Press File BIFFF 2015

Home , 1st Magritte Awards, Beast Stalker, Burying the Ex, Carolina Bang, I Am Legend (novel), Janice Man

MENU 2015

POPCORN TIME

Editorial.………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………… 3

TRAILER

1) Openings.……………………………………………………………………………………………………….………… 4 2) Closings…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………….5 3) Knights of the Order of the Raven…………………………………………….……………………………….6 4) BIFFF Première………………………………………………………………………….……………………………… 8 5) First Feature Section………………………………………………………………………………………………..10 6) BIFFF Junior Section……………………………………………………………….………………………….…….17 7) Midnight X-tremes Section…………………………………………………….………………………….…… 19 8) Fantastic Night.………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23 9) Thriller Competition.……………………………..………………………………………………….……………24 10) Thriller Jury…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….30 11) 7th Orbit Competition.…………………………………………………………………………………………….31 12) 7th Orbit Jury…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..36 13) European Competition…….……………………………………………………………………………………..38 14) Méliès Jury……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..43 15) International Competition.……………………………………………………………………………………..45 16) Out of Competition……..…………………………………………………………………………………………..52 17) Belgian Film Day……………………….……………………………………………………………………………..71 • Tax Shelter Conference ………………………………………………………………………….71 • Short Films……………………………………………………………………………………………..73 • Press Jury………….………………….………………………………………………………………..80 18) Guests……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………81

1 FILM SCREENING

1) EGFM European Genre Film Market….…………………………………………………………………….92 2) Frontières..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………93 3) Cosplay……………………………………..………………………………………………………………………….…98 4) Focus Argentina…………………………………………………………………..………………………………….99 5) Blood Window……………………………………………………………………………………………….………100 6) Hong Kong is Back! ………………………………………………………………………………….……………101 7) Rétro Kung Fu. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………102 8) I’m a Seoul man……………………………………………………..……………………………………………..103 9) Children’s Matinee..………………………………………………………….…………………………………..104 10) Gaming Madness Days..…………………………………………………………………………………………105 11) Masterclass……………………………………………………………………………………………………………108 12) Vampire’s Ball. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………111 13) Body Painting Contest……………………………………………………………………………………………112 14) Make-up Contest……………………………………………………………………………………………………114 15) Zombifff Day & Night……………..………………………………………………………………………………116 16) Behind the Scenes……………….…………………………………………………………………………………120 17) ARTBIFFF Exhibition…………………………………….…………………………………………………………121 18) Script Writing Contest……………………………………………………………………………………………123 19) Animations…………………………………………………………………………………………………….………124 20) Comic-strip Stand……………………………………….…………………………………………………….……127 21) Euromillion Contest……………………………………………………………………………………………….129

CREDITS

1) Practical Information………………..……………………………………………………………………………130 2) Access.……………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………132 3) Parking…………………………………………..……………………………………………………………….....…133 4) Thanks……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………134 5) Sponsors……………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………137

2 EDITORIAL

It’s not really a secret. Fantastic film has evolved enormously in the last 30 years. And the film industry itself, faced with new technologies and the omnipresence of the internet, must now work in a market where instant consumption has become the standard. Movie distribution has become a high risk affair, having to adapt to V.O.D. and dealing with a pervasive illegal download culture. In such a context, it becomes very difficult to make ends meet. One solution to stay competitive in this challenging global industry is to internationalize the markets. This is why the BIFFF is organizing the second edition of its International Coproduction market FRONTIERES but also (and this is a big novelty) the very first European Genre Film Market! When this initiative was announced in 2014, it immediately arose the interest of the Hollywood Reporter. In the long term, the EGFM has the potential to transform Brussels into a center of genre cinema!

Now, if you’re thinking that, with all these initiatives, lady BIFFF is going through a midlife crisis and wants to distance herself from its world renowned label of unique craziness… well, you couldn’t be more wrong. The festival, above anything else, remains a true film feast carried by an extraordinary audience. In 2015 more than one hundred films will be screened, coming from such lesser known movie countries such as Vietnam, Russia, Venezuela and Egypt. We have long features with poignant, contemporary themes (the cacophony of the gods in Words with Gods, human trafficking in Another Frontier, Haemoo, Ice Forest…), there’s our focus on Argentina (and especially on the Blood Window Market), we have a whole load of Asian genre gems that could nly have come from there. s tradition demands, there are the latest movies from the UnBifffables. Whether it’s Hideo Nakata, Santiago Segura, Jalmari Helander (Audience Award 2011 with Rare Exports), Alex de la Iglesia, Bernard Rose, Nacho Vigalondo, Yoshihiro Nishimura or Tsui Hark, they’re all present! The big genre classics are also on the menu: messing with time travel, the “don’t-go-there!” flicks, a whole bunch of beasties (zombies, werewolves vampires, monsters that even don’t have a name yet) and, at the request of our audience, a revamped Midnight Extreme section!

But that’s not all what the festival’s about. The BIFFF is a universe in itself, transforming the Center for Fine Arts in a temple of the imagination with exhibitions, animations, body paintings, a Zombifff Parade… And talking about the latter, have you already heard of the Zombifff’Lympics? The world première of the Olympic Games for zombies will also take place at the BIFFF. And, one for the road, we announce with great aplomb the 30th edition of our legendary vampire ball, which will take place, in grand style, on the 18th of April!

3 Openings

Ciné 1

BURYING THE EX (USA) A Joe Dante film Screenplay : Alan Trezza Casting : Anton Yelchin, Ashley Greene, Alexandre Daddario Duration : 89 minutes Distribution : Remain In Light

What would the world be without American director Joe Dante, the man responsible for classics such as Piranha and Gremlins? His latest film, Burying the Ex, does him credit as the king of horror comedy, even though it starts on a sad note. Max, our hero, bitterly regrets having moved in with his girlfriend Evelyn. The pretty damsel turns out to be one mean and manipulative bitch. Luckily there’s a speeding bus that puts a rather abrupt ending to Evelyn’s life. No more worries for Max. He can now start a new live with his dream girl Olivia. But behold, isn’t that Evelyn crawling out of her grave and knocking on Max and Olivia’s door for a not very friendly social visit?!

Burying the Ex gives a new and bloody meaning to the term “relationship crisis”. It’s not only the result of decades of making movies, but also of an entire life devouring and loving movies. This subversive take on the zombie genre stuffed with very funny references and one-liners, could only have been made by Joe Dante. And the cast is also top-notch: Anton Yelshin (Star Trek), Ashley Greene (Twilight) and Alexandra Daddario (Texas Chainsaw 3D).

Ciné 2

THE TAKING OF TIGER MOUNTAIN 3D (CHINA/HONG-KONG) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Tsui Hark film Screenplay : Bo Qu, Jianxin Huang, Tsui Hark, Yang Li, Chi-An Lin, Wu Bing Casting : Hanyu Zang, Kenny Lin, Liya Tong Duration: 141 minutes

The Taking of Tiger Mountain is inspired by a story from the Chinese revolution. At the center is the confrontation between a squad of soldiers from the Peoples Liberation Army and a brutal gang of bandits that are terrorizing a mountainous region in China. Captain’s Shao squad is sent to stop the bandits. But after a long trek through the snowy mountains, they realize they are far outnumbered and outgunned by their adversaries. Their headquarters are in a fort on Tiger Mountain. It’s David against Goliath, with certain death awaiting Shao and his men. But there’s no way back. They’ll have to take Tiger Mountain!

Tsui Hark has already realized some 50 long features, but that doesn’t stop the grandmaster from Hong Kong to keep shooting one big budget production after another. The Taking of Tiger Mountain is an epic action extravaganza with everything you can expect from the genre: spectacular combat scenes in majestic landscapes, gravity defying stunt work, eye-popping special effects and a solid cast with Tony Ka Fai Leung (Detective Dee, Election), Cung Le (The Grandmaster) and Nan Yu (The Expendables 2) playing the leads.

4 Closings

Ciné 1

BIG GAME (FINLAND/UK/USA/GERMANY) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Jalmari Helander film Screenplay : Jalmari Helander Casting : Samuel L. Jackson, Onni Tommila, Ray Stevenson Duration : 110 minutes Distribution : KFD

3-year old Oskari is about to face the initiation ritual that will make him from a boy into a man. He has to prove himself as a hunter. Only armed with bow and arrow, he must go deep into the Finnish woods and come back in 24 hours with the biggest possible trophy. No pressure, as his father and grandfather have made legendary kills and Oskari’s prowess with the bow leaves much to be desired. But luck is on his side, because the biggest prey of all time is parachuted at his feet. It’s the president of the United States, who narrowly escaped death after terrorists shot down Airforce One. And they’re coming after him. It’s up to Oskari to save the day… and the world!

Director Jalmari Helander already scored big at the BIFFF when his feature debut, Rare Exports, won the Audience Award in 2011. His second long feature is a huge crowd pleaser. The American president is none other than Samuel L. Jackson. And young Finnish supertalent Onni Tommila (who was also the lead in Rare Exports) easily rivals him in charisma and acting talent. The supporting cast are outstanding, with Ray Stevenson (Divergent), Felicity Hufman (Desperate Housewives) and Jim Broadbent (Iris) leading the pack. Big Game is one huge entertaining and thrilling ride that gives a firm and loving salute to the action movies of the eighties.

Ciné 2

IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE (NORWAY/SWEDEN/DENMARK) A Hans Petter Moland film Screenplay : Kim Fupz Aakeson Casting : Birgitte Hjort S¿rensen, Stellan Skarsgård, Kristofer Hivju Duration : 116 minutes Distribution : September films

Nils has turned fifty and leads a repetitive life by driving with his snow plough across Norwegian roads. He has always perfectly behaved like a model citizen even to the degree that he got elected as Citizen of the Year. But the night before the ceremony, Nils finds out that his only son died of a drugs overdose. From then on, his life starts to crumble around him. His grief-stricken wife leaves him and, on top of that, he discovers that his son was actually killed by a gang of drugs dealers. The thin layer of civility, to which he has clung to all his life, rapidly melts way. They can stuff their Citizen of the Year trophy up their…

Scandinavian cinema is known for its black and undercooled humor. In Order of Disappearance is a true gem in this genre. The film is director Hans Petter Moland’s fourth collaboration with Stellan Skarsgård, whom we know from Lars von Trier’s films, but also from big blockbusters such as Thor and The Avengers. Its cold atmosphere reminds you of Fargo, while the bodies pile up in a Tarantino-esque way. This Norwegian Kill List won, among others, the Best International Film Award at Fantasia Montréal.

5 Knights of the Order of the Raven The brotherhood

Alexandre Aja Barbara Steele Christopher Lloyd

Catherine Munro Dario Argento Harry Kumel

Jean-Pierre Jeunet John Hough

6 Knights of the Order of the Raven The Brotherhood

John Landis Jurgen Prochnow Lance Henriksen

Larry Cohen Lloyd Kaufman Luc Besson

Neil Jordan Stuart Gordon Terry Gilliam

7 BIFFF Première

ÊTRE (FRANCE/BELGIUM) A Fara Sene Film Screenplay: Fara Sene Casting: Bruno Solo, Salim Kechiouche, Karina Testa, Benjamin Ramon Duration: 88 minutes

A woman, who has been forgotten by everyone, now lives from day to day on the streets. François, a cop, is caught between his depressive wife and a job he hates and is on the verge of exploding. Ester, adopted as a child, suffers from a severe identity crisis. Christian is bored to hell in his small village and dreams of exploring the world. Mohamed wants to get out his neighborhood to avoid getting trapped in the criminal dealings of his friends. And has-been Frank, once a TV-star, tries one last come back. In the course of 24 hours, the paths of these tortured characters will cross in unforeseen and violent ways.

Fara Sene is a former basketball player who has made a name for himself as a director of video clips and short features. After meeting the Belgian producer Nicolas George, he was able to turn his poignant vision on humanity into a long feature film. Etre was almost entirely shot on location in Liège and allows some Belgian actors to shine in strong performances, such as Astrid Whettnall (Au Nom du Fils), Stéphanie Van Vyve and David Murgia (Je te Survivrai).

A HARD DAY (SOUTH KOREA) A Seong-hoon Kim film Screenplay: Seong-hoon Kim, Hae-jun Lee Casting : Lee Sun Gyung, Cho Jin-Woong, Man-shik Jeong Duration : 111 minuten

It’s not only John McClane and Jack Bauer that have really lousy days on the big or small screen. In the tradition of Die Hard and 24, inspector Gun-su of the Seoul police will have to save the day… which starts on a sad note. During his mother’s funeral ceremony, Gun- su gets a call from a colleague. Internal Affairs is going to pass by to turn the office inside out, which spells bad news for Gun-su, as his desk drawers are stuffed with money from bribes. In true fast & furious style, he races through the streets of the Korean capital to save his ass. But accidents come in pairs. He has a fatal encounter with a man crossing the street. Gun-su decides to put the body in his trunk and drive on. Bad choice again; because internal affairs have found the bribe money and now want to inspect his car. And what better place to hide a body than the freshly dug grave of his beloved mother!? And if you think we’ve just told you the entire movie, you couldn’t be more wrong. This is just the beginning of Gun-su’s troubles.

A Hard Day was a sensation at last year’s Quinzaine des réalisateurs at the Cannes film festival. Director Kim Seong-Hoon has delivered a solid addition to the already impressive pantheon of Korean thrillers. You can expect an adrenaline kick from the first to the very last second.

