The Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival crowns No Rest for the Wicked with the Golden Octopus
- Kasper Kalle's film has scooped the top award at the 19th edition of the French genre festival; other European flicks such as The End of It and Good Boy were also rewarded
The 19th Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (SEFFF) wrapped on 4 October, following ten days of screenings and events across the French city, after having kicked off on 25 September. This year’s edition brought together genre productions from around the world across its various competitions and special sections, alongside a retrospective dedicated to artificial intelligence and the fourth edition of the Eurogenre professional meetings. During the closing ceremony, the festival’s juries announced the award winners across the international competitions.
In the International Fantastic Film Competition, the Golden Octopus for Best International Feature Film went to No Rest for the Wicked by Danish director Kasper Kalle. The jury – composed of cinematographer Kevin McTurk, composer Simon Boswell, and director and production designer Laurie Colson – also gave a Special Mention to Imposters by US filmmaker Caleb J Phillips. The Audience Award was handed to 5 More Minutes by Spanish helmer Javier Ruiz Caldera.
The Silver Méliès for Best European Fantastic Film went to The End of It by debuting British-Spanish filmmaker Maria Martínez Bayona. The award was decided by a separate jury featuring writer-director Aurélia Mengin, director and producer Gilles Penso, and producer Enrique López Lavigne.
The Crossovers Grand Prix was awarded to Good Boy by Polish filmmaker Jan Komasa, while Roma Elastica by French director Bertrand Mandico scooped a Special Mention. The jury in this section consisted of distributor Coline Crance Philouze, sales agent Charles Bin, and screenwriter and Cineuropa editor-in-chief Domenico La Porta.
In the International Animated Film Competition, the Golden Stork for Best Animated Film went to Nobody by Chinese director Shui Yu. The jury – made up of animator and editor Jérémie Hoarau, animator Anaïs Chevillard, and designer and art director Aleksi Briclot – gave a Special Mention to Company Sports Day by South Korean filmmaker Lee Yong-seon.
The short-film awards saw The Old Lady and the Eternity by Spaniard Marc Martínez Jordán win the Golden Octopus for Best International Short Film. The same title also picked up the Silver Méliès for Best European Short Film and the Short Film Audience Award. Fiction by Ambroise Rateau received the Award for Best Short Film Made in France, while Kosmogonia by Karolina Chabier earned both the Best Animated Short Film gong and the Student Jury Prize.
The Eurogenre prize, awarded in partnership with the BIF Market, went to Trails by Danish filmmaker Mads Erichsen.
The full list of award winners at the 19th Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival is as follows:
International Fantastic Film Competition
Golden Octopus for Best International Feature Film
No Rest for the Wicked – Kasper Kalle (Denmark/Faroe Islands/Iceland)
Special Jury Mention
Imposters – Caleb J Phillips (USA)
Audience Award
5 More Minutes – Javier Ruiz Caldera (Spain)
Silver Méliès for Best European Fantastic Film
The End of It – Maria Martínez Bayona (UK/Spain/Norway)
International Crossovers Competition
Crossovers Grand Prix
Good Boy – Jan Komasa (Poland/UK)
Special Jury Mention
Roma Elastica – Bertrand Mandico (France/Italy)
International Animated Film Competition
Golden Stork for Best Animated Film
Nobody – Shui Yu (China)
Special Jury Mention
Company Sports Day – Lee Yong-seon (South Korea)
Eurogenre
Eurogenre Prize in partnership with the BIF Market
Trails – Mads Erichsen (Denmark)
Short Films
Golden Octopus for Best International Short Film
The Old Lady and the Eternity – Marc Martínez Jordán (Spain)
Silver Méliès for Best European Short Film
The Old Lady and the Eternity – Marc Martínez Jordán
Best Short Film Made in France
Fiction – Ambroise Rateau (France)
Best Animated Short Film
Kosmogonia – Karolina Chabier (Slovenia)
Student Jury Prize for Best Short Film
Kosmogonia – Karolina Chabier
Short Film Audience Award
The Old Lady and the Eternity – Marc Martínez Jordán
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