We Complete the 2025 line-up: Guillermo del Toro, Yorgos Lanthimos, Park Chan-wook, Carmen Maura, and Other Big Names in Contemporary Fantastic Genre

Barcelona, September 10, 2025. At a press conference held at CASA SEAT Barcelona, Àngel Sala, Artistic Director of the Festival, and Mònica Garcia i Massagué, General Director of the SITGES Foundation – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, respectively, presented the latest developments regarding the 58th edition of the world's benchmark genre movie competition. A whole series of announcements were made, including the titles of some of the season's most eagerly awaited films and the attendance of key celebrities from both the domestic and international scenes. 

This Festival is also a space for honoring those figures who have left their mark on genre filmmaking in recent decades. The Grand Honorary Award is the accolade that the Festival bestows on key personalities in the fantastic film world in particular and in universal cinema in general. This year, there will be four Honorary Awards (including the one we already announced that will be for Peter Chan). The second of them will go to Carmen Maura, who is receiving the award for her unparalleled career. A muse in both Spanish and European cinema, she has worked with directors including Pedro Almodóvar, Álex de la Iglesia, and Carlos Saura. Her performances in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Common Wealth are now part of the collective imaginary. Maura has masterfully combined comedy and drama with an exceptional talent, establishing herself as an essential icon in contemporary cinema. 

The last two Grand Honorary Awards go to the godfathers of this year's leitmotif,  true masters of the dialogue between humor and fantastic genre. Terry Gilliam, member of Monty Python and director of classics including Brazil and 12 Monkeys, receives the award for his extraordinary contribution to auteur and genre filmmaking. His unique visual universe, equally surreal and provocative, has left its mark on generations of viewers and filmmakers. Gilliam combines imagination, satire, and social criticism in films that continue to fascinate and challenge the boundaries of the seventh art. Meanwhile, Joe Dante will be honored as a master of fantastic and horror movies. Films such as The 'Burbs or rascally monster movies like Gremlins or The Howling masterfully blend humor, horror, and social commentary. Dante has inspired many contemporary filmmakers and continues to be an international benchmark in genre, capable of surprising and entertaining audiences of all ages. 

Ben Wheatley, Benedict Cumberbatch, William Fichtner and Enzo G. Castellari Will Travel Aboard Our Time Machine 

The shower of accolades doesn't end with the Grand Honorary Awards.  In addition to the previously announced Time Machine Award for Sean S. Cunningham, today we revealed four other names. Benedict Cumberbatch, one of the most widely recognized faces in film today, will be the recipient of the award in the form of a ship traveling back in time. The British actor's roles as Dr. Strange in the Marvel universe, the imperial Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness, or the iconic detective Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock are unforgettable. Cumberbatch navigates genres and formats with ease and magnetism, confirming his status as one of the essential figures in contemporary cinema. Another iconic actor who will be receiving the Time Machine award is William Fichtner, an unmistakable face in both film and television. His versatility in productions such as Armageddon, Wrong, or Prison Break has allowed him to bring memorable villains and unsettling, nuanced characters to life, cementing his status as one of the most beloved supporting actors in contemporary Hollywood. William Fichtner will be in Sitges for the European premiere of Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order, which will also be attended by Executive Producer Mark Johnson. This original AMC Networks series, which adapts the unique universe of American writer Anne Rice, follows the footsteps of a secret society dedicated to tracking down all kinds of identities that are part of our supernatural imaginary. 

This award will also go to two renowned European film directors. Italian filmmaker Enzo G. Castellari, a key figure in Spaghetti Westerns and Macaroni Combat, will be honored with another Time Machine Award for a career marked by action and formal inventiveness. The man behind cult classics like Keoma, The Inglorious Bastards, and The Last Shark, Castellari has known how to combine popular epic storytelling with an unmistakable style that has influenced subsequent generations. And last but certainly not least, Ben Wheatley will be receiving this accolade for his bold and innovative filmmaking. British director behind Kill List, High-Rise, and A Field in England, he combines thriller, horror, and social satire in a truly unique way. Wheatley constantly challenges narrative conventions and has firmly positioned himself as one of the most exciting filmmakers on the current scene. His powerful and daring visual style captivates audiences from the very first frame. 

