void | France | Gaspar Noé |
TSR Audience Award | Black Death | United Kingdom | Chris Smith | |
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | Strayed | Kazakhstan | Akan Satayev | |
The Silver Méliès for Best European Film | Strigoi | United Kingdom | Faye Jackson | |
Mad Movies Award for the «Maddest» Film | Dream Home | Hong Kong | Pang Ho-Cheung | |
Special mention of the Jury | ||||
Best Asian Movie Award | WIG | Japan | Renpei Tsukamoto | |
Titra Film Award | Valhalla Rising | Denmark | Nicolas Winding Refn | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Danny Boy | Switzerland | Marek Skrobecki | |
The Taurus Studio Award | ||||
The Taurus Studio for Innovation Award | Ich Bin’s Helmut | Germany | Nicolas Steiner | |
Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Short | Try a Little Tenderness | Germany | Benjamin Teske | |
2009 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Fish Story | Japan | Yoshihiro Nakamura |
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | ||||
Special mention of the Jury | Infestation | United States | Kyle Rankin | |
TSR Audience Award | Connected | Hong Kong, China | Benny Chan | |
The Silver Méliès for Best European Film | Left Bank | Belgium | Pieter Van Hees | |
Mad Movies Award for «le film le plus Mad» | ||||
Best Asian Movie Award | The Handsome Suit | Japan | Tsutomu Hanabusa | |
Titra Film Award | Antichrist | Denmark Poland Germany Sweden Italy | Lars Von Trier | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Le Petit Dragon | Switzerland | Bruno Collet | |
The Taurus Studio Award | ||||
The Taurus Studio for Innovation Award | Déjà | Switzerland | Antonin Schopfer | |
Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Short | Tile M for Murder | Sweden | Magnus Holmgren | |
2008 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Sleep Dealer | United States Mexico | Alex Rivera |
Special mention of the Jury | Tokyo! | France Japan Germany South Korea | Bong Joon-ho, Leos Carax, Michel Gondry | |
Titra Film Award | ||||
TSR Audience Award | CJ7 | Hong Kong | Stephen Chow | |
The Silver Méliès for Best European Feature Film | Let the Right One in | Sweden | Tomas Alfredson | |
Special mention of the Jury | ||||
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | ||||
Mad Movies Award for Best Asian Movie | Om Shanti Om | India | Farka Khan | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Vincent le Magnifique | Switzerland | Pascal Forney | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Art Video | The Counterfeiters | Switzerland United States | Katia Bassanini | |
Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Short | Scary | Netherlands | Martijn Hullegie | |
2007 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | You, the Living | Sweden | Roy Andersson |
Titra Film Award | ||||
Special mention of the Jury | The Ugly Swans | Russia | Konstantin Lopishansky | |
Silver Méliès for Best European Feature Film | ||||
TSR Audience Award | Black Sheep | New Zealand | Jonathan King | |
Mad Movies Award for Best Asian Movie | Don | India | Farhan Akthar | |
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | La Antena | Argentina | Esteban Sapir | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | City Wasp | Switzerland | Steven Tod | |
Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Short | Silence Is Golden | United Kingdom | Christ Sheperd | |
2006 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | The Bothersome Man | Norway Iceland | Jens Lien |
Golden Méliès for Best European Film | ||||
TSR Audience Award | Adam’s Apples | Denmark Germany | Anders Thomas Jensen | |
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | ||||
Mad Movies Award for Best Asian Movie | SPL | Hong Kong | Wilson Yip | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Une Nuit Blanche | Switzerland | Maja Gehrig | |
Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Short | Dilemma | Netherlands | Boris Paval Conen | |
2005 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Innocence | France | Lucile Hadzihalilovic |
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | ||||
TSR Audience Award | Zeburaman | Japan | Miike Takashi | |
Mad Movies Award for Best Asian Movie | ||||
Golden Méliès for Best European Film | Code 46 | Great Britain | Michael Winterbottom | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Terra Incognita | Switzerland | Peter Volkart | |
2004 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | The Machinist | United States Spain | Brad Anderson |
Silver Méliès Award for Best Feature Film | ||||
TSR Audience Award | Tokyo Godfathers | Japan | Satoshi Kon | |
Mad Movies Award for Best Asian Movie | ||||
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | The Taste of Tea | Japan | Katsuhito Ishii | |
SSA/Suissimage Price for Best Swiss Short | Belmondo | Switzerland | Annette Carle | |
Nomination for the Golden Méliès for Best European Short | 7:35 de la Manana | Spain | Nacho Villalongo | |
2003 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | 28 Days Later | United States | Danny Boyle |
Special mention of the Jury | Gozu | Japan | Takashi Miike | |
Mad Movies Award for Best Asian Movie | ||||
TSR Audience Award | The Invisible | Sweden | Joel Bergvall, Simon Sandquist | |
The Denis-de-Rougemont Youth Award | New Blood | Hong Kong | Pou-soi Cheang | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Loups | Switzerland | Hugo Veludo | |
Special mention of the SSA/Suissimage Jury | La Clé d’Argent | Switzerland | Victor Jaquier | |
2002 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | The Yin Yang Master | Japan | Takita Yojiro |
The Jury’s Omnicrom Prize | Ichi The Killer | Japan | Miike Takashi | |
TSR Audience Award | Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell | United States | Doug Miles | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Joshua | Switzerland | Andreas Müller | |
2000 | H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Feature Film | Gemini | Japan | Shinya Tsukamoto |
Special mention of the Jury | Blood | Great Britain | Charly Cantor | |
H. R. Giger Award « Narcisse » for Best Swiss Short | Time With Nyenne | Switzerland | Olivier Béguin |
http://www.nifff.ch/2015/site/en/program/program
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF), 15th Edition : 3rd- 11th of July 2015, Switzerland
Passage Max. de Meuron 6, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Festival Director: Anaïs Emery
Federation Contact: Anaïs Emery
Tel: +41 32 730 50 32
E-mail: prog (at) nifff.ch