18/10/2010

European fantasy films once again showed their enormous talent and versatility at the recently-closed 43rd Sitges Festival, where they won the main prizes, despite the presence of major Asian and American titles.

Jalmari Helander’s Finnish film Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jalmari Helander
film profile] was the event’s major winner with three accolades (Best Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography, see news). Meanwhile, the Grand Jury Prize went to Dennis Gansel’s German production We Are the Night, a surprising tale centred on four female vampires who love luxury and Berlin nightlife.

Moreover, UK director Gareth Edwards picked up Best Special Effects (a particularly impressive achievement at an event specialised in fantasy films) for Monster; while Seppuku Paradigm and Alex & Willie Cortes won Best Soundtrack for French film Red Nights.

Once again this year, the Catalonian event enjoyed great success among audiences (3% more visitors than last year, despite the inclement weather conditions). “Cinema is a collective entertainment, and festivals don’t forget this fact, or that we’re there to educate viewers’ gaze", explained festival director Ángel Sala, who didn’t hesitate in describing the event as “the best of its kind in the world”.

(Translated from Spanish)