The 18th Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (26 September-5 October) is ready to unspool, showcasing 130 genre films from around the world, with a blend of brand-new productions, restored treasures and interactive experiences. Screenings will take place across five Strasbourg cinemas, and audiences can also expect video games, VR works and screenings in unusual venues through the Connexions programme. The festival will open with The Incredible Shrinking Man by Jan Kounen, while Bugonia [+leggi anche:
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In the International Fantastic Film Competition, highlights among the 12 selected titles include Honey Bunch by Canadian duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, a gothic psychological tale that premiered at the Berlinale; New Group by Japanese director Yûta Shimotsu; Her Will Be Done [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Julia Kowalski
scheda film] by Julia Kowalski, which explores lesbian desire and witchcraft in rural France; the Spanish horror flick Disforia by Christopher Cartagena (see the news); the Sundance-premiered Rabbit Trap [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Mattias J. Skoglund
scheda film] by Mattias Johansson Skoglund; The Holy Boy by Paolo Strippoli; and The Surrender by Julia Max, an esoteric portrait of grief within a mother-daughter relationship.

In the International Crossovers Competition, dedicated to hybrid genre works, a total of ten films will be screened. It features The Forbidden City [+leggi anche:
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Eight films are participating in the International Animated Film Competition. The Latvian feature Dog of God [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Félix Dufour-Laperrière
scheda film] by Félix Dufour-Laperrière tackles political radicalism; Arco by Ugo Bienvenu won the Crystal for a Feature Film at Annecy; and Momoko Seto’s Dandelion's Odyssey [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Momoko Seto
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This year’s Guest of Honour is acclaimed French filmmaker Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes), who will receive an honorary award at the opening ceremony on 26 September. A retrospective of his work will be presented, alongside a master class on 28 September and a personal carte blanche screening. Aja will also serve on the jury of the International Fantastic Film Competition, which will present the Golden Octopus at the closing ceremony on 4 October.

Running parallel to the festival, the third Eurogenre professional meetings (29 September-1 October) will host nine feature-film projects at various stages of development, to be pitched by their creative teams on 30 September. Short-film projects supported by the Strasbourg Eurometropolis Concept Grant and titles backed by the Grand Est Region will also be showcased on 1 October, underlining the festival’s commitment to nurturing new talent.

Here are the selected feature-length projects at the third Eurogenre:

Clandestins - Olivier Afonso (France)

Cracks - Elisa Puerto Aubel (France/Spain)
Producers: Coralie Dias (Inter Spinas Films), El Gatoverde Producciones

1999 - David Casademunt (Spain)
Producers: Marta Ramírez (Coming Soon Films), Beatriz Campos (Anonymous Content España)

Intrusions - Matthieu Corno (France)
Producers: Louis Lapeyronnie, Caroline Moreau (Jabu-Jabu)

Short Stories About Love and Space - Anca Damian (Romania/France)
Producers: Anca Damian (Aparte Film), Ruxandra Serban (Dream Vessel Films)

An Mil - Romain Daudet-Jahan (France)

Asphalt - Minos Nikolakakis (Greece)
Producers: Vassilis Economou, Minos Nikolakis (ASPHALT)

Solstice - Jérémie Sein (France)
Producer: Damien Lagogué (Les Produits Frais)

Le Point Phone - Jean-François Virot Daub (France)