WomanInFan Awards: Promoting the Female Gaze in Fantastic Genre 

Joining the Grand Honorary Awards and the Time Machine Awards are the WomanInFan Awards, which highlight women who have taken genre filmmaking to new frontiers.  And so, we are delighted that Gale Anne Hurd, acclaimed producer behind classics including The Terminator and The Walking Dead, will receive a very special award: the WomanInFan Grand Honorary Award. Likewise, two new award winners have also been added: Director and screenwriter Mary Harron, creator of emblematic films such as American Psycho or I Shot Andy Warhol, will be receiving the WomanInFan Award in tribute to a career that has challenged conventions and left a unique mark on contemporary film. Her incisive gaze and her ability to portray complex and disturbing characters have made her an essential voice. Meanwhile, Nancy Loomis, an actress who has become an icon of the horror and fantastic genres, will also be honored. Her performances in The Fog, Halloween, and Assault on Precinct 13 have made her an absolute genre benchmark. Loomis conveys both vulnerability and strength, inspiring new generations of actresses and filmmakers and rising up as a symbol of female empowerment in fantastic genre. 

We Now Officially Have Our Closing Film: The Long March Will Culminate a Dreamy Edition Through the Most Ruthless Survival Genre 

There's no better way to bring a genre film festival to a close than by celebrating horror through the most dystopian future. The 58th edition's grand closing film is a true statement of intent. We're talking about The Long Walk, a pure survival thriller adapted from Stephen King's novel of the same name, which follows the harrowing experience of a group of teenagers competing in the most brutal of contests. The goal is to walk tirelessly down the roads of a desolate America. If they stop or slow down, they are executed by a paramilitary group led by a relentless Mark Hamill, reminiscent of Takeshi Kitano in Battle Royale. It's no coincidence that the director of this year's closing film is Francis Lawrence, the man behind the most recent installments of The Hunger Games franchise, where young people also compete to save their own skins in extreme situations. As for the cast of The Long Walk, it features a lineup of promising contemporary Hollywood stars including Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, and Ben Wang. 

The Official Fantastic In-Competition Selection: The Cutting Edge in Genre Films 

At our first press conference in July, we already announced a great deal of the films that will make up this year's Official Selection: The Ugly Stepsister, Silencio, The Life of Chuck, The Virgin of the Quarry Lake, A Useful Ghost, Decorado, Exit 8, Gaua, Good Boy, New Group, Mother's Baby, The Home, The Thing with Feathers, Redux Redux, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, and Eye for an Eye. 

To all of these we add a good number of the most outstanding genre films that can be seen in 2025. We begin with the latest creations from some of the most influential directors on the current scene. Park Chan-wook returns to the Official Selection (he already knows what it was like to win it with the legendary Old Boy) with his eagerly awaited latest release: No Other Choice. Following its run at the Venice Film Festival, this brilliant satire on capitalism, a quirky and crushing black comedy by one of today's greatest and most elegant filmmakers, arrives in Sitges. Another of the major benchmarks landing in Sitges with his eagerly awaited latest film is Radu Jude, who will bring us his particular version of Dracula. A deconstruction of the myth in times of overuse of artificial intelligence, through dozens of stories: absurd, over-the-top, political, playful, mischievous... We will also enjoy the presence of Ben Wheatley with Bulk, a science fiction thriller where the British director returns to his roots with one of his most experimental and lighthearted films to date. 

In addition to the Spanish films that we already announced, there will be two more domestic genre films that promise to give us plenty to talk about. San Sebastian-born Ion de Sosa, who impressed Sitges' audience in 2023 with his medium-length film Mamántula, will present his latest feature film: Balearic. The film takes place on the eve of Saint John's Day, when a group of young people sneak into the swimming pool of a luxurious house and are attacked by three ferocious dogs. Meanwhile, the neighbors are gathered together at a party in a nearby villa to celebrate the beginning of summer. Added to it is Singular, the second feature film by Alberto Gastesi, which uses the codes of the science fiction thriller genre to reflect on a very current issue: the role of AI and whether we as human beings have become replaceable. 