OPEN WINDOWS (FRANCE/SPAIN/USA) A Nacho Vigalondo film Screenplay : Nacho Vigalondo Casting : Elijah Wood, Sasha Grey, Neil Maskell Duration : 100 minutes

Nick, the geeky webmaster of a fan blog devoted to popular actress Jill Goddard, is having the time of his life. He has won a dinner date with his idol. With the big event only hours away, Nick uses the remaining time to jerk off to recently posted pictures of Jill on the blog. Then he gets a skype call by a certain Chord, who tells him that the superstar won’t be able to make it, but that he gets the chance to follow her through the webcam on her pc, her cell phone camera and all the other electronic devices that register every second of Jill’s life. A dream come true for Nick, but he doesn’t realize that he’s being set up as the fall guy for an attempted murder on his beloved actress. Without his eyes ever leaving the screen, Nick becomes suspect No. 1!

Fetishists will have the time of their live in Open Windows. Nacho Vigalondo, the director of Time Crimes and Extraterrestrial, has chosen Sasha Grey for the part of Jill. Those of you who’ve never heard of Miss Grey, should better not google her name at work or in a public library. Her obsessed fan is none other than Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings, Maniac, Cooties), who’s already proven that he can play a loser in the underrated series Wilfred. Big Brother is everywhere in Open Windows, a Rear Window for the 21st century!

THESE FINAL HOURS (AUSTRALIA) A Zak Hilditsch film Screenplay : Zak Hilditsch Casting : Sarah Snook, Jessica De Gouw, Nathan Phillips Duration : 87 minutes Distribution : Imagine

What would you do if you knew that planet Earth is doomed and that the Apocalypse will knock on your door in a few hours? Australian director Zak Hilditsch thought long and hard about it, got behind the camera and filmed the following answer: you abandon your pregnant girlfriend, sniff a few lines of coke, get behind the wheel to the biggest and last orgy in town and consume every possible drug you can find on the way.

During these final hours, James, the protagonist of Hilditsch’s movie, witnesses the best that humanity has to offer: murder, rape, collective suicides and pedophiles having a go at a girl abandoned by her parents. And why not, there’s no tomorrow… ever again! But James’ conscience starts to gnaw at him and he begins to act. Where will it lead him, just before our planet gets its final goodbye? Also screened on 16/04 at 8.30pm in the Kinepolis of Brussels, Antwerp, Gent, Hasselt, Kortrijk, Bruges, Ostend and Leuven.

Also screened on 16/04 at 8.30pm in the Kinepolis of Brussels, Antwerp, Gent, Hasselt, Kortrijk, Bruges, Ostend and Leuven.

First Feature Section

ANOTHER FRONTIER (SPAIN) An André Cruz Shiraiwa film Screenplay : André Cruz Shiraiwa, Aurora Sulli Casting : Ariadna Gil, Biel Montoro, Laura Rayon Duration : 95 minutes

This first long feature of André Cruz Shiraiwa uses a lot of themes relevant to contemporary society: perverted viewing habits, voyeurism, apathy, the price of fame… Through the camera objective of reality-TV, we follow a mother who has to risk everything to keep her child alive. The result is a confronting mirror-image of ourselves, asking how we would react to these unhuman practices.

THE BABADOOK (AUSTRALIA) A Jennifer Kent film Screenplay: Jennifer Kent Casting : Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Hensall Duration : 93 minutes Distribution : A-Film

The Babadook already gathered 33 awards worldwide. William Friedkin himself called it “one of the most frightening films ever.” No wonder that director Jennifer Kent’s debut feature was met with unanimous public and critical acclaim.

DEALER (FRANCE) A Jean-Luc Herbulot film Screenplay : Jean-Luc Herbulot, Samy Baaroun Casting : Dan Bronchinson, Elsa Madeleine, Salem Kali Duration : 75 minutes

Dealer was shot in twelve days with a budget of only 165.000 dollars, but that doesn’t show at all; quite the contrary. The first long feature of Canadian director Jean-Luc Herbulot is a true tour-de-force that got him noticed by Hollywood. Herbulot is busy preparing his next film, The Bends, starring Rosamund Pike (whom you know from David Fincher’s Gone Girl) and Joel Kinnaman (The Killing).

EAT (USA) A Jimmy Weber film Screenplay: Jimmy Weber Casting : Elena Chin, Robin Ashley Dennis, Mindy Faulkner Duration : 92 minutes

Cooking is all the rage now. Especially for the gourmets among us, director Jimmy Weber has concocted an enticing recipe: autophagy, or in other words take a bite out of yourself. It doesn’t always have to be the others to appreciate a slice of meat from your body!

FANTASTISCHERIE DI UN PASSAGGIATORE SOLITARIO (ITALY) A Paolo Gaudio film Screenplay: Paolo Gaudio Casting : Alessia Alcati, Angelique Cavalari, Luca Lionello Duration : 87 minutes

In Fantasticherie Di Un Passeggiatore, Paolo Gaudio’s first long feature, we follow three characters that are influenced by Rousseau’s words: a poet obsessed by the reveries, a young student and a child in the woods. Each of these characters gives their interpretation of the unfinished masterpiece. Every segment is also recognizable by its own style, partially animation, partially live action. Paolo Gaudio is a true enfant terrible of Italian animation movies. With his passion for comics and his knowledge of philosophy, he creates a unique style, combining the visual richness and accessibility of animation movies with the depth of literature and philosophy. His debut is a bold and imaginative film and most probably the first of many more to come.

FAULTS (USA) A Riley Stearns film Screenplay: Riley Stearns Casting : Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lance Reddick, Leland Orser Duration : 89 minutes

The paranoid black comedy Faults is the debut feature of Riley Stearns. It benefits from two strong leads, Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Death Proof) and Leland Orser (Alien: Resurrection) and gives us a front row ticket to religious madness at its most delicious.

11 THE FORGOTTEN (UK) A Oliver Frampton film Screenplay: Oliver Frampton, James Hal Casting : Clem Tibber, Shaun Dingwall, Elarica Gallacher Duration : 89 minutes

Oliver Frampton’s first long feature might be a full blooded horror flick, that doesn’t mean that he denounces his roots. Coming from the small screen, he transports his favorite theme of decrepit council flat life from the TV-series The Bill and turns it into creepy social horror.

HAEMOO (SOUTH KOREA) A Sung-bo Shim film Screenplay: Joon-ho Bong, Sung-bo Shim screenplay Casting : Yun-seok Kim, Yu-Chun Park, Ye-ri Han Duration : 111 minutes

The long feature debut of Sung-bo Shim, scriptwriter of Joon-ho Bong’s Memories of Murder, is one hell of a thriller based on real events. Shim asked himself what the most important thing would be for a man whose future has been confiscated. “In each of the characters in Haemoo, good and evil coexist and manifest themselves differently in different situations. I wanted to study how human beings react and reveal their true nature in unpredictable circumstances.” Joon-ho Bong (The Host, Snowpiercer) lent his scriptwriter a hand by producing the film, with Yoon-seok-Kim (The Chasr, The Yellow Sea) playing the lead as Captain Kang.

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME (VENEZUELA) An Alejandro Hidalgo film Screenplay: Alejandro Hidalgo Casting : Rosmel Bustamante, Adriana Calzadilla, Simona Chirinos Duration : 101 minutes

Halleluja! A new master of horror suspense has risen and he hails from Venezuela. Alejandro Hiodalgo’s The House At The End Of Time was a big hit in his native country and you’ll soon find out why. What’s in store for us is almost a transcendental experience. Hidalgo, inspired by the classic haunted house movies, shows a Lovecraftian virtuosity for psychedelic suspense. And by playing with time, he adds an extra exciting dimension. It won’t be long before Hollywood snatches up the remake rights!

12 THE INCIDENT (MEXICO) An Isaac Ezban film Screenplay: Isaac Ezban Casting : Humberto Busto, Erik Trinidad Camacho, Magda Brugenheim Duration : 100 minutes

Ingmar Bergman once said about his legendary cult classic The Seventh Seal: ‘I wrote this film to conjure up my own fear of dying’. We think than Mexican director Isaac Ezban has also made The Incident to stave off his fear from death. Philip K. Dick’s universe is never far away, but Ezban also uses contemporary pop culture references, while the way he wraps up things at the end is both memorable and profound.

THE INFINITE MAN (AUSTRALIA) A Hugh Sullivan film Screenplay: Hugh Sullivan Casting : Josh McConville, Hannah nd all, Alex Dimitriades Duration : 85 minutes

Aussie director Hugh Sullivan has taken a bold and ambitious risk with his feature film debut. Time travel movies are legion and they are often too frail or too complex (remember Primer!). Luckily for us, Sullivan has created a strong new addition to the genre. Dean’s temporal tomfoolery can even be compared to the ordeals of Bill Murray in Groundhog Day or Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.

THE INNOCENTS (ARGENTINA) WORLD PREMIERE A Mauricio Brunetti film Screenplay : Mauricio Brunetti, Andres Gelos, Natacha Caravia Casting : Lito Cruz, Ludovico Di Santo, Sabrina Garciarena Duration : 90 minutes

Director Mauricio Brunetti dug deep into Argentina’s past. We’re not talking about the military dictatorship, but about the early years of the still young nation, when civil war raged and slavery was a part of the economy. This gripping blend of historical drama and ghost story, makes you feel as if you’re watching a spooky version of 12 Years a Slave.

13 LES JAUNES (CANADA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Rémi Frechette film Screenplay : Rémi Frechette, David Emont-Ferrat Casting : Pierre-Louis Renaud, Mélissa Merlo, Roch Aubert Duration : 96 minutes

If you’ve always wanted to see a French-Canadian horror comedy about a yellow brain disease based on a popular web series and spoken in juicy Quebecois? Look no further. You’ll love Les Jaunes. Get ready for some maple syrup horror with troll slayers, nazi’s and tentacled monsters fighting it out with each other in a small town in the north of Quebec.

LIFE AFTER BETH (USA) A Jeff Baena film Screenplay: Jeff Baena Casting : Dane DeHaan, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly Duration : 89 minutes

Who would have thought that the “romzom” would become a genre. After Shaun of the Dead and Warm Bodies, this hilarious debut feature by Jeff Baena proves that the genre can renew itself. None other than indie queen Aubrey Plaza (Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Safety Not Guaranteed) plays Beth, with strong supporting parts by Dane Dehaan (Chronicle) and John C. Reilly (Boogie Nights, Guardians of the Galaxy).

LIZA, THE FOX FARY (HUNGARY) A Karoly Meszaros film Screenplay: Karoly Meszaros, Balint Hegedus Casting : Monica Balsai, Szabolcs Bede Fazekas, David Sakurai Duration : 98 minutes

Blend a bit of black comedy Takeshi Kitano style, the wardrobe of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and a Japanese-Finnish soundtrack and you’ll get something like this deliciously daft Hungarian film. Liza, the Fox-Fairy gets its inspiration from one of the tales of Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s most legendary samurai/philosopher, but is really a delightful potpourri of all possible genre elements.

14 PARTS PER BILLION (USA) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Brian Horiuchi film Screenplay: Brian Horiuchi Casting : Frank Langella, Gena Rowlands, Rosario Dawson Duration : 98 minutes Distribution : A-film

Do not expect a Roland Emmerich-like apocalyptic spectacle. Parts Per Billion is much more related to the thoughtful movies of Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and Paul Haggis. People are forced to look back on their lives and face the consequences of their choices. Sundance favorite Brian Horiuchi, the scriptwriter of America So Beautiful and Circle of Eight, has crafted a gripping humanistic drama with some big names in the leads, among whom Gena Rowlands, Josh Hartnett, Rosario Dawson and Frank Langella!

SHREW’S NEST (SPAIN/FRANCE) A Juanfer Andres & Esteban Roel film Screenplay: Emma Tusell, Sofia Cuenca, Juanfer Andres Casting : Carolina Bang, Silvia Alonso, Jesus Angel Castrodeza Duration : 95 minutes

The Spanish never shy away from a solid portion of baroque horror. No one less than Bifff regular Alex de la Iglesia (El Día de Bestia, Balada Triste) produced this intense tale about two sisters who share an apartment in 1950ties Madrid. It could be a cozy affair, but big sis Montse suffers from anxiety attacks, doesn’t dare to leave the house and physically abuses her little sister. But that’s just the start. When Montse is under the influence of morphine, she gets visits by their deceased father. And when the handsome upstairs neighbor makes her heart beat faster, she just ties him to her bed. This all results in some deliciously grim situations, because, as we know from Rec., when the Spanish are locked up, things tend to get completely out of hand.

THE SLEEPING ROOM (UK) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A John Shackleton film Screenplay: John Shackleton, Alex Chandon, Ross Jameson Casting : Leila Mimmack, Julie Graham, Joseph Beattie Duration : 78 minutes

The Sleeping Room is a very atmospheric picture with plenty of old-school gore that reminds you of the Hammer horror movies. All the repressed desires, frustrations and taboos of Victorian society are more than enough inspiration for a chilling feature that will give you sleepless nights.

STUNG (GERMANY/USA) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Benni Diez film Screenplay: Adam Aresti Casting: Lance Henriksen, Clifton Colins Jr, Jessica Cook Duration : 90 minutes

After sheep, snakes and spiders, it’s now finally our friends the wasps who’ll prominently figure in your favorite monster movie nightmares. German director Benny Diez has adapted his famous eponymous short into a fully-fledged long feature. It’s a true homage to VHS- cult classics such as Tremors and Critters in a movie that is very generous with gore and humor. In the leads we find Lance Henriksen and Clifton Collins Jr (Pacific Rim).

