Sitges is a Spanish town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, renowned worldwide for its Film Festival and Carnival. Located between the Garraf Massif and the sea, it is known for its beaches, nightspots, and historical sites.
It is also know as having the world’s number one fantasy film festival.
SITGES International Film Festival of Catalonia is the number one fantasy film festival in the world and represents, at the same time, the cultural expression with the most media impact in Catalonia. With a solid experience, the Sitges Festival is a stimulating universe of encounters, exhibitions, presentations and screenings of fantasy films from all over the world.
Awards
Maria
A prestigious international jury from the Official Fantàstic Selection presents:
Award for best motion picture
Award for best director
Award for best actor
Award for best actress
Award for best screenplay
Award for best cinematography
Award for best original score
Award for best special effects
Award for best short film
Award for best makeup effects
Award for best production design
Noves Visions Seat Award
Other awards given, in addition, are the Noves Visions award, the award for best newcomer director, the Carnet Jove Jury award for best motion picture from the Official Fantàstic Selection and also for best motion picture from the Midnight X-Treme section.
Grand Honorary Award – Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia
Presented to big stars from the movie world for their professional career.
Màquina del Temps
Awarded to significant figures from the fantasy film world in recognition of their career as a whole.
Gran Premi del Públic (Grand Audience Award)
Given by popular vote among the Festival’s spectators to the best motion picture from the Official Selection.
Gertie
Best animated short and feature film.
Paul Naschy Brigadoon Award
Best fantasy short film from this section.
In addition, the Brigadoon section awards the NOSFERATU statuette to a representative figure from the fantasy scene for his or her professional career.
Nova Autoria
Best direction of Nova Autoria Section, best script and best original musical composition.
José Luis Guarner
Best motion picture as chosen by the critics.
Orient Express – Casa Asia
Best Asian production motion picture.
Méliès d’Or
The Méliès d’Or is the “Grand Award for Best European Motion Picture from the Fantasy Genre” and is presented by the European Federation of Fantasy Film Festivals (E.F.F.F.F) each year. The award’s aim is to draw the attention of distributors and producers to European movies from the fantasy genre in order to promote their distribution in Europe and the rest of the world, in addition to stimulating fantasy film production in general.
The award is given in two stages:
MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT ® Award for Best European Motion Picture from the Fantasy Genre. At each of the E.F.F.F.F.’s member Festivals, a jury of national movie professionals awards a Méliès d’Argent ® to a European film from the program. Each festival is free to select the movies to compete. However, this selection must meet the criteria established by the Federation.
The criteria for a film to be considered European are:
*If the director is not European, the production must be entirely European (in no case will a co-production with a non-European country be accepted, regardless of how minor it is
*If the director is European, a co-production with a non-European country is acceptable (1 or 2
European countries and 1 non-European country.
*The term “European” is understood in a broad sense, meaning geographical Europe.
*The same film may be selected at various E.F.F.F.F festivals. However, a film receiving an award at one of the festivals is automatically excluded from competition at the other member festivals (a film can only be awarded one Méliès d’Argent ®).
MÉLIÈS D’OR ®. Grand Award for Best European Motion Picture from the Fantasy Genre.
Each year, an international jury made up of professionals from the movie world, assembles to present the MÉLIÈS D’OR ® award. Competing for this award are this year’s different MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT ® award-winning films. The meeting takes place in one of the member festival’s host cities which is chosen by rotation. The deliberation is combined with a public presentation gala, promoted by all the participants in the award-winning films. Representatives of each film (directors, actors, producers, etc.) are invited to this presentation. The gala concludes with the official presentation of the MÉLIÈS D’OR ® award, following an agenda to be determined by the hosting festival. The results of the deliberation and the title of the award-winning film are released to the media of the different countries involved. The objective is to obtain the widest coverage possible of the results. In the following year’s program, each member of the Federation will include at least one of the award-winning films that has not been presented in its competition, preferably the winner of the MÉLIÈS D’OR ® award. The Federation then promotes the award-winning films throughout the entire year following the winning of the prizes (leaflets, catalog, etc…).
This year Sitges Festival is being held October 4th to 14th