Latin American film, which chalked up a major triumph in 2023 with the unforgettable When Evil Lurks, arrives to the Official Selection with a strong presence, featuring two productions that are sure to make tongues wag. This year, precisely the same producers of the winning film from two years ago, directed by Demián Rugna, will be bringing us The Whisper, by Uruguayan director Gustavo Hernández Ibáñez. It’s a daring blend of suspense, psychological intrigue, and vampiric fantasy with influences from the world of comics. Added to this production is The Evil That Binds Us by Chilean director Nicolás Postiglione, a meticulous thriller that immerses viewers in a journey into the inner workings of a peculiar and unsettling European family that has set up home in a South American country. 

We continue our look at the films in the Official Selection with a subgenre that simply cannot go missing in Sitges: zombie movies. We Bury the Dead by Zak Hilditch has managed to find fresh blood for this genre that is so common in horror movies, leaving us with some of the most spectacular images of the year and an unforgettable performance by Daisy Ridley in the lead role. Meanwhile, Michael Shanks's phenomenon Together uses body horror to reflect on the toxic relationship of a couple who discover that their bodies are literally merging, perhaps as a symbol of their extreme codependence. On the other hand, Death of a Unicorn, by Alex Scharfman, is reminiscent of monster movies from the 70s and 80s, with brutal murders, dark humor, and a backdrop of social commentary, offering a darkly entertaining take on a fantastic creature rarely explored in contemporary film. Opus, by Mark Anthony Green, another A24 production, also plays in the terrain of comedy (and horror) to speak to us about pop icon culture with memorable performances by Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich. 

Also in the Official Selection, we can find top-level proposals of a very diverse nature. One of the most eagerly awaited action films of the year, which is sure to thrill audiences at the Auditori, is The Furious, directed by Kenji Tanigaki, one of the greatest action choreographers and stunt coordinators in recent decades, and the man behind the unforgettable scenes in SPL: Kill Zone, Flash Point, and Raging Fire. The film brings together a star-studded cast that includes key names in choreographed and acrobatic violence including Joe Taslim, Mo Tse, and Jeeja Yanin. Meanwhile, Honey Bunch also finds its roots in the thriller genre, although it plays on a totally different field. The film by by Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli introduces us to Diana, a woman suffering from amnesia who undergoes a mysterious treatment that transforms her in a very disturbing way. In the case of Reflection in a Dead Diamond, internationally acclaimed Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani take the action thriller as a starting point for a metatextual reflection that pays homage to spy films and Giallo. 

In addition to all these films, there are new and surprising productions that reinforce the diversity of styles and approaches that characterize the Festival: Her Will Be Done, by Julia Kowalski, offers us feminist folk horror that combines social realism with disturbing mysticism in a hypnotic blend of documentary and fantasy; Obsession, by Curry Barker, reinvents the classic “careful what you wish for” with a caustic tone and masterful control of macabre humor and suspense; The Plague, by Charlie Polinger, reveals a disturbing portrait of adolescence at a sports camp where a shy boy is dragged into participating in a cruel game that seems to harbor a sinister truth; and Dog 51 (the closing film of the Venice Film Festival), by Cédric Jimenez, with a spectacular cast including Adèle Exarchopoulos, Gilles Lellouche, Louis Garrel, Romain Duris, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, transports us to a dystopian Paris in 2045 ruled by an artificial intelligence named ALMA. 

Sitges Collection: Big Names in Contemporary Film Out of Competition 

In the Sitges Collection section, we can find all those films that are not competing and have already caused a big splash at other major festivals. At this year’s edition, some of the most eagerly awaited films of 2025, made by the most outstanding names in contemporary filmmaking, will be screened here. Yorgos Lanthimos is undoubtedly one of the leading figures in current fantastic genre. Much of his intense filmography has been screened at the Auditori, from Dogtooth to Poor Things, and we mustn't forget The Killing of a Sacred Deer. That's why we are particularly excited to announce that Bugonia will be present this year, a remake of the Korean film Save the Green Planet! that disturbs, provokes, and delivers spectacular performances from its leading couple: Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons at their best. 