WYRMWOOD (AUSTRALIA) A Kiah Roache-Turner film Screenplay: Kiah Roache-Turner, Tristan Roache-Turner Casting : Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradey, Leon Burchill Duration : 98 minutes

Brother Barry has no choice but to face the zombie hordes to save her. On the way, he runs into some colorful characters that have also survived the end of times and don’t mind killing a few more undead. Their task is made a lot easier when Brooke herself shows up. She has managed to escape from the clutches of the mad doctor and now possesses a secret weapon. She’s able to communicate with zombies, which makes her a “zombie whisperer”. And that can come in handy in this highly entertaining midnight madness movie filled with insightful conversations with the undead.

16 BIFFF Junior Section

THE COBBLER (USA) A Thomas McCarthy film Screenplay: Thomas McCarthy, Paul Sado Casting: Adam Sandler, Steve Buscemi, Dustin Hoffman Duration: 99 minutes Distribution: Remain In Light

Tom McCarthy, director of The Station Agent and the Visitor, delights us with this incredibly ambitious and uniquely crazy mix between a mystical fairy tale and a brutal superhero movie in the vein of Kick Ass and Darkman. The cast are outstanding, led by Adam Sandler (Grown Ups, Anger Management) as Max, supported by Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie, Rain Man), Steve Buscemi (Fargo, Boardwalk Empire), Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love) and Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey).

DANNY’S DOOMSDAY (DENMARK) A Martin Barnewitz film Sreenplay : Søren Grinderslev Hansen Casting : William Jhønk Nielsen, Thomas Garvey, Peter Gantzler Duration : 88 minutes

The Host meets An Inconvenient Truth. Scandinavia also seems to have a knack at turning out teen oriented genre flicks. Remember Tomas Alfredson’s brilliant Let The Right One In (Golden Raven BIFFF 2009), partly a coming of age drama, partly a vampire movie. Danny’s Doomsday hails from Denmark and is a solid addition to this ever more popular subgenre.

FANTASTISCHERIE DI UN PASSAGGIATORE SOLITARIO (ITALY) A Paolo Gaudio film Screenplay: Paolo Gaudio Casting : Alessia Alcati, Angelique Cavalari, Luca Lionello Duration : 87 minutes

17 LIZA, THE FOX FAIRY (HUNGARY) A Karoly Meszaros film Screenplay: Karoly Meszaros, Balint Hegedus Casting : Monica Balsai, Szabolcs Bede Fazekas, David Sakurai Duration : 98 minutes

LUPIN THE THIRD (JAPAN) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Ryuhei Kitamura film Screenplay : Monkey Punch, Mataichiro Yamamoto, Ryuhei Kitamura, Joey O’Bryan Casting : Tadanobu Asano, Vithaya Pansringarm, Yayaying Rhatha Phongam Duration : 133 minutes

It took two years to write the script. Shooting took place in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand. Director Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, Aragami, The Midnight Meat Train) has transferred the live-action adventures of Lupin to a contemporary setting. That’s quite a feat for the grandson of Arsène Lupin, whose first appearance was in the Monkey Punch manga’s at the end of the sixties. Since then, he has become an essential anime stalwart.

ROBOT OVERLORDS (UK) A Jon Wright film Screenplay: Jon Wright, Mark Stay Casting : Ben Kingsley, Gillian Anderson, Callan McAulife Duration : 90 minutes

Director Jon Wright, to whom we thank Grabbers (BIFFF 2012), has crafted an intense scifi adventure movie for the entire family. Its budget might only been a fraction of that of a Transformers movie, but unlike that giant franchise, it treats its audience with respect and invites them to join in the fun. The four young leads steal the show, getting some big name support from Sir Ben Kingsley (Sexy Beast, iron Man 3) as a villainous robot collaborator and Gillian Anderson (X-Files, The Fall) as their worried mum.

18 Midnight X-tremes Section

BORN TO DIE (ARGENTINA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE An Andrés Borghi film Screenplay : Andrés Borghi Casting : Leandro Coccaro, Vanina Balena, Nicolas Stilman Duration : 100 minutes

Born to Die does not only sound insane, it actually is quite insane! This unofficial sequel to Bailando con el Peligro (Dancing with Danger) doesn’t take itself serious for one second. People who love absurd humor such as Shaolin Soccer or Kung Fu Hustle, will gobble this down. Director Andres Borghi has directed a riotously inventive piece of entertainment that will certainly make the audience howl and scream.

CHARLIE’S FARM (AUSTRALIA) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Chris Sun film Screenplay: Chris Sun Casting: Tara Reid, Nathan Jones, Kane Hodder Duration : 88 minutes

This slasher from down under is a riotous piece of hack and slash fun that would make good ol’ Wes Craven proud. The plot might have been used countless times (thou shalt not wander into the woods to explore remote cabins with murderous maniacs running around), Charlie’s Farm is made with so much guts and energy and contains plenty of hilarious dialogues and volcanic blood eruptions, that you can only observe the carnage with a satisfied grin on your face.

DEADMAN INFERNO (JAPAN) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Hiroshi Shinagawa film Screenplay : Hiroshi Shinagawa Casting : Yôsuze Kubozuka, Shunsuke Kazama, Shô Aikawa Duration : 108 minutes

One of the reasons for Director Hiroshi Shinagawa to realize Deadman Inferno was to celebrate the 30 years of Japanese actor Sho Aikawa on screen. Among his +/- 100 movies are titles such as Gozu, Dead or Alive and Zebraman, all directed by Takashi Miike. If you’ve ever wondered how yakuzas would battle zombies, look no further. But we can tell you that there’s no better weapon to chop up the undead than the katana. Fans of The Walking Dead know what we’re talking about!

19 THE EDITOR (CANADA) An Adam Brooks & Matthew Kennedy film Screenplay: Matthew Kennedy, Conor Sweeney Casting : Paz De La Huerta, Udo Kier, Tristan Risk Duration : 95 minutes

Let’s recapitulate. Giallo’s are mysterious murder tales in which the suspense of a Hitchcock movie is combined with gruesome body horror. Gialli are known for their flamboyant and experimental scripts, strange visuals, strongly elaborated production design, bold use of colors and lots of attention to music and atmosphere. The holy trinity of giallo directors consists of Dario Argento, Mario Bava and Lucio Fulci. The term giallo, Italian for yellow, refers to the color of the cover of the novels that inspired the gialli. Recently the genre has gathered some new international attention with Belgian directors Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani’s Amer and The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears. The Editor, in its own fantastic, absurd and overwhelming way, contributes to the revival of this playful and unique genre.

EXTRATERRESTRIAL (USA) A Colin Minihan film Screenplay : Colin Minihan, Stuart Ortiz Casting : Brittany Allen, Freddie Stroma, Melanie Papalia Duration : 101 minutes

If you wanted to describe the atmosphere of Extraterrestrial, you could say it’s a combination of the themes from Signs and Steven Spielberg’s War Of the Worlds, mixed with the tension of a David-Fincher-on-acid. This sci-fi slasher gives a crash-course of what people are going through when they’re picked up by those “friendly” lights in the sky. Extraterrestrial is the latest directorial effort from the Vicious Brothers. They made their mark with Grave Encounters, a true antidote to any Paranormal Activity related franchises. Just to say that these guys know something about rhythm, tension and the art of found footage.

LES JAUNES (CANADA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Rémi Frechette film Screenplay : Rémi Frechette, David Emont-Ferrat Casting : Pierre-Louis Renaud, Mélissa Merlo, Roch Aubert Duration : 96 minutes

We find ourselves in a magical landscape full of heroic warriors, forests teeming with orcs and, of course, a dragon hovering over it all. Are we in Westeros or in Middle-Earth? No, we’re in the woods outside Tom’s village. This geeky nerd is living out his passion for LARP, live action role playing. What Tom doesn’t know, is that he’ll soon need his Larp skills to fight off a yellow zombie invasion. The first battleground will be the local supermarket. If you’ve always wanted to see a French-Canadian horror comedy about a yellow brain disease based on a popular web series and spoken in juicy Quebecois? Look no further. You’ll love Les Jaunes. Get ready for some maple syrup horror with troll slayers, nazi’s and tentacled monsters fighting it out with each other in a small town in the north of Quebec.

20 MEXICO BARBARO (MEXICO) An Izaac Ezban, Laurette Flores Born, Jorge Michel Grau, Ulises Guzman, Edgar Nito, Lex Ortega, Gigi Saul Guerrero & Aaron Soto film Screenplay: Izaac Ezban, Laurette Flores Born, Jorge Michel Grau, Paul Riqué, Lex Ortega, Gigi Saul Guerrero & Aaron Soto Casting : Dulce Alexa, Sara Camacho, Lorena Gonzalez Duration : 109 minutes

The title of this horror anthology is a perfect declaration of intention. One hundred years after H. Wood’s eponymous movie, upcoming directors of contemporary Mexican cinema present us with a series of shorts that each highlight another cruel aspect of the Latin- American country. The theme and tone of every contribution is always different, but the talent shown in this extreme, bizarre, surreal, absurd, grand guignolesque compilation is undeniable.

THE NINJA WAR OF TORAKAGE (JAPAN) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Yoshihiro Nishimura film Screenplay : Jun Tsugita, Yoshihiro Nishimura Casting : Yuria Haga, Tatsuki Ishikawa, Ryohei Kuroyanagi Duration : 94 minutes

For nearly two decades Yoshihiro Nishimura has been on the forefront of Japanese “extreme cinema” both as a director and as a special makeup artist. His directorial work includes such films as the groundbreaking Tokyo Gore Police and the zombie epic Helldriver. The Ninja War of Torakage marks a new path for Nishimura, as he blends the popular Japanese ninja genre with his kinetic, visually driven style of filmmaking. The movie stars Takashi Miike regular Takumi Saitoh (13 Assassins, Ace Attorney) as Torakage, with cult-actress Eihi Shiina (The Audition, Tokyo Gore Police) as Torakage’s evil master.

WYRMWOOD (AUSTRALIA) A Kiah Roache-Turner film Screenplay: Kiah Roache-Turner, Tristan Roache-Turner Casting : Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradey, Leon Burchill Duration : 98 minuntes

21 ZOMBIE FIGHT CLUB (TAIWAN) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Joe Chien film Casting: Jessica Cambensy, Abby Fung, Chang Han Duration : 95 minutes

Yes, it’s true. Taiwanese director Joey Chien has a subscription to the BIFFF. After Zombie 108 (2013) and The Apostles (2014), he’s back with Zombie Fight Club. This is no horror homage to David Fincher’s cult classic Fight Club, but more something like The Raid meets Resident Evil meets Highschool of the Dead. Do not expect lots of dialogue and a complicated plot. Tons of gore, scantily clad zombies and meat mincers as weapons are Zombie Fight Club’s forte. If you’re into yummy contemporary B-movies, get ready for a feast of limbs and intestines, starring Michael Wong (Transformers: Age of Extinction), Philip Ng (New Police Story) and Terence Yin (Lara Croft 2). You couldn’t wish for a better club.

COURTS MAIS TRASH

The trash doesn’t only stand for gore movies but for a kind of movie that is radical, alternative, different, politic or cheap … They experiment with documentaries, animation and video clips. A movie doesn’t need to be dripping with blood to be shown. It just needs to be made outside the classic way of producing. Ten years ago, Courts Mais Trash was created to put these films in theatres and on the big screen.

22 Fantastic Night

A surprise by Nicolas Alberny to get you in the mood...

EVERLY (USA) A Joe Lynch film Screenplay: Joe Lynch, Yale Hannon Casting: Salma Hayek, Jennifer Blanc, Uros Certic Duration: 92 minutes

At the other side of the Atlantic, a few irreverent critics called Everly “Die Hard with tits”. While that’s not far off the mark, it would be wrong to reduce this badass closed quarters extravaganza to this. Director Joe Lynch (Chillerama, Knights of Badassdom) is a true connoisseur of exploitation cinema and generously robs the genre blind to deliver this outrageous action gem that will delight fans of bloody mayhem, gore and black humor; with everything tied together by the magnificent Salma Hayek (From Dusk Till Dawn, Frida).

LIFE AFTER BETH (USA) A Jeff Baena film Screenplay: Jeff Baena Casting: Dane DeHaan, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly Duration: 89 minutes

JORGE Y ALBERTO CONTRA LOS DEMONIOS NEOLIBERALES (ARGENTINA) A Gonzalo & Hernan Quintana film Screenplay: Gonzalo Quintana, Valentin Javier Diment, Martin Blousson, Hernan Quintana Casting: Luis Aranosky, Monina Bonelli, Andrea Carballo Duration: 83 minutes

Since the recent release of the anthology Relatos Salvajes (Wild Tales) in our theatres, we know that Argentineans can sometimes freak like nowhere on the planet. And that was before we got introduced to the work of the brothers Gonzalo and Hernan Quintana. Their oeuvre is clearly inspired by that of Mr. Tarantino, and we can’t blame them for that, because this fantastic tale with the very long title is one funny and hilarious adventure.

EAT (USA) A Jimmy Weber film Screenplay: Jimmy Weber Casting: Elena Chin, Robin Ashley Dennis, Mindy Faulkner Duration: 92 minutes

23 Thriller Competition

THE DIVINE MOVE (SOUTH KOREA) A Beom-gu Cho film Screenplay: Sung-Hyub Yu Casting: Kil-kang AhnSung-kee Ahn, Choi Jin-Hyuk Duration: 118 minutes

Go champion Tae-seok, is sitting in a van outside a gaming den with an earpiece looking at a monitor. He’s giving instructions to his elder brother, who tries to defeat underground kingpin Sal-soo on the Go board. But the gangsters, who are also cheating, are on to them and Tae-sok has to witness his brother getting killed. Sal-soo pins the murder on him, which gets him sent away behind bars for seven years. Inside prison Tae-seok trains his muscles and brains, preparing for his revenge. Once he’s out, he gathers a team of legendary Go-players and starts to infiltrate Sal-soo’s gang, wanting to take them out one by one.

