Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia
The world's most important genre film festival, held annually in October in Sitges, presenting the definitive international competitive program for horror, science fiction, fantasy, and fantastic cinema in one of the most beautiful coastal towns in Spain.
Overview
The Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia is the world's most important genre film festival. Founded in 1968 and held annually in October in Sitges -- a beautiful coastal town 35 kilometers south of Barcelona, where Art Nouveau mansions overlook the Mediterranean -- the festival presents the definitive international competitive program for horror, science fiction, fantasy, and fantastic cinema.
Sitges has been the most important global platform for genre cinema for over five decades. Films that premiere at Sitges carry the festival's imprimatur as the leading international authority on genre filmmaking. Directors including David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, Joe Dante, and countless others have been celebrated at Sitges, and the festival has consistently championed genre cinema as a legitimate art form deserving serious critical attention.
The October timing, coinciding with the approach of Halloween, gives the horror programming particularly atmospheric resonance.
Key Sections
- Official Competition -- horror, science fiction, fantasy, and fantastic films competing for the Golden Melies
- Noves Visions -- formally experimental and transgressive genre cinema
- Midnight X-treme -- extreme horror programming
- Short Film Competition -- genre short films
- Documentary Program -- documentaries about genre cinema and its makers
What Filmmakers Should Know
Sitges accepts open submissions. The Golden Melies is the world's most important genre film prize. For horror, science fiction, and fantasy filmmakers, a Sitges competition selection or award carries more weight than any other festival recognition. Distribution executives specializing in genre films attend specifically to acquire at Sitges.
Major Awards
- Golden Melies -- Best Film
- Silver Melies -- Special Jury Prize
- Best Director
- Audience Award
Festival History
Sitges was founded in 1968 and has operated for over five decades as the world's preeminent genre film festival.
See Also
For genre filmmaking, see Film Festival Strategy. For Fantasia Montreal, see Fantasia International Film Festival.