The same thing we've said about Lanthimos can also be said about Guillermo del Toro, a creator adored by fantastic genre fans with a marked B-movie spirit. Frankenstein, his much-awaited new film, will also be screened at the Festival. Nobody loves monsters like Del Toro, and he proves it once again with a moving and overwhelming new adaptation of the myth of the modern Prometheus that writer Mary Shelley turned into legend. With such a fruitful career in genre moviemaking, his unique adaptation of the monster reborn thanks to lightning couldn't be left out. To this end, he relies on a cast of young stars who are so magnetic on screen, including Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, and Jacob Elordi. Another unmistakable name for fantastic genre fans is that of Japanese genius Mamoru Hosoda, who has delivered some outstanding works throughout his career, such as The Boy and the Beast or Summer Wars. In Scarlet, we follow in the footsteps of a princess motivated by avenging her father's death. On her quest, she will explore a universe where time and space function differently than on Earth. 

Following in the wake of some of the big names in fantastic genre films that we will be able to enjoy in this section, Luc Besson will present his particular version of Dracula in  Dracula: A Love Tale. After his wife dies, a 15th-century prince renounces God and becomes a vampire. Centuries later, in 19th-century London, he discovers a woman who resembles his late wife, which will completely change his fate. This impeccably produced film revitalizes a story that has been approached so many times in fantastic genre film. On the other hand, Lucile Hadzihalilovic composes a beautiful and captivating fable in The Ice Tower that captivates with each of its precious frames and memorable performances by Marion Cotillard and Clara Pacini. 

Sequels will also have a big impact this year. We'll have the opportunity to enjoy one of the most eagerly awaited sequels in recent years: Black Phone 2 by Scott Derrickson. The Grabber wants revenge on Finn from beyond the grave and chooses his little sister, Gwen, as his new target. Together, they must face the now legendary killer, who has become even more powerful from the beyond. Another long-awaited sequel that we will have in Sitges Collection is none other than the second part of a big winner at the Festival: Sisu: Road to Revenge, by Jalmari Helander. The unbeatable warrior Aatami, the “man who refuses to die” played by the seasoned Jorma Tommila, is back in action as the great one army man who took down an entire Nazi army. The difference is that this time, the enemies aren’t the Wehrmacht soldiers, but instead he must take on the Red Army commander who killed his family. The film promises to be as brutally violent and outrageous as the first installment. To conclude this short section dedicated to sequels, we also announce the presence of V/H/S/Halloween, a new collection of horror stories revolving around the holiday in its title, featuring segments by directors including Bryan M. Ferguson, Casper Kelly, Micheline Pitt, R.H. Norman, Alex Ross Perry, Paco Plaza, and Anna Zlokovic. 

And we wrap up our look at the films in this section with Sons of the Neon Night by Juno Mak, a spectacular Hong Kong thriller with a stellar cast that includes Takeshi Kaneshiro, Louis Koo, and Tony Leung Ka-Fai; The Incredible Shrinking Man by Jan Kounen, a new adaptation of Richard Matheson's novel by the same name, starring Jean Dujardin. Added to all these films are the previously announced Arco and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, which will also be part of the Anima't section. In this last section, by the way, we can also announce the inclusion of Labyrinth by the legendary creator Shoji Kawamori, an exciting blend of science fiction, mystery, adventure, and psychological horror in which smartphones are revealed for what they probably are: a tool beyond our control.

Finally, we couldn't close this succulent collection of films without announcing that Sitges will also be screening the latest in American crime thrillers. We're referring to Night Patrol, the sinister chronicle of an L.A. cop who discovers that, behind a local task force located in the neighborhood where he grew up, lies a terrible danger that threatens his childhood neighborhood. Directed by American filmmaker Ryan Prows, creator of the gritty thriller Lowlife, with a cast that includes the legendary Justin Long. 