Go is an extremely popular strategic game in Asia, with world championships and televised matches drawing crowds of millions. It has an especially huge following in Korea. So it’s no wonder that it proved fertile ground for a hard hitting thriller dealing with gambling, murder, revenge, martial arts and Go itself. Director Beom-gu Cho has turned the game into a life and dead struggle of brawn and brains, starring Woo-sung Jung (The Good, The Bad, The Weird, Reign of Assassins) as Ta-seok.

THE GUEST (USA) An Adam Wingard film Screenplay: Simon Barrett Casting: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer Duration: 99 minutes

Caleb Peterson is one of those many soldiers that were KIA (killed in action). This is never easy for the families, who are often left broken with grief. The Peterson’s are having a hard time coping with the death of their eldest son. Luckily there are still some good people in this world. A certain David comes knocking at their door. He says that he was a good friend of Caleb, having been there when he died. The Petersons are comforted by David’s visit and ask him to stay for a few days. But is David really the polite and friendly soldier he claims to be? His heart might be in the right place, but the way he acts is certainly unusual: beating up the entire soccer team for having bullied Caleb’s younger brother, dealing drugs at a party of younger sister Anna… What else does this unusual guest has in store for his new family?

Those who have seen You’re Next, know that director Adam Wingard and scriptwriter Simon Barett can churn out a genre pic that will keep you glued to the screen. They also don’t hide being fanatical movie nerds, stuffing The Guest with references to Terminator, Halloween and many other cult flics from the 80ties. And we’re also very happy with the cast. Dan Stevens is miles removed from his Downtown Abbey character; with by his side feisty Maika Monroe, whom we discovered in The Bling Ring.

HAEMOO (SOUTH KOREA) A Sung-bo Shim film Screenplay: Joon-ho Bong, Sung-bo Shim screenplay Casting: Yun-seok Kim, Yu-Chun Park, Ye-ri Han Duration : 111 minutes

Captain Kang, the longtime captain of the fishing vessel Junjin, is forced into a corner when the owner of the boat decides to sell it after years of declining catches. With his entire crew in danger of losing their livelihood and his wife cheating on him with a Korean-Chinese migrant, Kang pays a visit to human trafficking broker and decides to take on a dangerous job smuggling illegal migrants into South Korea. The five crew members dream of returning home with a boat full of fish, but they soon realize that their captain has enlisted them in a smuggling run without their knowledge. In the middle of a rainstorm, they pick up a load of Korean-Chinese migrants from a Chinese vessel. Tension soon starts to run high. A dense sea fog envelops the boat, and tragedy begins to unfold.

HONEYMOON (MEXICO) WORLD PREMIERE A Diego Cohen film Screenplay: Marco Tarditi Casting: Hector Kotsieakis, Paulina Ahmed, Alberto Agnesi Duration: 95 minutes

Jorge couldn’t be happier. He’s met the love of his life; Isabelle. Everything happened so fast. Just four days ago, they were driving in Jorge’s car, with him behind the wheel and she resting in the trunk, the perfume of chloroform still clinging to her. Since then, Isabelle hasn’t left the cellar, which serves as their honeymoon suite. And it has to be said that she still needs some convincing this fairytale is real. Jorge tries real hard. He clips her nails (or rather tears them off), he (force)feeds her… Jorge still needs to come to grips with the concept of love, because he’s not creating a loving wife, but a monster thirsting for vengeance.

Honeymoon, the latest film from Mexican director Diego Cohen, was awarded with the Bloody Work in Progress Award at the recent Blood Window Festival in Argentina. This terrific mix of black comedy and torture porn might not be the ideal date with your future ex, but it’ll show her that forgetting to put out the trash is not the worst that could happen.

25 THE ICE FOREST (ITALY) A Claudio Noce film Screenplay : Francesca Manieri, Elisa Amuroso, Claudio Noce Casting : Emir Kusturica, Adriano Giannini, Kseniya Rappoport Duration : 99 minutes

Lorenzo is an engineer, working on a hydro-electric power station high up in the Italian Alps, while dreaming of moving to sunnier climes. The small, snowy town in which he lives welcomes a new inhabitant, Pietro, an engineer who has arrived to work on the same power station. He’s an edgy young man, but he is also talented mechanic and keen to make a good impression on Lorenzo and Lorenzo’s older half-brother, Secondo. Also new in town is Lana, a Slovenian police officer, who has crossed the border, claiming to be following up a report of a bear attack, but actually investigating a darker and more sinister case.

The Ice Forest doesn’t only make you think of Fargo and Top of the Lake, its social and political themes with its references to the Yugoslavian civil war, remind you of Emir Kusturica’s films. And that’s no coincidence. Kusturica himself plays the part of Secondo, one of the key characters in this gripping thriller that will chill you to the bone, and not because of the icy mountain air!

THE IGNORANCE OF BLOOD (SPAIN) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Manuel Gomez Pereira Film Screenplay: Nicolas Saad Casting: Juan Diego Botto, Paz Vega, Alberto San Juan Duration: 109 minutes

Javier Falcón, Chief of the Sevilla Homicide Division, must solve two different cases in a short time. In the first case he is personally involved. An old friend of his infiltrated an Islamic terrorist cell and now the group is trying to recruit his young son for their cause. The same case hits even closer at home. A war is raging between two clans in the Russian Mafia. When an important mobster tries to defect, he gets killed in a car crash. On the scene, the police find an encrypted USB stick with highly explosive information. Then the son of Falcon’s girlfriend Consuelo is kidnapped. They are contacted by both Mafia clans claiming they have the kid and wanting to get their hands on the information. And both say they will kill him if Falcon doesn’t give them the stick.

The Ignorance of Blood is the adaptation of the final novel of Robert Wilson’s popular Javier Falcon series by award winning director Manuel Gomez Pereira (Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health, Between Your Legs). The movie was shot in Sevilla, the Canary Islands, Morocco and Madrid, starring Juan Diego Botto (Zorro, El Greco) as Inspector Falcon and Paz Vega (Talk To Her, Sex and Lucia) as Consuelo. The Ignorance of Blood skillfully weaves all its intricate plot strands together in a tense, gripping and exciting thriller.

26 EL NIÑO (SPAIN/FRANCE/BELGIUM) A Daniel Monzon film Screenplay : Daniel Monzon, Jorge Guerricaechevaría Casting : Ian McShane, Luis Tosar, Sergí López Duration : 136 minutes

Young man El Niño spends his days earning a basic living doing up and testing motorboats. He is very skilled at driving the boats and very fast. After a party with his dreamer friend El Compi, the pair meets Halil, a young Muslim who has an uncle, Rachid, an established drug dealer. Halil and El Compi convince Rachid to try out El Niño as one of his drugs mules transporting the product across The Strait of Gibraltar in a motorboat. Trying to stop the illegal cargo is veteran police officer Jesús, a man obsessed with getting a big sting, who helped by partner Eva is trying to find El Inglés, a known drug dealer who operates on the Rock of Gibraltar.

After The Heart of the Warrior (Bifff 2001), The Kovak Box (Bifff 2007) and Cell 211 (Bifff Thriller Prijs 2010) Daniel Monzon returns to the BIFFF with this gripping, intense thriller. With a script by Jorge Guerricaechevarria (El Dia de la Bestia, Witching & Bitching) and Luis Tosar (Cell 211, Shrew’s Nest), Sergi Lopez (With a Friend Like Harry, Pan’s Labyrinth) and Ian Mc Shane (Deadwood, Pirates of the Caribbean) in the leads, this Mediterranean North By Northwest, will take you on a thrilling ride through the straits of Gibraltar.

NO TEARS FOR THE DEAD (SOUTH KOREA) A Jeong-beom Lee film Screenplay :Jeong-beom Lee Casting : Dong-gung Jang, Min-hee Kim, Brian Tee Duration : 116 minutes

Gon is longing for the end of his career. Not that he’s cleaning windows or checking accounts. Gon’s a hitman for the Korean mob in LA. But his missions are taking their toll, especially after his latest, seemingly easy assignment. He just had to pick up a usb stick, but that resulted in half a dozen corpses, among whom a 6-year old girl. He’s now trying to get out, but his bosses will not let him go before he carries out one final mission: travel to Korea and kill the mother of the girl. She might have a copy of the stick which could spell trouble for some very rich and very corrupt people. Gon can no longer take it. He starts to protect the mother, killing everyone who is send against him.

Asian action cinema is booming. Director Jeong-beom Lee already proved he had a knack for adrenaline inducing thrillers with The Man From Nowhere (2010). No Tears For The Dead guarantees brutal action, intrigue, tension and gripping drama. For fans of The Raid and Die Hard.

27 THE TAKING OF TIGER MOUNTAIN 3D (CHINA/HONG-KONG) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Tsui Hark film Screenplay : Bo Qu, Jianxin Huang, Tsui Hark, Yang Li, Chi-An Lin, Wu Bing Casting : Hanyu Zang, Kenny Lin, Liya Tong Duration: 141 minutes

THE TARGET (SOUTH KOREA) A Chang film Screenplay : Chang Casting : Ryu Seung Ryong, Joong-sang Yoo, Jin-wook Lee Duration : 98 minutes

After eight years of study, sleepless nights, countless cramming sessions and a work schedule of 25 hours per day, you might think new ER doctor Tae-Jun deserves some rest. Unfortunately he had to spend the entire night operating on a special patient. A few hours after the surgery, the hospital is swarming with cops. The guy must probably be a highly dangerous criminal. Before Tae-Jun has the chance to close his eyes, he gets an anonymous phone call. If he doesn’t help his patient to escape, his highly pregnant wife will pay the price. That’s not going to be easy, with all those cops on one side and a squad of hired killers having penetrated the hospital to kill his new protégée on the other side!

If you’ve enjoyed adrenaline induced chase movies with lots of plot twists such as Enemy of The State and The Fugitive, you’re going to love The Target. This Korean remake of the French box office hit Point Blank from 2010 was also a huge popular success thanks to an ironclad script and dazzling martial-arts action. After 2009’s Deathbell, director Chang returns to the BIFFF with a new action extravaganza.

28 THAT DEMON WITHIN (HONG KONG/CHINA) A Dante Lam film Screenplay : Dante Lam, Wai Lung NG Casting : Daniel Wu, Nick Cheung, Kai Chi Liu Duration : 111 minutes

Have you ever truly regretted something you did? Dave, a cop who tries to walk the straight and narrow, has done something that haunts him. His blood saved the life of an incredibly dangerous criminal on the brink of death. And just like in Naoki Urusawa’s cult manga Monster, this act of kindness has big consequences for Dave and for Hon, the criminal. Hon does not use the second life he’s been granted to help blind people cross the street, but to cause further chaos and death in the city. Dave has to make a difficult choice. His dark past resurfaces. Will he take justice in his own hands or will he put his faith in the authorities?

As That Demon Within is a Dante Lam film, you already know the choice our hero will make. Lam first worked as an assistant for John Woo and was responsible for many high octane action choreographies. He soon rose in the ranks of Hong Kong’s finest action directors, churning out one hit after another. That Demon Within is a continuation of his successes from the past, such as Unbeatable, The Stool Pigeon and Beast Stalker.

29 Thriller Jury

Barbara Abel

Barbara Abel (1969°) was immediately bitten by theatre and literature. After studies at the Ecole du Passage in Paris, she started working as an actress in all kinds of theatre plays. When she was 23 she wrote her first play called ‘L’esquimau qui jardinait’. In 2002 she published her first boek ‘L’instinct Maternel’ wherefore she received the Prix Cognac. Right after that, she received the Prix Du Jury for ‘Un bel âge pour mourir’, that became a successful television show with Emilie Dequenne and Marie-France Pisier. From 2005 till 2013 she wrote 7 new books: Duelle, La Mort en écho, Illustre inconnu, Le bonheur sur ordonnance, La brûlure du chocolat, Derrière la haine, Après la fin. And this will not be the end, because she is working on her newest book ‘L’innocence des bourreaux’. In between her prolific writing career, she still managed to be a recurring host on the Belgian cultural TV program ‘Cinquante degrés nord’.

Jean-Pierre Finotto

Jean-Pierre Finotto starts his career as a dancer for the Ballet of the XX century, where he becomes an assistant to make-up artist Germinal Casado. He leaves the company in search of his dream: to become a professional make-up artist himself. He perfects his training by working for renowned make-up professionals in the film industry. Before starting full time, he has various other jobs such as creating the Caf’conc in the rue des Dominicains in Brussels and leading the make-up team at the Monnaie opera house. Then, in 1986, the Jean-Pierre Finotto Make-Up School finally opens its doors in Brussels. (La Bellone)

Sophie Flamand

Sophie Flamand is well-known for her sharp and mocking style of writing. This journalist and critic is also a great cook. Sometimes you don’t understand why she didn’t try a career as a critic for the Guide Michelin. But her passion for Latin and Germanic languages led her to study Languages & Literature. Her career consisted of a string of different jobs. She started in a big company as an executive, then she became a press attaché, a children’s book writer and finally a comic book screenwriter. Thanks to her passion for the French language, she stages all kind of projects: exhibitions, festivals, performances… Nothing is safe from her talent and energy. But when you ask this strong and independent woman what she loves most in life she will undoubtedly say: “My husband and my three adorable kids!”

