The 18th Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (SEFFF) wrapped on 5 October following ten days of screenings and events across the French city, after having kicked off on 26 September. This year’s edition showcased 130 genre flicks from around the world, along with video games, VR works and special screenings in unusual venues, and also welcomed Alexandre Aja as Guest of Honour. 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 Good Boy by US director Ben Leonberg. The jury – composed of Alexandre Aja; Judith Berlanda-Beauvallet, a YouTuber and member of the Écran Large editorial team; and Jean-Yves Roubin, producer and founder of Frakas Productions – also gave a Special Mention to New Group by Japanese filmmaker Yûta Shimotsu. The Audience Award was handed to The Holy Boy by Italian director Paolo Strippoli, which also triumphed with the Silver Méliès for Best European Fantastic Film, decided on by a separate jury – featuring director Stéphan Castang; graphic designer, animator and comic-strip artist Gilles Vranckx; and film journalist, author and actor Marine Bohin.

The Crossovers Grand Prix was awarded to Luger by Spaniard Bruno Martín, while Gabriele Mainetti’s The Forbidden City [+lee también:
crítica
ficha de la película] scooped a Special Mention. The jury in this section consisted of Stéphane Moïssakis, Élise Girard and Florent-Emilio Siri.

In the International Animated Film Competition, the Golden Stork for Best Animated Film went to Arco [+lee también:
crítica
entrevista: Ugo Bienvenu
ficha de la película] by French director Ugo Bienvenu. The jury – made up of Marc Jousset, producer and founder of Je Suis Bien Content studio; journalist Perrine Quennesson; and Anne-Gaëlle Jourdain, an author, director and actor – gave a Special Mention to Heart of Darkness by Brazilian helmer Rogério Nunes.

The short-film awards saw Gynoid by Spain’s Celia Galán win the Golden Octopus for Best International Short Film. Même la lune saignera by Stef Meyer and Rémy Barbe picked up the Prize for Best Short Film Made in France, while Guillaume Rieu’s Don Quichotte contre les Forces du Mal received the Student Jury Prize. Nervous Ellie by Brit David Yorke was crowned with the Silver Méliès for Best European Short Film, Double or Nothing by Swiss-Turkish filmmaker Tokay Sirin earned Best Animated Short, and the Short Film Audience Award went to The Leader Will Come by Belgium’s Michiel Geluykens and Manuel Janssens.

The full list of award winners at the 18th Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival is as follows:

International Fantastic Film Competition

Golden Octopus for Best International Feature Film
Good Boy – Ben Leonberg (USA)

Special Jury Mention
New Group – Yûta Shimotsu (Japan)

Audience Award
The Holy Boy – Paolo Strippoli (Italy/Slovenia)

Silver Méliès for Best European Fantastic Film
The Holy Boy – Paolo Strippoli

International Crossovers Competition

Crossovers Grand Prix
Luger – Bruno Martín (Spain)

Special Jury Mention
The Forbidden City [+lee también:
crítica
ficha de la película] – Gabriele Mainetti (Italy)

International Animated Film Competition

Golden Stork for Best Animated Film
Arco [+lee también:
crítica
entrevista: Ugo Bienvenu
ficha de la película] – Ugo Bienvenu (France)

Special Jury Mention
Heart of Darkness – Rogério Nunes (Brazil/France)

Short Films

Golden Octopus for Best International Short Film
Gynoid – Celia Galán (Spain)

Best Short Film Made in France
Même la lune saignera – Stef Meyer, Rémy Barbe (France/Belgium)

Student Jury Prize for Best Short Film
Don Quichotte contre les Forces du Mal – Guillaume Rieu (France)

Silver Méliès for Best European Short Film
Nervous Ellie – David Yorke (UK)

Best Animated Short Film
Double or Nothing – Tokay Sirin (Switzerland)

Short Film Audience Award
The Leader Will Come – Michiel Geluykens, Manuel Janssens (Belgium)