What's New in Òrbita: Discovering Sister Universes in Fantastic Genre 

We continue with a batch of new releases in the Òrbita section, reserved for those genres bordering on the fantastic, such as thrillers, martial arts, action, and adventure stories. This year's selection offers us some of the most brutal and unique films that can be seen this year. In July, we were already able to announce two of them: by Bruno Martín and by John Maclean. 

Over time, this section has gradually built a reputation as a meeting point for fans of Asian cinema, and this year is no exception. The most widely represented Asian country in 2025 is China, which continues to confirm its rise as one of the major powers in contemporary filmmaking. Veteran producer and director Peter Chan, one of our major guests this year, dons his true-crime eyeglasses to present She Has No Name, a melodrama masquerading as a thriller that takes us back to 1940s Shanghai, in the midst of the Japanese occupation, and is inspired by one of the most famous unsolved murder cases in Chinese history. Meanwhile, Trapped, by Sagara, ventures into the western territory, a genre rarely seen in Chinese cinema, to tell the story of a small town that is attacked by 44 heavily armed bandits, determined to reclaim money... and lives. Finally, Cesium Fallout, by Anthony Pun, explores a much more common genre, disaster movies, in a story starring Andy Lau about an apocalyptic situation that threatens an entire city when a fire that starts in a recycling plant triggers a radioactive crisis. We could easily call this the first major Chinese-produced disaster blockbuster. 

A name that we undoubtedly consider synonymous with the Sitges Film Festival is that of Takashi Miike, who returns this year with two films that will be screened in the Òrbita section. Blue Fight: The Breaking Down of Young Blue Warriors is the story of Ikuto and Ryoma, two young men who meet in a juvenile detention center and decide to sign up for Breaking Down, a brutal martial arts tournament. With some of the most memorable scenes from his extensive filmography, the film promises to delight fans of the Japanese master's cinema. Meanwhile, Sham is a crime thriller based on a book about a court case where a teacher was falsely accused of bullying a student to the point of suicide. It's a raw, furious, and dramatically highly effective piece. 

We continue (and conclude) our look at Asian cinema in this section with a country that always has a leading role: South Korea. This year, Òrbita will feature two very powerful offerings. Tristes Tropiques is the latest release from Park Hoon-jung, one of the great masters of Korean thrillers, director of films that include New World, Night in Paradise, and The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion. In his new project, we follow a group of young assassins who have been trained by the absolute ruler of the rainforest known as “Master.” As they struggle with the mistrust that brews among them, they vow to carry out a bloody revenge. The other eagerly awaited Korean film that will be shown in the section was one of the big sensations at the most recent Berlin Film Festival. Min Kyu-dong presents The Old Woman with the Knife, the story of Hornclaw, a legendary assassin in her sixties who, over the course of her life, has specialized in eliminating the “scum of society.” Her quiet life will change when she meets a talented young assassin, and he wants to learn from her. 

It's clear that Asian cinema dominates this section, but that doesn't mean we haven't included projects from other corners of the world that further reinforce the vibrant and diverse nature of Òrbita. Find Your Friends, by Izabel Pakzad, turns a trip with friends to Joshua Tree National Park (California) into a story of mounting tension and revenge marked by their rebellion against toxic masculinity. From Italy comes The Forbidden City, by Gabriele Mainetti, an action comedy where the young son of an indebted restaurant owner teams up with a foreign woman to take on Rome's most ruthless mafias. Meanwhile, No One Will Know, by Vincent Maël Cardona, begins in a bar on the outskirts of Paris where a million-dollar lottery ticket triggers a crime and a deadly pact between strangers, in a spiral of betrayal and blood that plunges them into ruin. Added to this line of high tension is Odyssey, by Gerard Johnson, a journey into the most sordid side of London with a protagonist who hides her addictions behind a facade of luxury and ends up immersed in a violent confrontation with the underworld. 

Crushed, by Simon Rumley, bursts onto the scene from Bangkok with a brutal story that opens with a disturbing video and culminates in the kidnapping of a girl, leading her family to grapple with despair, faith, and justice on their own terms. It's an intense and visceral thriller that explores the limits of suffering, redemption, and morality in an uncomfortable story that you won't easily forget. And finally, Latin American film will also be represented with Verano Trippin, by Morena Fernández Quinteros, a Patagonian coming-of-age story that combines the impulses of youth, danger, and vertigo in the face of the unknown in the form of an adventure that shatters the innocence of two inseparable friends. 