30 7th Orbit Competition

III (RUSSIA/GERMANY) A Pavel Khvaleev film Screenplay : Aleksandra Khvaleeva Casting : Polina Davydova, Lyubov Ignatushko, Evgeniy Gagarin Duration : 80 minutes

The two sisters Ayia and Mirra live in a godforsaken village in a remote corner of Mother Russia. The village is quickly losing its inhabitants, not because of the temptations of the big cities, but due to a mysterious and horrible disease that is lethal to everyone. Afraid of contagion, the authorities hermitically shut off the village from the outside world. During this time of complete isolation, Mirra contracts the disease and becomes completely psychotic. To save her sister, Ayia turns to the local priest, who is anything but orthodox. He initiates Mirra in shamanistic rituals and convinces her to penetrate Mirra’s subconscious to expel the demons that torture her. If you’re thinking you’re going to see a Russian version of Under The Dome, you’re completely wrong. III is more closely related to movies such as The Cell and Vanishing Waves, where the exploration of the dark corners of the subconscious and the battle between good and evil are central. III should also be praised for its stunning use of colors, depicting a world that looks like a post-apocalyptic version of a Hieronymus Bosch painting.

DEALER (FRANCE) A Jean-Luc Herbulot film Screenplay : Jean-Luc Herbulot, Samy Baaroun Casting : Dan Bronchinson, Elsa Madeleine, Salem Kali Duration : 75 minutes

Dan Bronchinson has a dream. He want to leave a life of cocaine smuggling behind and settle with his daughter in Australia. But walking the straight and narrow will require quite a bit of money. Dan is close to reaching his goal, but not close enough. Then a client asks him to deliver a kilo of cocaine within 24 hours. It’s the Paris Fashion Week and all the professional anorexics are in need of their pixie dust. The Australian dream is within reach. Dan accepts the deal. This is the start of a downward spiral sucking him back into 24 hours of hell.

31 FANTASTISCHERIE DI UN PASSAGGIATORE SOLITARIO (ITALIA) A Paolo Gaudio film Screenplay : Paolo Gaudio Casting : Alessia Alcati, Angelique Cavalari, Luca Lionello Duration : 87 minutes

Books that were never finished; literature has plenty of them: Kafka’s Amerika, Albert Camus’ The First Man, Hemmingway’s The Garden Of Eden, Robert Musil’s The Man Without Qualities… The title of this movie also refers to a book that was never completed: “Reveries of a Lonely Walker” by the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

FAULTS (USA) A Riley Stearns film Screenplay: Riley Stearns Casting : Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lance Reddick, Leland Orser Duration : 89 minutes

Ansel Roth, a washed out fortysomething, gives a conference speech about sects and the ways in which they manipulate and indoctrinate their members. Once he was a renowned specialist and savior in need for desperate parents. Now he lives from one hotel voucher to another. After the speech, he’s approached by the parents of Claire, a girl who has fallen under the spell of a charismatic cult leader. Ansel sees an opportunity to relive his glory years. He manages to find and save Claire and gets ready to start the deprogramming process. But the girl has learned a thing or two from being in a sect and tries to carry out her own agenda. Who manipulates who?

32 THE INCIDENT (MEXICO) An Isaac Ezban film Screenplay: Isaac Ezban Casting : Humberto Busto, Erik Trinidad Camacho, Magda Brugenheim Duration : 100 minutes

The incident in question is one of the spatial-temporal kind. Two smalltime crooks are being chased by a cop on a stairwell without end. Every day they wake up in the same place where the end is also the beginning. All material objects, beer, cigarettes, snacks… are regenerated at the same spot. Only their bodies are ravaged by time. The trio’s fate is shared by a family who cannot seem to escape from the country road on which they’re driving. Thirty years go by and they’ve given up all hope of escape. Then both groups hear the same explosion and a body turns up.

LES JAUNES (CANADA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Rémi Frechette film Screenplay : Rémi Frechette, David Emont-Ferrat Casting : Pierre-Louis Renaud, Mélissa Merlo, Roch Aubert Duration : 96 minutes

LIZA, THE FOX FAIRY (HUNGARY) A Karoly Meszaros film Screenplay: Karoly Meszaros, Balint Hegedus Casting: Monica Balsai, Szabolcs Bede Fazekas, David Sakurai Duration : 98 minutes

Ever since she was twelve, Liza takes care of Martha, the demanding widow of Japan’s ambassador to Hungary. Lia feels trapped, but on her thirtieth birthday she’s allowed to go on a blind date in her favorite hamburger restaurant. During her absence, the ghost of Toni Tani, a Japanese pop idol from the seventies and Liza’s imaginary friend, murders poor Martha. And she’s just the first of a long line of victims.

33 MISSING PART (ARGENTINA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Galel Maidana film Screenplay : Galel Maidana Casting : Celeste Cid, Guillermo Pfening,, Luis, Ziembrowski Duration : 80 minutes

In The near future, the climate confuses arctic frost with tropical showers. Public services have all but disappeared and technology keeps evolving at breakneck pace. The streets of Buenos Aires are filled with the sounds of sirens from police cars and ambulances. The first are there to smother any kind of protest, while the latter gather up missing body parts. A private detective named Chocler gets a mission from the ravishingly beautiful and mysterious Lucrèce to find a certain Victor. It soon turns out that Victor has put its head in a hornet’s nest. He discovers a strange connection between horse races, genetic experiments and supernatural phenomena that take place at night.

Director Galel Maidana was born in Honduras, but moved to Argentina when he was five years old, just at the time when the country left the military dictatorship behind. You can feel that he’s politically engaged, as his first long feature combines the look of Blade Runner with social and political nightmares.

ONE ON ONE (SOUTH KOREA) A Kim Ki-duk film Screenplay: Kim Ki-duk Casting : Dong-seok Ma, Young-min Kim, Hee-Joong Ju Duration : 122 minutes

We’re still having to recuperate from the shocking and controversial Moebius and festival favorite Kim Ki-Duk already has another film for us in store. One on One is based on a true story. A girl from primary school is brutally murdered in an alley. Enter a strange gang that calls itself the ‘Shadow group’, who go after the seven murder suspects. They shy away from nothing to make the men confess and Kim portrays their violent actions in the smallest detail. Juicy detail: Kim promised a handsome sum of money in The Korean Times to the one who could tell which, by the media completely ignored, news event had inspired One on One.

It’s hard to believe, but this is already Kim Ki-duk’s 20th film. It’s a very committed and hard hitting movie. It’s no coincidence that the phonetic meaning of the name of his main character Min-ju means “democracy”. One on One is Kim’s own version of Stanley Milgram’s notorious experiment. In the end, we’re all like sheep in a flock.

TRUE LOVE WAYS (GERMANY/FRANCE) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Mathieu Seiler film Screenplay : Mathieu Seiler Casting : Anna Ausburg, David C. Bunners, Kai Michael Müller Duration : 95 minutes

Séverine decides, under the influence of a recurring dream, to take some distance from her friend Tom. But he does not want to see her slip away. He makes a deal with a guy he met in a bar. The man will kidnap Séverine, whereupon Tom will intervene to save the day and Séverine’s heart will once again belong to him. Too bad Tom doesn’t know the real intentions of his new friend.

Buddy Holly’s music keeps touching hearts. Swiss director Mathieu Seiler, whose The Outing was presented last year in our 7th Orbit Section, must have had Holly’s song in mind when he realized this meditation on love and death. But we’re certain Holly didn’t have such nightmarish images in mind when he wrote the song. True Love Ways is a haunting erotic thrill-ride shot in timeless black and white images.

34 WORDS WITH GODS (MEXICO/USA) A Guillermo Arriaga, Hector Babenco, Alex de la Iglesia, Bahman Ghobadi, Amos Gitai, Emir Kusturica, Mira Nair, Hideo Nakata, Warwick Thornton film Screenplay : Jorge Guerricaechevarria, Alex de la Iglesia Casting : Démian Bichir, Emir Kusturica, Yael Abecassis Duration : 133 minutes

Who wouldn’t want to have a good conversation with the Gods in these times of doubt and despair? In this anthology, an initiative by the Mexican screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga (who scripted Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu’s trilogy Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel), nine top notch directors start a conversation with the Gods of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and the spirits of nature, exploring an individual's relationship with his/her god or gods...or the lack thereof.

In the director’s chair, we find Guillermo Arriaga himself (who, after a falling out with Iñarritu, started to direct himself, with films such as The Burning Plain), Hector Babanco (whom you know from the classic Kiss of the Spider Woman), Alex de la Iglesia (no introduction necessary at the BIFFF), Bahmin Ghobadi (from the Iranian new wave hits A Time for Drunken Horses and Turtles can Fly), Amos Gitai (Kippur, Free Zone), Emir Kusturica (two time Cannes Palme d’Or winner), Mira Nair (the Indian director of Salaam Bombay and Monsoon Wedding), Hideo Nakata (the godfather of J-Horror) and Warwick Thornton (who won the Cannes Caméra d’Or for Samson & Delilah). Any self-respecting movie-buff should now head straight to the theatre!

35 7th Orbit Jury

Eric De Staercke

Actor, director, scenarist, radio host, improvisator, but also teacher at the I.A.D film school; Eric De Staecke is a true chameleon of the arts. When he isn’t directing Bruno Coppens or Panach’Club, he flies over to Avignon to take part in a play by Jaco Van Dormael. And when that isn’t enough, he stars in movies: Palais Royal, Libre Echange, Angélique Marquise des Anges and recently Le Grimoire d’Arkandias. Hopefully the festival will give him enough energy and things to do!

Stéphane Halleux

After his studies at the Brussels’ Saint-Luc Institute, Stéphane Halleux got his first job in the animation industry, where he worked as a model builder and colorist. After a while he takes a break to work in a storehouse for antiquities. It’s in this world that his passion for making stuff revives. He searches for those perfect objects that he can reuse, combine and connect with other objects with clinical precision to make sculptures that look like something from another planet. Since 2005 he tours the exhibition circuit with his creations: San Diego, Sao Paulo, Oxford, Berlin, Amsterdam, Luxemburg, Paris, Brussels (BIFFF 2010!)… His biggest success till date was last year’s Oscar for Mr Hublot, based on his favorite character!

Valentin Huvenne

After his studies at IHECS and a brief moment working for the newspaper L’Avenir, Valentin Huvenne became an animator at the Maison de la Culture of Tournai. He’s in charge of the arthouse movie and theatre program. When you talk cinema in Tournai, you immediately think about the Ramdam festival where he is a member of the organization. He also does the coordination for the Next festival, an event about living art taking place in three cities: Lille, Courtrai and Tournai. The festival is already at its 7th edition

36 Frederic Jannin

Frederic Jannin is a true cultural hurricane on his own. As a young man, he drew for the weekly comic journal Spirou, under the guidance of his artistic godfathers Franquin and Yvan Delporte. From 1989 he embarks on a new memorable adventure, the Snuls wherein – from Santa Belgica to Hazewee (in Laeken) – the Belgians give everything they have on Canal + Belgique. Later, together with his mate Liberski, he creates the characters of Froud et Stouf for JAADTOLY, combining it with work for the RTBF (radio and television). Besides all that, he finds the time in 2005 to become a Knight in the Order of Leopold!

37 European Competition

ANOTHER FRONTIER (SPAIN) An André Cruz Shiraiwa film Screenplay : André Cruz Shiraiwa, Aurora Sulli Casting : Ariadna Gil, Biel Montoro, Laura Rayon Duration : 95 minutes

Somewhere on the planet, a terrible war rages. Hannah and her son have managed to escape from the bombs, tanks and guns and have arrived at a place where everybody wants to go to: the No Man’s Land. Every refugee tries to get in, because it’s supposed to be a safe place from war and violence. Hannah and her son will soon discover that this place has more in common with Auschwitz than with Disney Land. Only the sun gets up for free, could have been the motto of the creators of No Man’s Land. In order to survive, you have to convince as many TV-viewers as possible. The “participants” are nothing more than easy entertainment for the viewing masses. And the more shocking the struggle to survive, the better. Even the Roman bread & circuses pales next to the No Man’s Land.

AUTOMATA (USA/SPAIN/BULGARIA) A Gabe Ibanez film Screenplay : Gabe Ibanez, Igor Legarreta, Javier Sanchez Donate, Casting : Antonio Banderas, Dylan McDermott, Melanie Griffith Duration: 109 minutes

It’s the middle of the 21st century. Desertification has made most of the planet uninhabitable. What’s left of humanity, a mere 21 million, depends on robots to do the dirty work. Jacq Vaucan is an insurance agent of ROC Robotics Corporation who investigates cases of robots violating their primary protocols against altering themselves. Robots must strictly adhere to these protocols. Jacq discovers that some of them are repairing themselves and leave their posts to go off in the desert. Jacq wants to find out what is causing them to become self-aware, but there’s one man with a grudge against robots who will do everything it takes to destroy them. Their actions will have profound consequences for the future of humanity.

With Automata, Spanish director Gabe Ibanez has created a very unique vision of the future. The set up and the story might be familiar, reminding you of Blade Runner, I Robot or even David Fincher’s Seven, but Ibanez combines all these ideas and blends them into a powerful and moving scifi film with stunning visuals and great performances from Antonio Banderas as Jacq Vaucan (whose name is a homage to the 18century French inventor Jacques Vaucanson, creator of automatons), his ex-wife Melanie Griffith and Dylan McDermott as the bad guy.

