The Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival was founded by Les Films du Spectre in 2006 as a thematic festival. Subsidised by French regional and local authorities and with a 7-fold increase in visitors since its launch, it now holds Méliès competitions for both European feature and short fantastic films. The best international fantastic film is awarded the Golden Octopus. Short films can also screen in the “Made in France” section catering to French productions or in the international short film section. Other feature film sections include: “Crossovers”, for borderline not-quite-fantastic films; “Midnight Extremes”, for more disturbing films; and world fantastic films outside competition.
The festival is strongly committed to cinema heritage; and past revivals have showcased Hammer Studios, Ray Harryhausen, James Whale, Roger Corman, Italian 1960s pop and Val Lewton, to name but a few.
The Strasbourg Festival is a multi-faceted event: screening the latest in European and world genre cinema (horror, SF, fantasy), it also proposes Q and A with film crews, silent film concerts and many side attractions. There are conferences, master classes for students, exhibitions, forums, vintage poster auctions, workshops, the Fantastic Village and the Great Strasbourg Zombie Walk – one of the largest in Europe – followed by the annual Zombies’ ball.
The Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival is held in a mind-bogglingly beautiful city on the Ill River – home to the European institutions and medieval Gothic wonders.
Past guests include Lamberto Bava, Catherine Breillat, Marina De Van, Ruggero Deodato, Lucky Mckee, AgnèsMerlet, Caroline Munro, Philippe Nahon, Brian Yuzna, Roger Corman, Edith Scob, George Romero and Mick Garris. As an affiliated member of the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation, Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival hold the Méliès d’Argent competitions for European films in tandem with some of Europe’s most outstanding genre festivals, such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Espoo, Leeds, Lund, Neuchâtel, Sitges and Trieste.
The Festival also offers many side events, further attracting different publics: one of the largest zombie walks in Europe with 3 500 participants, master classes, the Fantastic Village, children’s workshops, conferences, exhibitions, book and posters signings and so forth.
The International Feature Film Competition presents recent fantastic film productions from around the world. The prizes awarded are: the Golden Octopus (international prize) the Silver Méliès (European prize), the optional Special Jury Mentionand the Audience Award. The European prize winner will go on to compete for the Golden Méliès at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival.
The competition’s films : here
Award Winners
Films | Director | Country | Type | Year | Award |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Borgman | Alex van Warmerdam | The Netherlands | Feature | 2013 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
Not Funny | Carlos Violadé | Spain | Short | 2013 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
The Bird Spider | Jaime Dezcallar | Spain | Short | 2012 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
Painless | Juan Carlos Medina | Spain, France, Portugal | Feature | 2012 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
La femme à cordes | Vladimir Mavounia-Kouka | France | Short | 2011 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
Hideaways | Agnès Merlet | France | Feature | 2011 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
Mr. Foley | Daddy | Ireland | Short | 2010 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
Buried | Rodrigo Cortés | Spain, France | Feature | 2010 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
Predestination, Closing Night film
Predestination chronicles the life of a Temporal Agent sent on an intricate series of time travel journeys designed to ensure the continuation of his law enforcement career for all eternity. On his final assignment, the Agent must pursue the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time.
Based on Robert Heinlein’s “All You Zombies”, Predestination spans time travel from 1945-93. This mind-blowing, retro-futuristic thriller successfully balances explosive action with an intimate focus on character. The nuanced, moving performances of Hawke and Snook lend substance to many of the film’s underlying philosophical issues, among which the borders and elasticity of human identity.
Directors: Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig ; Producers: Paddy McDonald, Tim McGahan, Peter Spierig, Michael Spierig ; Screenplay: Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig ; Cinematography: Ben Nott EDITING: Matt Villa ; Music: Peter Spierig ; Cast: Ethan Hawke, Noah Taylor, Sarah Snook
Predestination’s trailer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcNcM1r1hos
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Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival
18, Rue du Vieux Marché aux poissons, 67000 Strasbourg, France