Short Films: In Horror and Fantasy... Sometimes Less Is More 

And now the turn goes to short format films! For us, short films have never been the little brother of feature films, but rather a language in themselves with some extremely stimulating offerings. Logically, we kick off with the opening short: Señuelo by Martha Ayerbe. Next, we highlight those short films that are part of the Official Fantàstic In-Competition Selection (SOFC): PIKA! by Alex Fischman Cárdenas, The Littles by Andrew Duplessie, Steak Dinner by Nathan Ginter, ANIMALIA by Marius Rolfsvåg, Fumigón by Dani Asensio, Tongue by Lim Da-seul, Filther by Simen Nyland, The Sleeping Beauty by Mattie Do, Las lágrimas de Sísifo by Luis Larrodera, AMIRA by Javier Yáñez, Prou bé by Anna Carbonell, Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting by Alex Thompson, Watch Me Burn by Sofia Spotti, All These Faces Are Starting To Look Bizarrely Familiar by Callum Moore, El Revisor by Jandro, Even The Moon Will Bleed by Stef Meyer and Rémy Barbe, Heirlooms by Dan Abramovici, Imaginary Friends by Biz Crummett, Jacques The Giant Slayer by Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, Last to Leave by Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Magai-Gami by Norihiro Niwatsukino, Magpie by Sylvia Gertrudis and Martyna Hoeks, Masks by Andre LeBlanc, Praying Mantis by Joe Hsieh and Yonfan, Terapias y Mazmorras by Adrián Pachón, The First Hour by Harrison Thomas, The Man That I Wave At by Ben S. Hyland, Väsen by Kristofer Kiggs Carlsson, You Are Here by Spencer Lackey, The Beneath by Lisette Vlassak, and 99 Fantasmas by Gonzalo Torrens. 

No less important are the short films presented in the Noves Visions – Petit Format section. Notable works include Blue Flowers by Joseph Pedi, Coyotes by Said Zagha, DHET! by Ummid Ashraf, Exhibit by Lars Bürmann, How To Drag A Body by Connor McNamara, Los Elegidos by Fercks Castellani, Monstruo Obscura by Seung Gi Hong, NoNameBlade by Xiang-Pu Zhu, The New Flesh by Luciana Malavasi, The Occupant of the Room by Kier-La Janisse, The Well Spouse by Michael Robert Kessler, and Water Disappearing Into Water by Jiaqi Yuan. 

We also mustn't forget the short stories created in Anima't territory. These are Amarelo Banana by Alexandre Sousa, Brown Morning by Carlo Vogele, DOUBLE OR NOTHING by Tokay, Dreamwalker by Luca Schenato and Sinem Vardarli, El aspirante by Sam, El Fantasma de la Quinta by James A. Castillo, FIRST LIGHT by Shunsuke Koyama, Las Botas de la Noche by Pierre-Luc Granjon, Les Bêtes by Michael Granberry, Lily by Kate Siegel, Lost Touch by Justine Klaiber, Luz Diabla by Gervasio Canda, Paula Boffo, and Patricio Plaza, Nkondi by Frederik Palmaers, Michael Palmaers, and Daniel Cattier, Panorama by Nicolaj Larsson, Petra y el Sol by Malu Furche and Stefania Malacchini, Signal by Emma Carré and Mathilde Parquet, Sisowath Quay by Stéphanie Lansaque and François Leroy, The Fling by Jemma Cotter, The Girl Who Cried Pearls by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, The Gnawer of Rocks by Louise Flaherty, The Synthetic Age by Dimitris Armenakis, Todos los futuros by Bárbara Cerro, and Wish You Were Ear by Mirjana Balogh. 