BLOOD MOON (UK) A Jeremy Wooding film Screenplay: Alan Wightman Casting : George Blagden, Barrington De La Roche, Tom Cotcher Duration : 90 minutes

Let’s go back to Colorado in 1887. The sky is dominated by a blood red moon. In a typical small town, a number of mysterious characters cross paths, among whom Calhoun (Shaun Dooley), a lone gunslinger. They are captured by a band of outlaws, but after a while they discover a bigger threat that might kill them all: a mythical beasts that only comes out when that pretty moon is red. It’s going to be a long night, with any hope of seeing daylight fading fast. Fans of the TV series Misfits are warned. Shaun Dooley is even more frightening on the big screen than as a probation worker. This horror-western was directed by none other than Jeremy Wooding, known for Magnificent Eleven and the hit series Peep show. He situates the story at the end of the Wild West and infuses it with supernatural powers. Just to be clear; this is not Cowboys & Aliens, but a balanced mix between the best genre elements: The Good, the Bad and the Terrifying!

THE CANAL (UK/IRELAND/USA) An Ivan Kavanaghfilm Screenplay: Ivan Kavanagh Casting : Rupert Evans, Antonia Campbell-Huges, Steve Oram Duration : 92 minutes Distribution : A-film

Film archivist David (Rupert Evans) is having a tough time. He thinks his wife Alice (Hannah Hoekstra) is cheating on him with Alex (Carl Shabaan), one of his clients at work. This doesn’t exactly create positive vibes in their marriage. Then David’s colleague Claire (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) gives him a reel from the archive that shows that the house he and Alice are living in was the setting of a gruesome murder in 1902; a crime of passion that was caused by… suspicion and jealousy. From that moment on, David feels a strange presence in the house. On top of that Alice disappears and the police are pointing to David as the main suspect.

It was the intention of director Ivan Kavanagh to make a visceral and sensuous movie. He has pulled this off with shining colors. This Irish genre gem reminds you of Argento’s Suspiria and, in its tendency for surrealism, of Un Chien Andalou and Lost Highway. We admit that we love to be generous with lofty references, but in this case they’re right on the spot.

39 DANNY’S DOOMSDAY (DENMARK) A Martin Barnewitz film Screenplay : Søren Grinderslev Hansen Casting : William Jhønk Nielsen, Thomas Garvey, Peter Gantzler Duration : 88 minutes

A disaster of apocalyptical proportions strikes during a relentless heatwave. Danny and his younger brother William have not always been able to get along. They live in a quiet little town where nothing ever happens until the day that climate change leads to the impossible. Deadly monsters crawl out of the ocean and start killing everyone. Danny and William find shelter in their basement, without knowing the fate of their parents or friends. Tension is tight like a knife and William uses the moment to lash out against Danny for having never stood up for him all these times that he got bullied at school. Will the brothers repair their damaged relation and survive the end of the world?

THE FORGOTTEN (UK) An Oliver Frampton film Screenplay: Oliver Frampton, James Hall Casting : Clem Tibber, Shaun Dingwall, Elarica Gallacher Duration : 89 minutes

Is Ken Loach a scrip writer’s best friend or are English directors in love with social dramas? In The Forgotten, 14-year old Tommy is having everything but the time of his life. His depressed mum, who fills her days swallowing pills, sends Tommy to his irresponsible and chaotic dad. His never present progenitor doesn’t exactly welcome him with open arms in his dank and humid apartment. While dad is busy stealing the neighborhood blind, Tommy tries to do some homework. So far this sounds like your typical 90ties social drama fare, but, lucky for us, Tommy hears some strange noises from the adjacent apartment. Dad tries to reassure him that he’s all alone in the flat and that there’s no reason to be scared. His advice doesn’t really help, especially when Tommy discovers that all his stuff has changed place.

Oliver Frampton’s first long feature might be a full blooded horror flick, that doesn’t mean that he denounces his roots. Coming from the small screen, he transports his favorite theme of decrepit council flat life from the TV- series The Bill and turns it into creepy social horror.

FROM THE DARK (IRELAND/UK) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Conor McMahon film Screenplay: Conor McMahon Casting : Niamh Algar, Stephen Cromwell Duration : 90 minutes

Sarah and Mark are driving through the Irish countryside when suddenly their car becomes stuck. Stranded without any visible traces of civilization, the couple has no choice but to start walking until they reach the closest residence. After a while, they discover an isolated house with a wounded man inside. When they try to help him, he attacks Sarah and Mark in a psychotic fit. Not long after that, something else starts to attack them as well. Sarah and Mark fight back against the creature, but they soon realize the odds are against them wherever there’s darkness.

Conor MacMahon sang a song on the Bifff stage in 2013 when he came to present his outrageous horror comedy Stitches. This year he’s back with a hair raising piece of survival horror. From The Dark is full of sudden shock moments, brutal scares and a terrifying pitch black atmosphere.

40 GERMAN ANGST (GERMANY) A Jorg Buttgereit, Andreas Marschall & Michal Kosakowski film Screenplay: Jörg Buttgereit, Andreas Marschall, Goran Mimica Casting : Milton Welsh, Annika Strauss, David Masterson Duration : 90 minutes

This horrifying tryptic starts with the story of a girl who’s fascinated by castration and mutilation, a fascination that turns into reality. Next we have a couple of deaf and dumb lovers, exploring an abandoned building. The girl starts telling a fascinating and fantastic story about how her grandmother in Poland survived a raid by an SS death squad. But before she can finish her story, they are interrupted by a gang of neo nazis. The closing piece tells the tale of a photographer, fascinated by a girl he met in a club. She lures him to an exclusive private society where its members indulge in their passions by transgressing the borders of life and pain.

The duo Michael Kosakowski and Andreas Marschall (Tears of Kali, Masks) and Jörg Buttgereit (Nekromantik) pride themselves on being Germany’s most controversial and disturbing directors. And that’s no understatement. German Angst is definitely not for sensitive souls or weak stomachs. Each of the three films is a madly insane, delirious and sadistic exploration of the dark underbelly of Berlin. The tourist office of the German capital couldn’t have wished for a better publicity spot!

SHREW’S NEST (SPAIN/FRANCE) Un film de Juanfer Andres & Esteban Roel Screenplay : Emma Tusell, Sofia Cuenca, Juanfer Andres Casting: Carolina Bang, Silvia Alonso, Jesus Angel Castrodeza Duration : 95 minutes

But that’s just the start. When Montse is under the influence of morphine, she gets visits by their deceased father. And when the handsome upstairs neighbor makes her heart beat faster, she just ties him to her bed. This all results in some deliciously grim situations, because, as we know from Rec., when the Spanish are locked up, things tend to get completely out of hand.

THERAPY FOR A VAMPIRE (AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND) A David Rühm film Screenplay : David Rühm Casting : Tobias Moretti, Jeanette Hain, Cornelia Ivancan Duration : 87 minutes

Vampire count Geza von Kösznöm is lying on Sigmund Freud’s couch because he’s bored of his life and frustrated of the "eternally long" relationship with his wife Elsa, who's constantly complaining about the fact that she's not able to look at herself in the mirror anymore. Freud advises him to hire the services of Victor, a talented young artist, to paint a portrait of his wife. There’s only one problem. Viktor’s girlfriend is the spitting image of Geza’s former mistress, who lost her head at the fall of Constantinople!

The first film of David Rühm (The Escape, El Chico) in 17 years is a wickedly entertaining comedy with a lot of bite. There’s a surprisingly high amount of old fashioned gore and the cast have a lot of fun with their parts. Veteran actor Tobias Moretti (The Dark Valley, TV’s Commissioner Rex) plays the grumpy count Geza. Jeanette Hain (The Reader, The Whistleblower) is countess Elsa and Karl Fischer (Dead in 3 Days) incarnates Sigmund Freud.

42 Méliès Jury

Claude Diouri

Brilliant mind, except when he had to study. Yet he managed to get through primary and high school and obtain degrees in law and film at the University of Paris. But Claude Diouri learned the most from the university of life. He moved between Paris and Brussels and experimented with theater and photography. But even if he was having fun all the time, something was itching; he wanted to start a business… and so he did; in cinema by all means. In his two movie theatres, Styx and the Actor’s Studio, he has shown himself a staunch defender of art-house cinema and Belgian movies. His other passion is writing. In 2012 he published his first novel in Paris: Maintenant tu sais… The second part, Lettres jamais envoyées à mon père, will soon be released.

Pierrette Baillot

Pierrette Baillot graduated in political sciences and international relations and went abroad to work for 13 years in Brazil and Italy. When she came back to Belgium in 1995 she obtained a degree in Human Resources. At that moment she started shifting to new horizons and to new job opportunities in events and arts. In 2010 she followed her passion for cinema to a new level and started working as the boss of the Brussels Film Office (a bureau that helps film crews working on film sets in Brussel).

Thierry de Coster

Writer, director, producer and actor Thierry de Coster has been active in cinema, theatre, radio and television for thirty years. He easily switches between the stage and the screen, between production and writing. He stands in front or behind the camera, hosts prestigious gala nights and records radio shows, Thierry does it all with passion and brings his experience and versatility to this year’s Méliès Jury.

43 Thomas de Thier

After being ejected from a cinema school which name we won’t speak out loud, Thomas de Thier reassures his parents by getting a degree in marketing… which he’ll never use or need. In 1990 he directs his first short feature (Je suis votre voisin), which proves he’s only good for cinema and for cinema alone! Thomas is an avid traveller, making trips to New-Guinea, Canada and many other countries to inspire his movies, such as Les Gens presses sont déjà morts (1998). His latest film was Le Goût des Myrtilles, starring Michel Piccoli.

Filmo : Des Plumes dans la Tête (2003) – Le Goût des Myrtilles (2014)

Elli Mastorou

Elli Mastorou, an adopted Belgian with Greek roots, always loved to steal the show. As a kid, shuttling between Brussels and Athens, she was already into movies; first during theatre class, then when she studied film and literature at the ULB and the University of Nantes. After graduating, she immediately went to work for the written, press (film critic with L’Avenir, Marie-Claire Belgium…), on the internet (film responsible with Alphabetamagazine.com) and on the radio (every Tuesday morning on Radio Campus). She’s a member of the Belgian Film Critics Union (UPCB). Film remains her greatest passion, which she abundantly shares with the people around her.

Matthieu Reynaert

Matthieu Reynaert (Brussels, 1984°), studies direction at the Louvain- la-Neuve based Institut des Arts de Diffusion. He then chooses to become a scriptwriter. Reynaert obtains a Master in film script and analysis at the University of Brussels. The first short feature written by this fantasy and science-fiction loving movie buff, “Juste l’Embrasser” (directed by door Samuel Henry), is awarded with the Special Prize of the Jury at the BIFFF 2007. In 2012 “Our Children” (Official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, Magritte for Best Feature) is released, co- written with director Joachim Lafosse. The duo is preparing a new long feature and a theatre play foreseen for 2016. Reynaert is also a very active script doctor. He has collaborated on some 20 long and short features in Belgium, Switzerland, Québec and Tunisia. His latest script, “Les Survivants”, is being adapted now by director Luc Jabon. He worked as a film critic from 2003 till 2008 for Cinergie.be and from 2008 till 2011 for Vif/L’Express. Matthieu Reynaert is also an occasional contributor to ActionCut.be. He’s member of the UPCB.

44 International Competition

THE BLUE ELEPHANT (EGYPT) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Marwan Hamed film Screenplay: Ahmed Mourad Casting : Karim Abdel Aziz, Nelly Karim, Khaled El Sawi Duration : 170 minutes

Five years after the death of his wife and daughter, psychiatrist Yehia thinks about stopping with treating the mentally ill. He drowns his grief in whisky and doesn’t bother to turn up at work. His boss wants to shake him out of his stupor and puts him to the choice: either stop completely or start working in prison with mentally disturbed heavy criminals. Yehia goes for the job and runs into a familiar face. Sherif was one of his best friends from high school and is suspected of having violently raped and murdered his wife. It is said he’s faking his illness to avoid the firing squad. But Yehia thinks it’s anything but normal that Sherif only speaks in riddles and mathematical formulas. He starts to dig deeper into the case.

It’s not every day that you get to see an Egyptian thriller with fantastic undertones. The Blue Elephant is a rock solid cinematic ride that, in very intelligent ways, breaks lots of taboos in the Arab word. Add to that the sumptuous imagery of director Marwan Hamed and the intense performance of the ravishing Nelly Karim, and you get a highly recommended viewing experience.

THE DEAD LANDS (NEW ZEALAND) A Toa Fraser film Screenplay : Glenn Standring Casting : Lawrence Makoare, James Rolleston, Te Kohe Tuhaka Duration : 109 minutes Distribution : Remain In Light

After his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery, Hongi, a Maori chieftain's teenage son, must avenge his father's murder in order to bring peace and honor to the souls of his loved ones. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains, Hongi's only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden Dead Lands and forge an uneasy alliance with the mysterious “Warrior”, a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years.

The Dead Lands gives a truly unique and (lucky for us) deliciously violent look on Maori culture long before Captain Cook started to put his meddlesome big nose in the affairs of the fiercely tattooed warriors from what was to become New Zealand. It’s the first film to highlight Mau Rakau, the traditional Maori martial art fighting style. Our young protagonist will learn the hard way how violence, vengeance, leadership and social standing are intertwined in this unique, epic and visually impressive film.

45 EVERLY (USA) A Joe Lynch film Screenplay : Joe Lynch, Yale Hannon Casting : Salma Hayek, Jennifer Blanc, Uros Certic Duration : 92 minutes

Everly has been violently gang-raped in her apartment by thugs sent by her ex-boyfriend, a mob boss. She wants nothing more than to die and leave all this pain and suffering behind. She is beaten, but not broken. Her mother and daughter are still alive and need to be moved out of there. Before she goes out with a bang, she’ll try to kill each and every one in her path until she secures the safety of her loved ones. Only then will her attackers be able to steal her last breath.

