The Sitges2024 Commercial Spot and the Final Special Guest Appearances are the Highlights of the 57th Edition's Final Preview

BARCELONA, September 26th. Once again this year, the Filmoteca de Catalunya, Catalonia's Film Archive, hosted the traditional Institutional Press Conference, where Ángel Sala and Mònica Garcia i Massagué, along with Aurora Carbonell, Mayor of Sitges, and Edgar Garcia, Director of the ICEC, materialized the harmony between these institutions, in light of the exciting challenge of a new edition of the best Fantastic Film Festival in the world. The 57th, no more and no less, already has its engines running and is ready to put the pedal to the metal just one week away from its kick-off.

After announcing the addition of Nightbitch, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, V/H/S/Beyond, Hush and Ick last week , today we can confirm Giancarlo Esposito and Mar Targarona as the final two award winners this year, add three series to our line-up and present the commercial spot for this year's Festival courtesy of CHINA.
 

The Final Two Cherries on the Cake

We still had two last award winners up our sleeves. On the one hand, actor Giancarlo Esposito, famous for his portrayal of Gus Fring in both the legendary Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, will receive this year's Time Machine Award. This American artist, one of the most relevant faces in contemporary American television, has collaborated over the course of his career with monolithic filmmakers including Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing), Bong Joon-ho (Okja), Jim Jarmusch (Night on Earth) and Francis Ford Coppola (Megalopolis). He has also had multiple romances with genre moviemaking, appearing in films such as Abigail, The Maze Runner trilogy or the recent MaXXXine. Giancarlo Esposito will be coming to Sitges to accept his award and will also take the opportunity to present his latest film, Please Don't Feed The Children, directed by Destry Allyn Spielberg.

On the other hand, Sitges will be presenting the Woman in Fan Award to Mar Targarona, an essential figure in Spanish genre filmmaking in recent decades. In her facet as a producer, this Barcelona native has taken films like Julia's Eyes, The Body or The Orphanage to the big screen, laying the foundation stone for major filmographies like that of J.A. Bayona. As a director, Targarona brought us The Photographer of Mauthausen, winner of four Gaudí Awards and nominated for four Goya Awards. He also directed the feature films Two and Boy Missing, as well as the miniseries Ull per Ull.

Sitges Continues to be Addicted to TV Series

We continue with our commitment to series and have added three options to our lineup for everyone who loves binge-watching. James Ward Byrkit, director of Coherence, returns to science fiction with Shatter Belt, a collection of stories about the disturbing bridges that unite the mind and reality of which we'll be able to see three episodes in our theaters. Also landing in Sitges are two episodes from the third season of The Head, an international franchise by The Mediapro Studio -a risky experiment and five human guinea pigs- directed by Jorge Dorado and starring John Lynch, Katharine O'Donnely and Clara Galle. Finally, another The Mediapro Studio production in collaboration with 3Cat, David Verdaguer and Ángela Cervantes will hunt down a serial killer throughout the streets of Barcelona in El mal invisible, a Lluís Arcarazo creation based on real events that took place during the lockdown.

Two Freaks Run Into Each Other and...

Once again this year, the CHINA agency -a part of LLYC- is in charge of developing the communication campaign for the SITGES - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, dedicated on this occasion to the universe of freaks and their primordial role in genre films. In celebration of otherness, CHINA presents a first preview of this year's commercial spot, a fascinating -and passionate- piece that pays tribute to the persona of the freak with euphoria and shamelessness, promising strong emotions with a view to October 3rd.

Sitges Exhibits Itself

Once again this year, the Parallel Activities Department is pleased to be organizing two exhibitions that will help us enjoy fantastic films beyond the screen. First, we have recovered the iconic space at the exit of the Meliá Auditori. This year, we are taking advantage of the fact that the Festival is paying tribute to “Freaks”, Tod Browning's cult film, and obviously to the persona of the “freak” in film and other disciplines. In “ONE OF US!!! A FREAKS COMIC TRIBUTE”, comics pay tribute to the strange and different with a collection of fantastic illustrations, featuring eccentric beings, and the incredible possibility of enjoying a selection of pages from ‘Freaks’, comic strips inspired by the famous film, by Francisco Solano López and Jim Woodring, published in the late 90's by La Cúpula in the legendary magazine ‘El Víbora’; and “La parada de los freaks”, by Fabrice Colin and Joëlle Jolivet, an album published by Aloha Editorial in 2020 in our market. Curated by Borja Crespo, this exhibition is the perfect accompaniment to our Freak-tribute.

At the Estudi Vidal we will have “Los extraños colores de Vranckx (”The Strange Colors of Vranckx"), dedicated to the art of one of the most amazing creators of movie posters. In the words of Gerard Casau, advisor of the exhibition: "Everyone who visited Sitges in 2009 remembers the impact of seeing the poster from Amer, which clearly stood out among the multitude of posters that decorated the walls of the Festival's facilities. Nobody really knew what the film was about, the debut feature from Belgian directors Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, but there was something magnetic in that illustration of a naked girl with her skin dyed in unreal colors, falling into space and about to be caught by a hand menacingly sheathed in a giallo-like glove.

