Once again this year, Sitges becomes the epicenter of fantastic cinema with the 57th Sitges-International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, held from October 3 to 13. The festival is much more than just a film screening: it’s a party that brings together the best of the latest horror, science fiction and fantasy productions and turns the entire town into an experience that oozes cinema and activity on all four sides.
Forget Carnival and Pride, today we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Sitges-International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia so you don’t miss a thing.
When is the festival?
The festival is held at various locations in Sitges from October 3 to 13.
In which theaters and venues can films be seen?
The Hotel Meliá Auditorium will be, as always, the main stage where the most eagerly awaited films will be screened, the red carpet where the Festival’s most important screenings will be held and where the most important actors will be passing through.
Along with them, the Escorxador, the Prado cinema and the Miramar Cultural Center will host family sessions.
Zombie Walk, KingKong Area…. the most important parallel activities.
Film screenings are not all: the festival also offers a host of parallel activities. One of the highlights is the exciting Zombie Walk on Saturday evening, October 5. On the same day, Apocalypse Z, the beginning of the end will be screened at 20:30h.
There are also the vibrant activities in the King Kong Area, including a merchandising market, shows, concerts, workshops, podcasts and talks.
There are also specific screenings for children at the Miramar Cinema, with the Sitges Family/Fantastic Kids, with a whole lineup of fantastic family and children’s movies.
What films and premieres are not to be missed?
The opening film, on Thursday, October 3, will be “Presence”, by prestigious American director Steven Soderbergh, in his first foray into the supernatural horror genre, with a thriller about a family that moves into a home inhabited by a strange presence.
Another highlight is Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” winner of Best Screenplay at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid.
Spanish filmmakers will have a strong presence in the program with premieres such as the aforementioned “Apocalipsis Z: El principio del fin” by Carles Torrens, “Daniela Forever” by Nacho Vigalondo, “Una ballena” by Pablo Hernando, “Luna” by Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas and “Bodegón con fantasmas” by Enrique Buleo, among other outstanding national productions.
Other films we recommend are Rich Flu (the new from the director of El Hoyo, which did very well in Sitges a year ago and on Netflix), El llanto (also Spanish, with Esther Expósito), Terrifier 3 (the viral saga of recent horror cinema), A different man, Strange Darling, Please don’t feed the children, Apartment 7A (prequel to The Devil’s Seed) .
Closing with Alexandre Ajá’s Never Let Go, a genre classic with Halle Berry.
Awards and professional days
As for awards, this year’s Grand Honorary Award will go to Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, known for movies like “Shine”, “The King’s Speech” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”, whose latest film, James Ashcroft’s “The Rule of Jenny Pen”, will be premiering in Sitges. The Time Machine Award will recognize different artists like actors Corey Feldman, Giancarlo Esposito or Nick Frost, and director Mike Flanagan.
How to get to Sitges from Barcelona?
Train
Trains to Sitges depart from the main stations of Barcelona: Estació de França, Passeig de Gràcia and Sants, with the R2 Sud, in a journey of about 40 minutes.
Bus
Buses to Sitges depart from Plaça Espanya and Ronda Universitat in Barcelona for a journey time of about 45 minutes.
Car
You can drive from Barcelona to Sitges on the C-32 freeway, a journey of about 30 minutes, with toll. Without toll the route passes through the Garraf road.