FRANKENSTEIN (USA) WORLD PREMIERE A Bernard Rose Film Screenplay: Bernard Rose Casting: Carrie-Anne Moss, Xavier Samuel, Dany Huston Duration: 89 minutes

This latest adaptation of Mary Shelley’s immortal classic is set in present day Los Angeles and is told entirely from the perspective of the Monster, who’s called Adam. After he is artificially created with a revolutionary 3D printer by Elizabeth and Victor Frankenstein, a husband-and-wife team of eccentric scientists, Adam is left for dead by his creators. He is confronted with nothing but aggression and violence from the world around him. This perfect creation-turned disfigured monster must come to grips with the horrific nature of humanity.

Bernard Rose, the director of Paperhouse (Golden Raven Bifff 1990) and Candyman (Bifff 1993) returns to Brussels with a truly original version of the famous horror tale that is an existential roller coaster that is both emotional and terrifying. While older versions of Frankenstein have focused on reanimating the dead, this movie explores creating life from nothing, just as Mary Shelley originally imagined. Bernard Rose’s Frankenstein can count on a terrific cast, led by Xavier Samuel (Adore, Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Fury) as Adam and with Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix Trilogy) and Danny Huston (American Horror Story: Coven, Big Eyes) as Elizabeth and Victor Frankenstein, and Tony Todd (Candyman) as their assistant Eddie. Special effects are courtesy of Randy Westgate (X-Men Origins: Wolverine).

GOODNIGHT MOMMY (AUSTRIA) A Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz film Screenplay : Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz Casting : Suzanne Wuest, Elias Schwarz, Lukas Schwarz Duration : 99 minutes Distribution : September films

A mother returns from hospital with her head covered in bandages. She demands total silence from her two sons, who are identical twins. No sunlight is allowed into the house. Only one of the brothers may eat. The other one gets nothing. They’re not allowed to have contact with each other. Their house becomes a prison, a hospital, a breeding ground for madness and trauma.

There must be something strange in the Austrian air. They regularly produce chillingly frightening art-house movies that take you on a demonic sightseeing trip through the vile sewers of the human soul. Everybody knows Michael Haneke’s vicious dissections of humanity. But there’s also Michaël by Markus Shleinzer, who exposed us to the inner world of a pedophile. And the movies of Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days, Import/Export, the Paradise trilogy) always take you to places you’ve never wanted to go to. All these movies show a kind of horror that can’t be laughed away, that profoundly disturbs and confronts because it is rooted in grim reality. Goodnight Mommy, by Severin Fiala en Veronika Franz (who happens to be the co-writer of Ulrich Seidl’s films) is a brilliant addition to these “horrors of the human psyche” tradition.

THE GREAT HYPNOTIST (CHINA) A Leste Chen film Screenplay : Leste Chen, Ren Peng Casting : Jing Hu, Zong Lü, Karen Mok Duration : 104 minutes

‘I See Dead People’ Asian style, could be the tagline for his slick and stylish ghost flick. Doctor Xu, a renowned psychoanalyst and a big fan of hypnotherapy, meets his biggest professional challenge yet. His new patient is the stunningly beautiful, but incurably ill Ren, a woman who has spent more time on a therapist’s couch than in her own bed. His hypnotherapy sessions turn into otherworldly experiences, where seeing the death becomes as usual as breathing. Things take a bizarre turn when the doctor finds out he also has ghosts hovering around him.

Leste Chen is known for the box office hit Say Yes, a fine and delicate comedy. But his latest feature marks a return to his first love: directing blood curdling horror films like The Heirloom (2005). The Great Hypnotist is an intriguing ghostly whodunit, benefiting from a strong script and fine performances by leading lady Karen Mok (Shaolin Soccer, Man of Tai Chi) as Ren and Zheng Xu (No Man’s Land, Lost in Thailand) as Doctor Xu.

GREATFUL DEAD (JAPAN) An Eiji Uchida film Screenplay : Eiji Uchida, Etsuo Hiratani Casting: Itsuji Itao, Kkobbi Kim, Aira Duration : 97 minutes

Nami is a very independent young girl who has survived her rough and loveless childhood by developing a bizarre hobby: the observation of solitary old people. During one of her spying sessions, she becomes fascinated by an old and very grumpy porn addict. Unfortunately for Nami, he doesn’t stay lonesome and unbearable for long. The man finds solace and joy in a religious community. Once again he walks around happily, reconnects with his family and makes new friends. But Nami is not about to let that go on for long.

The best description for Greatful Dead would be a new version of Takashi Miike’s The Audition. It starts as a bizarre Japanese comedy, but then becomes ever more dark and obscene. If you like your humor weird, love to discuss social problems and like to see cute girls completely loose it, then Greatful Dead might be something for you. Brace yourself for a horrific dramedy that will make you squirm in your seat, starring Itsuji Itao (Tokyo Gore Police) and Hôka Kinoshita (Ichi The Killer).

HELLMOUTH (CANADA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A John Geddes film Screenplay:Tony Burgess Casting : Stephen McHattie, Siobhan Murphy, Boyd Banks Duration : 95 minutes

With a tumor gnawing at his brain, Charlie Baker dreams of only one thing: to spend his last days under the Florida sun and get the hell away from everything that’s rotting under his feet. And that’s only logical, because Charlie is a gravekeeper. But his boss wants to lengthen his suffering with another six month by sending him to another necropolis whose gravedigger in chief died in mysterious circumstances. If Charlie wants to receive full retirement benefits, he has no other choice than to accept his last assignment. When he moves into his new city of the dead, Charlie discovers that it’s not just his predecessor that passed away. Every guardian of this place went completely psychotic after a while and became more than eager to join the legion of the dead. You see, this is not an ordinary cemetery. This is nothing less than the Hellmouth, the gates to the underworld, and it has special plans for Charlie.

Hellmouth is a stunning, spectacular ode to classic horror and fantasy, with its unique neo-retro look blending Sin City with German expressionism. And it comes from none other than director John Geddes (Exit Humanity) and the scriptwriter and lead actor of Pontypool (Bifff 2010): Tony Burgess and Stephen Mc Hattie.

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME (VENEZUELA) An Alejandro Hidalgo film Screenplay : Alejandro Hidalgo Casting : Rosmel Bustamante, Adriana Calzadilla, Simona Chirinos Duration : 101 minutes

One day Dulce, a great performance by ex-Miss World Ruddy Rodriguez, is accused of killing her husband and children in their house. Thirty years later she gets released and immediately starts to investigate what really happened. Belief, fate and the notion of time get mixed up in a mysterious, intangible puzzle. You’ll be at the edge of our seats, watching each plot change with awe and fascination.

THE INFINITE MAN (AUSTRALIA) A Hugh Sullivan film Screeplay : Hugh Sullivan Casting : Josh McConville, Hannah Marshall, Alex Dimitriades Duration : 85 minutes

Dean, a not very successful and anxious scientist, prepares to celebrate his first kiss with his girlfriend Lana. Being a control freak, he manically recreates the same date as the year before. The same hotel, the same clothes, the same hour… At 13.54 they drink a glass of Champaign. At 14.02 their lips touch for the first time and at 14.08 it’s time for making whoopee. Everything should run perfectly to plan, but it’s exactly the opposite that takes place. The hotel looks more like a set from Mad Max 4 than a romantic dating spot. Lana is less than pleased with the proceedings and when her cocksure athletic previous beau shows up with a package of condoms and the conviction to use them all, he even gets away with it… and with Dean’s girl. There’s only one thing he can do: build a time travel machine to save his relationship. But messing with time is never without risk. Dean opens doors out of which several versions of himself pop up. Sometimes they’re alone, sometimes there are more of them, they try to steal Lana from Dean nr.1 or go for something completely else. We can only hope that something beautiful will grow out of this temporal chaos.

THE MIDNIGHT AFTER (HONG KONG/CHINE) A Fruit Chan film Screenplay : Fruit Chan, Fai-Hung Chan Casting : Simon Yam, Janice Man, You-Nam Wong Duration: 124 minutes

Hong Kong is not a small city. And with its seven million inhabitants, you can be sure that it’s a city that never sleeps. Crowded nightly escapades are part of the DNA of this megalopolis. But for 17 night bus passengers, their trip through Hong Kong turns into a surreal nightmare. They’re driving through a ghost town. The streets are completely deserted. There’s no sign of life anywhere to be seen. The wildest theories are popping up: Fukushima 2, everybody’s at home playing Farmville, it’s the end of the world and they forgot to tell us? Our passengers are having a massive freak out. And it gets worse when their cell phones all start to vibrate at the same time. At the other end of the line thousands of voices crying out for help…

Fruit Chan has already collaborated with some big names in horror and thriller. In 2005 we screened Three, Extremes, directed by Takashi Miike, Chan-wook Park… and Fruit Chan. The Midnight After is based on a popular manga and masterfully plays both horror and comedy nerves. We’re already labelling this movie as cult. Wanna bet you’ll agree with us after the screening?

THE RETURNED (ARGENTINA) An Ivan Noel film Screenplay : Ivan Noel Casting : Valentina Sartorelli, Juan Ignacio Molina, Laura Veron Duration : 95 minutes

Somewhere deep in the heartlands of Argentina, in a small town where the Nazi’s used to run a hospital that experimented on children, two boys and a girl return after they went missing for a day. Their parents should breathe a huge sigh of relief, but the kids are dirty and naked and do not utter a single word. Two have them have been horribly mutilated. Inspector Cohen is sent from the big city to the town to find out what happened. It turns out that a lot of the inhabitants have done things that do not bear the scrutiny of daylight. Cohen’s main suspect is the children’s teacher, who tells him that the kids have actually been murdered

Ivan Noel is a self-taught director known for his guerilla style movies that he always put on the internet for everyone to see. He soon got noticed by the festival circuit because of his consistent body of work that often deals with moral dilemmas and the psychology of children. His dramaturgy is as macabre as it is poetic. The Returned is like a Latin-American version of Les Revenants with a poignant social-political undercurrent.

SPRING (USA/ITALY) A Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead film Screenplay : Justin Benson Casting : Lou Taylor Pucci, Nadia Hilker, Vanessa Bednar Duration : 109 minutes

The beginning of Spring might remind you of Richard Linklater’s Before-trilogy. Just like in Before Sunset, Before Sunrise and Before Midnight, Spring treats us to catchy dialogues about relationships, life, love and dead. Our two star crossed protagonists are the American Evan who, after the death of his mother, is bagpacking his way through Italy, and Louise, a ravishing art restorer whom he runs into in a picturesque town on the seaside. The surroundings are gorgeous and there’s heat and passion in the air. There’s only one thing that might stop their romance from blossoming. Whenever the moon is full in the sky, Louise falls prey to some strange transformations.

Fans of Jacques Tourneur’s Cat People or Paul Shraders remake are in for a treat. The latest movie from Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Resolution, V/H/S Viral) is a unique genre hybrid in which all fantastic and horrific elements are at the service of the dramatic development of the protagonists. Their boldness got rewarded with numerous festival selections, raving reviews and awards. Spring will sweep you away and will leave you gasping for air, especially when you first lay eyes on the delicious Nadia Hilker as Louise.

STARRY EYES (USA/BELGIUM) A Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmeyer film Screenplay: Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmeyer Casting : Alex Essoe, Amanda Fuller, Noah Segan Duration : 98 minutes

In Maps To The Stars Cronenberg painted a picture of Hollywood on the edge of the abyss. We saw the destructive way in which stars dealt with the world around them. In Starry Eyes, directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer show us the reverse side of the medal. Sarah is a naive aspiring actress who hopes to make it big in Tinseltown without any horizontal casting sessions with producers. After one failed audition too many, something breaks in Sarah. And her meltdown provides the key to success. Actors with a screw loose go far in Hollywood, but Sarah takes another path to onscreen glory, one that is littered with corpses.

This remarkable project got off the ground thanks to the Kickstarter platform; an online site where you can invest in games, music and movies. A clever promo campaign and a tight pitch provided Starry Eyes with the necessary funding and the end result is creating quite a stir on the festival circuit. Most of us are not prepared to go all the way to make it, but Sarah does. And it’ll make you shiver and shake.

51 Out of Competition

EL ARDOR (ARGENTINA/MEXICO/BRAZIL) A Pablo Fendrick film Screenplay: Pablo Fendrick Casting: Gael Garcia Bernal, Alice Braga, Jorge Sesan Duration: 110 minutes

Even though he’s surrounded by puma’s, anacondas, jaguars and other lethal creatures, there’s only one species that the farmer of Rio Preama in Argentina fears the most: man. The large landowners may claim that they have their best interests at heart, behind the scenes they’ve got some shady individuals to “negotiate” with the last independent farmers. They use tried and tested methods such as harassment, rape, arson, murder… But there’s one man who doesn’t allow himself to be intimidated. His name is Vania and he’s a tobacco farmer. The thugs don’t know what they’re in for, because the jungle is Vania’s playground where he determines the rules.

This modern western with eye-catching landscapes that could come straight out of a Terrence Malick movie, tells a shocking tale that’s unfortunately daily reality for many small farmers in the rainforest. El Ardor premiered at the 2014 Cannes film festival and benefits from a great cast, led by Gael Garcia Bernal (Amores Perros, Babel) and Alice Braga (I Am Legend, Elysium) who take up the age-old fight of David against Goliath.

AT THE DEVIL’S DOOR (USA) A Nicholas McCarthy film Screenplay: Nicholas McCarthy Casting: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Naya Rivera, Mark Steger Duration: 91 minutes Distribution: A-Film

When ambitious young real estate agent Leigh is asked to sell a house with a checkered past, she crosses paths with a disturbed girl whom she learns is the runaway daughter of the couple selling the property. When Leigh tries to intervene and help her, she becomes entangled with a supernatural force that soon pulls Leigh's artist sister Vera into its web and has sinister plans for both of them.