Fifteen years after that first contact with the Festival, the exhibition “Los extraños colores de Vranckx (”The Strange Colors of Vranckx"), at the Estudi Vidal, with texts and consultation by Gerard Casau, closes the circle by presenting a panoramic vision of the imaginary of an artist who may seem a rara avis, but who does nothing more than remind us of the true role of a film poster: to offer a first stimulus that engraves in our eyes the textures and flavors of that film we haven't seen yet, but that we began to imagine (and desire) at that precise moment."

Locate the Parallel Activities

The activity of the Parallel Activities Department goes far beyond organizing the Festival's official exhibitions, and consequently, so do the venues where they operate. In the King Kong Area, you can enter a space where fantastic films are the soul of every experience. Here, open-air screenings transport viewers to imaginary worlds and faraway universes. Surrounded by themed food stalls and exclusive merchandise stands, every corner is designed for genre lovers. Music and dance accompany its magical atmosphere, while little ones can enjoy activities that spark their imagination. It's a place where fantasy comes to life, and every visit is an unforgettable cinematic adventure.

Foodtastic is a different open-air gastronomic corner, where food trucks offer a delicious variety of flavors and culinary experiences for all tastes. Meeting is designed as a dynamic leisure meeting place at the Festival, where live music, podcasts, performances and dance converge, creating a unique and diverse cultural experience. Fanshop is a unique walk-through dedicated to the sale of fantastic and horror-themed merchandise, full of collectibles and souvenirs for genre fans.

The Miramar Cultural Center is a small, immersive auditorium where families and children enjoy fantastic film screenings, submerging themselves in unforgettable worlds of fantasy and adventure. The Palau del Rei Moro is a creative venue where children's workshops based on the fantastic and horror genres are held, inspired by the exciting atmosphere of the Sitges Film Festival. Finally, the Estudi Vidal is a space dedicated to exhibitions that explore and celebrate the fantastic genre through art and thematic objects. Get all the information here. 

We Are Legend, the Generation That Will Change the World

This year It's Bloody Green is expanding to become We Are Legend, a campaign aimed at turning our energy and influence into consolidating sustainability and justice as pillars of our society and relationship with the planet. The Sitges Film Festival is committed to the environment, basing our strategy on 3 main areas of action focused on environmental commitment, transparency in governance and dissemination, and social and territorial commitment.  

Reducing our carbon footprint, using reusable materials, guaranteeing gender equality, promoting the local fabric and fostering sustainable mobility are some of the measures that the Festival will implement during this year's edition. If you wish, you can consult them all in detail here. 

Horror Girls is Back with a Bang!

On the heels of the success of its first edition, Sitges is once again hosting Horror Girls,  2nd Meeting of European Female Filmmakers Specializing in the Fantastic Genre, a series of round table discussions and encounters that highlight how the talent of female auteurs is valued in each one of the phases of the film product's value chain. Within this framework, we will be able to enjoy an encounter with actress Heather Langenkamp (Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and Wes Craven's New Nightmare ), who will receive the Time Machine Award at this year's Festival, and a conversation between Coralie Fargeat (director of The Substance and Revenge) and Carlota Pereda (director of Piggy and La Ermita), two of the most provocative and freshest voices in contemporary horror.

Among the different activities, we also propose round tables on production and distribution: Priscilla Smith, Manon Barat and Antonia Nava will take a closer look at the role of distributors in bringing female talent to the market; Nahikari Ipiña, Nuria Valls and Enrique López Lavignewill reflect on the work of production from a female perspective; and Lauren LaVera, Desirée de Fez and Iván Fund will focus on the heterogeneous character of female icons in horror movies.

We have also organized a series of conversations between pairs of filmmakers about their directing experiences (Paco Plaza & Denisse Castro, Marysia Nikitiuk & Paul Urkijo, Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala) and a round table discussion on three exciting studies focused on the role of the female creator in fantastic genre with Mònica Garcia i Massagué, Heidi Honeycutt and Victoria McCollum, where we will be presenting 'HORROR GIRLS: WomanInFan Europe', an official Sitges Festival book that deals with the role of European horror girls.

The Dream Makers: Supporting New Talent

CUPRA, our Automotive Partner, continues its mission to support the next generation of filmmakers with The Dream Makers initiative, two competitions aimed at promoting the creative young talent of the future generation of filmmakers.

 The “Short Film Contest” is a competition for young men and women between the ages of 22 and 30 with an open theme. On July 18th, this initiative's jury composed of J. A. Bayona, Daniel Brühl, Wayne Griffith, Aintza Serra and Ángel Sala announced the 6 finalist projects (out of 241 entries) at an event at SEAT. The winner will be announced during the Festival, and will be awarded the production and promotion of his/her short film.