Finally, this long list of in-competition short films would not be complete without the well-known Special Screenings. Among them, we highlight Brick Boy by Scott Vasey, Chupacabras by Jordi Serrallonga, Death Red by Mitch Glass, Dissent by Sager Al Nuaimi, La morada del androide -a short film directed by the Residencia Relleu for people with functional diversity- and, as the latest additions, the section also includes No Time To Wrap by Zongjie Deng, Rough Cut by Mitchell Vincent Slan, Sewing Machine by Tyler Hagen, The Big Breakfast by Chris Hyde, The Saint Antoine by David Masson San Gabriel, and Wisteria by Ian Garrucho. 

CUPRA and Film: A Commitment That Inspires the World from Barcelona 

For the third consecutive year, CUPRA reaffirms its role as the Festival's Automotive Partner, consolidating its commitment to the film world and its mission to continue inspiring the rest of the world from Barcelona. This collaboration not only celebrates fantastic filmmaking, but also encourages new generations through The Dream Makers, an initiative of the SEAT CUPRA Foundation that encompasses two competitions: the Short Film Contest, which produces short films by young filmmakers, and the Film Studies Contest, which awards full scholarships for training in audiovisual and film studies at ESCAC. 

  This year, during the Festival's opening gala, the aforementioned short film Señuelo by Martha Ayerbe, one of the winners of the Short Film Contest, will be presented. Developed under the mentorship of J. A. Bayona, a key figure in the creative support of the project, the short film represents the emerging talent that the Foundation and CUPRA promote through The Dream Makers. This project not only reflects the vision of a new generation of filmmakers, but also reinforces CUPRA's commitment to film and artistic innovation. 

More Energy That's Even More Sustainable Through REPSOL 

For the second consecutive year, Repsol is Sitges' multi-energy partner. Among other measures and to help reduce the Festival's carbon footprint, it will supply 100% renewable fuels for the generators that will power the Festival's different venues and power the organization's vehicles, as well as electricity with guarantees of origin for the Festival's official fleet. The lighting will also be powered by solar energy. 

Cinema and Good Judgment Go Hand in Hand in the Carnet Jove Jury 

The Catalan Youth Agency's Carnet Jove card, in addition to offering discounts on Festival tickets and the now traditional Youth Pack, is collaborating with the Sitges - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia in organizing the 21st Sitges Carnet Jove Jury. This initiative aims to bring film closer to young audiences and promote the professionalization of film reviews, offering them the opportunity to participate as an official jury member as part of the Festival. 

Lucía Fabó Oses, from Reus, serving as President; Pepe Rico Piqué, from Lleida; Marc Negra Panadès, from Terrassa; Javier Méndez Cañada, from Masquefa; and Martina Rodríguez Correa, from Alella, will present the Jurat Carnet Jove Award for Best Feature Film in the Official Fantàstic Selection and the Sitges Documenta Award for the best documentary production. 

Belén Funes, Laia Aguilar, and Francesc Gener, Jury Members for the SGAE Nova Autoria Awards 2025 

Director and screenwriter Belén Funes, writer and screenwriter Laia Aguilar, and film and television composer Francesc Gener make up the jury for the 2025 SGAE Nova Autoria Awards, organized by the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (“General Society of Authors and Publishers,” or SGAE) and the SGAE Foundation, through the SGAE Territorial Council in Catalonia. 

On October 11, the Cine Prado movie theater in Sitges will host a screening of the best audiovisual works selected from universities and film schools around Catalonia. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SGAE Nova Autoria Awards, and 41 entries (29 fiction films, 7 animated films, and 5 documentaries) from 18 different institutions have been received. 

The SGAE Nova Autoria Awards, presented in the categories of Best Direction, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Music, form part of the official Sitges Film Festival awards and have consolidated their position as an essential platform for discovering new talent in the audiovisual sector. 

Support for the 58^th 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, Campari, China Madrid, Cinesa, Cines Verdi, Cobega-Coca Cola European Partners, Cruz Roja, Dama Autores, Droom, Embotits Bundó, ESCAC, FNAC, Fotogramas, Frit Ravich, Fundación Japón, FX Animation, HBO MAX, Grup Flaix FM, Grup Iguana, Grupo Prisa, Iberia, IES Joan Ramon Benaprès Escuela de Hostelería, Grupo Main, Montaz Media, Ocimag, Port d’Aiguadolç, Reial Cercle Artístic, Renfe, SGAE y Fundación SGAE, Salicrú, Sensacine, Transperfect Translations S.L., The Original Cha-Chá, Tik Tok, Tresc and Vertix. 