 During the Festival, the final details and the date for participating in the second competition will also be revealed: the “Film Studies Contest”, which offers filmmakers between the ages of 17 and 21 the chance to win a full scholarship to study filmmaking at ESCAC. The winner will be announced by the ESCAC in December 2024.

Sitges Collaborates with Repsol as a Multi-Energy Partner to Reduce the Festival's Carbon  Footprint 

This year Sitges is incorporating Repsol as a multi-energy partner with the goal of reducing the Festival's carbon footprint. The company will prevent the emission of more than 13 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere thanks to supplying more than 5,000 liters of 100% renewable fuel, which will power the generators that will provide electricity for both different areas of the Festival and the Festival's fleet of production vehicles and a circus tent where festival-goers and guests will be able to enjoy a unique recreational experience. In addition, the company will provide the Festival with a charging station with 100% renewable electricity for the Festival's official vehicles and will also collect used cooking oil from the food truck Les Moles by Guía Repsol to produce renewable fuel, thereby promoting a circular economy. 

To continue contributing to the goal of reducing the Festival's emissions, Repsol will also supply solar energy to provide lighting for different spaces, such as the stage of the King Kong area, the Mirador photocall or a chill out area where attendees can charge their cell phones for free. In addition, Waylet users will be able to purchase any Festival ticket, pass or activity through the Repsol app and will also be able to make payments at the box office, at the merchandise stands and at the Les Moles by Guía Repsol food truck.

20th Edition of the Carnet Jove Jury

The Carnet Jove Jury, organized by the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, with the collaboration of the Catalan Youth Agency, reaches its 20th edition this year, having given a total of 100 young people the opportunity, over these 20 years, to be a part of an official jury at the world's number one fantastic genre film festival. This year's Jury, whose mission is to award the Carnet Jove Jury Award to the best picture in the Official Fantastic Selection and the Sitges Documenta Award to the best documentary production, has been selected, as usual, through a call for merits, and is integrated by the following people: Marina Figueras Manzanares, who serves as president, Ángela Sánchez Orti, Arnau Querol Titó, Borja López Fernández and Ignacio Garriga Bravo. The objective of this collaboration is to professionalize film reviewing, giving the opportunity to five young men and women interested in this field, or in the field of film in general, to be part of one of this Festival's official juries, contributing their young professional vision to the competition.

Double Presence of the SGAE Foundation at the Sitges Film Festival

The SGAE Foundation repeats its participation at the Sitges Film Festival. This year it is collaborating with and is an active part of Horror Girls, promoting female talent in fantastic filmmaking in the 'In My Skin' dialogues on October 4th. The organization thus consolidates its commitment to gender equality in the film industry.    

The following day, and through the SGAE's Territorial Council in Catalonia, the SGAE Foundation will announce the finalists of the 2024 SGAE Nova Autoria Awards, which are part of the film competition's official list of winners. Director and screenwriter Jaume Balagueró; director, screenwriter and actress Aina Clotet, and film and television composer Francesc Gener, are the members of the jury that will decide on the winners for best directing/production, best screenplay and best original music for audiovisual works presented by students from universities and film schools around Catalonia. 

Support for the 57th Edition

This year the Festival's screenings will be at the following venues in the official circuit: Meliá Sitges Auditorium, Tramuntana Room, Llevant Room (Brigadoon), Sitges Casino Prado movie theater, Escorxador - Cultural Center and Miramar Cultural Center

Once again this year, the Festival is grateful for the commitment of all the cooperating institutions and companies: Moritz (main sponsor), Cupra (automotive partner), Repsol (multi-energy partner), CaixaBank (strategic partner), TV3, Catalunya Ràdio and 3CAT (official TV network and radio station), La Vanguardia (official newspaper), and Meliá Sitges (sponsor and official headquarters).

The Festival confirms its agreements with AMC- Dark TV, Aullidos, China Madrid, Cinemes Verdi, Cinesa, CineyTele, Cinemascomics, Cobega-Coca Cola European Partners, Creu Roja, El Cinèfil, Dama Autores, Droom, Embotits Bundó, ESCAC, Factorial, FNAC, Fotogramas, Fundació Japó, FX Animation, Grup Flaix FM, Grup Iguana, Grupo Main, Hong Kong Trade Office Brussels, Iberia, IES Joan Ramon Benaprès Escola Hostaleria, Montaz Media, Nació Digital, Ocimag, Patates Piqué, Port d’Aiguadolç, Prime, Reial Cercle Artístic, Renfe, Sensacine, SGAE and SGAE Foundation, Terrorweekend, Tik Tok, Transperfect Translations S.L. The Original Cha-Chá, Tresc and Vertix.

Sitges 2024 is organized thanks to the participation of the Sitges Town Hall, the Catalonian Generalitat’s Department of Culture’s Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises), the Casino Prado de Sitges and Escorxador – Centre Cultural theaters and receives financing from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports’ Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts), the Barcelona Diputació (City Council), and the Carnet Jove - Departament de Benestar i Família (Department of Welfare and Family).