Sitges 2025 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 Sitges Casino Prado 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 Social Rights and Inclusion). 

List of Films 

Closing Film 

The Long Walk – Francis Lawrence (2025)  

Official Fantastic in-Competition  

Balearic – Ion de Sosa (2025)  

Bulk – Ben Wheatley (2025)  

Death of a Unicorn – Alex Scharfman (2025)  

Decorado – Alberto Vázquez (2025)  

Dog 51 – Cédric Jimenez (2025) 

Dracula – Radu Jude (2025)  

Exit 8 – Genki Kawamura (2025)  

Eye For An Eye – Colin Tilley (2025)  

Gaua – Paul Urkijo (2025)  

Good Boy – Ben Leonberg (2025)  

Her Will Be Done – Julia Kowalski (2025)  

Honey Bunch – Madeleine Sims-Fewer y Dusty Mancinelli (2025)  

Mother’s Baby – Johanna Moder (2025)  

New Group – Yuta Shimotsu (2025)  

No Other Choice – Park Chan-wook (2025)  

Obsession – Curry Barker (2025)  

Opus – Mark Anthony Green (2025)  

Redux Redux – Kevin McManus y Matthew McManus (2025)  

Reflection in a Dead Diamond – Hélène Cattet y Bruno Forzani (2025)  

Silencio – Eduardo Casanova (2025)  

Singular – Alberto Gastesi (2025)  

The Evil That Binds Us - Nicolás Postiglione (2025)  

The Furious – Kenji Tanigaki (2025)

The Plague – Charlie Polinger (2025) 

The Thing With Feathers – Dylan Southern (2025) 

The Ugly Stepsister – Emilie Blichfeldt (2025) 

The Virgin of the Quarry – Laura Casabé (2025) 

The Whisper – Gustavo Hernández Ibáñez (2025)  

Together – Michael Shanks (2025)  

We Bury the Dead – Zak Hilditch (2025)  

Sitges Collection  

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL – Kenichiro Akimoto (2025)  

Arco – Ugo Bienvenu (2025)  

Black Phone 2 – Scott Derrickson (2025)  

Bugonia – Yorgos Lanthimos (2025)  

Dracula: A Love Tale – Luc Besson (2025)  

Frankenstein – Guillermo del Toro (2025)  

Night Patrol – Ryan Prows (2025)  

Scarlet – Mamoru Hosoda (2025)  

Sisu: Road to Revenge – Jalmari Helander (2025)  

Sons of the Neon Night – Juno Mak (2025)  

The Home – James DeMonaco (2025)  

The Ice Tower – Lucile Hadžihalilović (2025)

V/H/S/Halloween – Various directors (2025)  

Vieja loca - Martín Mauregui (2025)  

Òrbita  

Blazing Fists – Takashi Miike (2025)  

Cesium Fallout – Anthony Pun (2025)  

Crushed – Simon Rumley (2025)  

Find Your Friends – Izabel Pakzad (2025)  

Luger – Bruno Martín (2025)  

No One Will Know – Vincent Maël Cardona (2025)  

Odyssey – Gerard Johnson (2025)  

Sham – Takashi Miike (2025)  

She Has No Name – Peter Chan (2025)  

The Forbidden City – Gabriele Mainetti (2025)  

The Old Woman with the Knife – Min Kyu-dong (2025)  

Tornado – John Maclean (2025)  

Trapped – Sagara (2025)  

Tristes Tropiques – Park Hoon-jung (2025)  

Verano Trippin – Morena Fernández Quinteros (2025)  

Anima't

Serial Sitges  

Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order – John Lee Hancock, Mark Lafferty (2025)  

Short Films 

Opening Short Film: Señuelo - Martha Ayerbe (2025) 

Official Fantastic In-Competition