Director Nicolas McCarthy, who already proved he had a talent for horror and suspense with his debut feature The Pact, has woven some cinematic satanic verses in a compact and multilayered horror ride. He puts some well fleshed out, complex characters on the screen in this highly atmospheric tale of demonic temptation.

THE BABADOOK (AUSTRALIA) A Jennifer Kent film Screenplay: Jennifer Kent Casting: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Hensall Duration: 93 minutes Distribution: A-Film

After the death of her husband, Amelia has to raise her seven-year old son by herself. He’s a nice kid, but very frightened for the monsters under his bed. It could be the product of an overactive imagination, but he might also be right! Then Amelia finds a book on her doorstep with as title ‘Mister Babadook’. To soothe her son’s fears, she starts reading the book to him. It’s then that the character of Mr. Babadook becomes ever more real. He starts to manifest himself in the house and even strikes a deal with the monsters under the bed. Amelia has to destroy the book before it destroys them. The Babadook already gathered 33 awards worldwide. William Friedkin himself called it “one of the most frightening films ever.” No wonder that director Jennifer Kent’s debut feature was met with unanimous public and critical acclaim.

BORN TO DIE (ARGENTINA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE An Andrés Borghi film Screenplay: Andrés Borghi Casting: Leandro Coccaro, Vanina Balena, Nicolas Stilman Duration: 100 minutes

This is not an adaptation of a Lana Del Rey album, but both contain very spicy subject matter. Almost all the employees of a spicy sauce factory are slaughtered. Responsible for this drama: hitman Victor Patibulo, notorious for sucking on a pacifier ever since his favorite poodle got killed. One body is absent among the dead: big boss Heraclito, who had just created a revolutionary new sauce. Is there a connection? There’s only one man who’ll be able to find out: the handsome, strong and clever Marcello Risk, star of the anti- terrorism unit K.K.D.B.B. Together with his sidekick, Guadalajara Man, big fan of martial arts and bananas, he’ll try to solve the mystery. But there are many weird and wonderful enemies on their path, their boss is mind-bogglingly dumb and their residential science genius hasn’t eaten in weeks. Cutbacks, you know!

CHARLIE’S FARM (AUSTRALIA) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Chris Sun film Screenplay: Chris Sun Casting: Tara Reid, Nathan Jones, Kane Hodder Duration: 88 minutes

Bored with not much to do, Jason, Donkey, Natasha and Melanie head out to Charlie’s farm for the weekend. They want to explore the urban legend of a psycho killer, Charlie, whose parents were murdered by a vengeful mob accusing the couple of terrible doings towards backpackers working the farm. It’s not long into the group’s trip when we’re introduced to Charlie. And he’s hell bent on continuing the family tradition and killing the intruders in the most violent ways imaginable.

53 THE COBBLER (USA) A Thomas McCarthy film Screenplay: Thomas McCarthy, Paul Sado Casting: Adam Sandler, Steve Buscemi, Dustin Hoffman Duration: 99 minutes Distribution: Remain In Light

Max Simkin is a frustrated middle aged man running a shoe repair business that has been in his family for generations and which he had to take over when his dad skipped town, leaving him to care for his sick mother. Max is not the most social human being and does not pay much attention to a rich developers attempt to turn New York’s Lower East Side in a hipsters paradise. Then one day he stumbles upon a magical heirloom that literally allows him to step into someone else’s shoes, take on their appearance and see the world through their eyes.

DEADMAN INFERNO (JAPAN) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Hiroshi Shinagawa film Screenplay: Hiroshi Shinagawa Casting: Yôsuze Kubozuka, Shunsuke Kazama, Shô Aikawa Duration: 108 minutes

Deadman Inferno starts as a hard boiled yakuza movie, with two gangs battling it out in the rain. Ten years after the fight, the boss of the Munakata-gumi gang goes to pick up his loyal lieutenant from prison. The guy took a bullet for him, so the boss kept an eye on his wife and daughter while he was doing time. But daughter dearest had to choose the day of her dad’s release to skip classes and have fun with her best friend on Zeni island. Very bad timing indeed, because the island falls prey to a zombie epidemic. Her dad has to come to the rescue. But the undead are not their only worry. The gang’s bitter rivals, who still have a score to settle with the Munakata-gumi, are also on the island.

54 EAT (USA) A Jimmy Weber film Screenplay: Jimmy Weber Casting: Elena Chin, Robin Ashley Dennis, Mindy Faulkner Duration: 92 minutes

Very friendly and very blonde Novella wants to make it big in Hollywood. But she only meets rejection and disappointment, leading to a unique gastronomic psychosis in which Novella starts devouring pieces of her own body. To top it all, she starts a relationship with her shrink. And what he would love to sink his teeth into, you’ll find out in this deliciously bloody and psychedelic splatter fest. Cooking is all the rage now. Especially for the gourmets among us, director Jimmy Weber has concocted an enticing recipe: autophagy, or in other words take a bite out of yourself. It doesn’t always have to be the others to appreciate a slice of meat from your body!

THE EDITOR (CANADA) An Adam Brooks & Matthew Kennedy film Screenplay: Matthew Kennedy, Conor Sweeney Casting: Paz De La Huerta, Udo Kier, Tristan Risk Duration: 95 minutes

Imagine you’re the editor of an Italian giallo movie in the eighties and real murders, accompanied by weird bloody somethings, are taking place on the set. The Canadian The Editor not only gives us a fascinating insight on the set of a typical giallo Ð almost like the making of an imaginary movie Ð it’s also a loving homage to this terrific and typically Italian genre.

EXTRATERRESTRIAL (USA) A Colin Minihan film Screenplay: Colin Minihan, Stuart Ortiz Casting: Brittany Allen, Freddie Stroma, Melanie Papalia Duration: 101 minutes

A bunch of young people are going to party for a weekend in the woods. Sounds familiar? Are you waiting for the maniac with the axe? Don’t worry. The threat comes from above. After a few very bloody abductions, our heroes realize that the aliens will not stop before they are all anally probed to death. The cat and mouse game can start and there can be only one survivor. If you wanted to describe the atmosphere of Extraterrestrial, you could say it’s a combination of the themes from Signs and Steven Spielberg’s War Of the Worlds, mixed with the tension of a David-Fincher-on-acid. This sci-fi slasher gives a crash-course of what people are going through when they’re picked up by those “friendly” lights in the sky. Extraterrestrial is the latest directorial effort from the Vicious Brothers. They made their mark with Grave Encounters, a true antidote to any Paranormal Activity related franchises. Just to say that these guys know something about rhythm, tension and the art of found footage.

55 HOLLOW (VIETNAM) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Ham Tran film Screenplay: Ham Tran Casting: Kieu Chinh, Jayvee Mai The Hiep, Nguyen Hong An Duration: 99 minutes

Ai, a 6 year old girl, falls into a river and drowns. One week later, her uncle Thuc, a police captain, travels to a remote village to claim her corpse, only to find that the girl is very much alive. He brings her home, but does not tell her mother and stepfather that she was found dead. And it soon starts to show that Ai is not the girl she used to be. She begins to manifest strange powers. When her parents take her to a medium, she tells them that she’s possessed by the spirit of a lost soul. Her sister Chi feels guilty; as she was supposed to watch over Ai on the day she drowned. She goes to the village where Ai was found and makes a shocking discovery.

Saigon-born, US-raised director Ham Tran turns to horror for his third feature, a stylish ghost story that was one of last year’s biggest box office successes in Vietnam. Ham sustains a constant sense of threat in the film, turning it from a supernatural story into something much darker socially, presenting us with a relevant and gripping horror tale.

INFINI (AUSTRALIA) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Shane Abbess film Screenplay: Shane Abbess, Brian Cachia Casting: Daniel MacPherson, Grace Huang, Luke Hemsworth Duration : 110 minutes

It’s the 23rd century. Our planet is plagued with pollution, poverty and overpopulation. A teleportation system, which compresses time and space, allows people to be “sent” from one part of the galaxy to another. On distant stations circling faraway asteroids and planets, people work in dangerous circumstances to extract precious resources. When something goes wrong, special intervention teams are sent to the trouble spot. When one of these teams returns covered in blood and completely psychotic from Infini, the most faraway station known to man, another teams is sent to the mining site to discover what’s going on.

Australian Director Shane Abbess, who has collaborated on films such as Source Code, Crawlspace (Bifff 2013) and John Doe: Vigilante (Bifff 2014), has realized his dream project. He has created a dark and grim science fiction movie that is a true homage to the scifi films from 30 years ago, when classics such as Blade Runner, Alien and The Thing transgressed visual and thematic borders.

THE INNOCENTS (ARGENTINA) WORLD PREMIERE A Mauricio Brunetti film Screenplay: Mauricio Brunetti, Andres Gelos, Natacha Caravia Casting: Lito Cruz, Ludovico Di Santo, Sabrina Garciarena Duration: 90 minutes

19th century Argentina. After having had to leave the country fifteen years ago, prodigal son Rodrigo finally returns to the family farm in Mercedaria to introduce his wife Bianca to his parents. He’s not really looking forward to this family reunion. His youth was spent working with the slaves on the farm who were treated without mercy by his parents. His father regularly abused the female slaves, while his mother even burned one alive to save the family honor. It’s time for some ghostly revenge and this happens to coincide with Rodrigo’s return.

56 LA ISLA MINIMA (SPAIN) An Alberto Rodriguez film Screenplay : Alberto Rodriguez, Rafael Cobos Casting :Raul Arevaro, Antonio de la Torre Duration :105 minutes Distribution : Cinéart Nerea Barros

It’s 1980. Spain has just emerged from the Franco dictatorship and is adapting to democracy. Two cops, veteran detective Pedro and the idealist Juan are sent from Madrid to a small town in the Andalusian swamps, where two teenage girls have gone missing. It soon becomes clear that the town is still living in the past and is not much concerned about some missing girls who had a reputation of being “easy”. The two policemen have conflicting personalities. Pedro is eager to get back to the capital to start reforming the police force, while Juan loves womanizing, strong handling people and accepting bribes. When it turns out that a serial killer is haunting the marshlands, they’ll have to bury their differences to catch the killer before he strikes again.

La Isla Mínima was last year’s big winner at the Goya’s (The Spanish Oscars), receiving no less than 10 Prizes. Director Alberto Rodriguez (Unit 7) shot the film on location in the marshlands of Guadalquivir. Its atmosphere can only be compared to that of True Detective and the darkest David Fincher movies. The leads are played by actors we love to see at the BIFFF: Raul Arevalo (Ghost Graduation), Javier Gutiérrez (Ferpect Crime) and Antonio de la Torre (Balada Triste de Trompeta, Cannibal, Neon Flesh).

Jorge and Alberto are two wizards in Buenos Aires. One works as an assistant in a courthouse, while another is pining for his magical glory days. During their weekly ritual, they discover that Saturn has turned, which mostly means much mayhem and doom. They are proven right, when Argentina’s president storms in and asks Jorge and Alberto to save her daughter from the clutches of Judge Fayo, a man who wants to achieve the triumph of neoliberalism. During their search for the girl, Jorge and Alberto will have to deal with demons from another dimension. And that all before midnight! Time to dust off their magic tricks, because the fate of the world is at stake!

57 LATE PHASES (USA) An Adrian Garcia Bogliano film Screenplay: Eric Stolze Casting: Nick Damici, Ethan Embry, Lance Guest Duration: 95 minutes

Getting old is not for everybody, but some people are cut out of sterner stuff than othersAmbrose McKinley, a blind Vietnam vet, and his loyal dog Shadow are the newest residents of Crescent Bay, a squeaky clean and sterile community for the elderly. The lawns are cut to perfection; you could eat of the ground, grannies gang up on Sundays to bake muffins… It’s a perfect little waiting room for the soon to be deceased. But Ambrose misses the action. Luckily there are rumors about a wild lynx on the premises that make the hearts and pacemakers of the residents beat faster. One evening Ambrose stumbles upon the leftovers from the latest meal of the so-called lynx. They’re the remains of an old lady and of his only friend in the world; Shadow. The police do not believe his story because a blind man is not actually a very reliable source of information. Ambrose’s mind is made up. He will use his last days to get rid of that beast once and for all.

You’ve probably understood what our hero is dealing with. The villain of Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s first American film is a true horror classic; the werewolf. And the director of I’ll Never Die Alone and Here Comes The Devil has surrounded himself with some very good company: Nick Damici (Stakeland, We Are What We Are, Cold In July) as Ambrose and Robert Kurtzman, the legendary sfx artist of Army of Darkness, Bubba Ho- Tep, From Dusk Till Dawn and many others.

LIFE AFTER BETH (USA) A Jeff Baena film Screenplay: Jeff Baena Casting: Dane DeHaan, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly Duration: 89 minutes

Everybody has suffered a broken heart at least once in his life. This happened with Zach when his beloved Beth abandoned him because she wanted to explore new horizons. And it happened the second time when she got mortally bit by a poisonous snake. No better shoulders to cry your heart out on than those of Beth’s parents. And their homegrown weed also helps to get through the mourning period. Zach probably thought that he had smoked too much of the holy herb when suddenly Beth stands before him, alive and well. Even better; she’s totally crazy about him and can’t get enough of Zach between the sheets. He’s having the time of his life, even when Beth starts to feels a sudden craving to eat her dad. If you’re exploring new horizons, you’re bound to pick up a new thing or two, right?

58 LOST SOUL – THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (USA/UK) A David Gregory film Casting: Fairuza Balk, Hugh Dickson, Oli Dickson Duration: 97 minutes

After the success of Hardware and Dust Devil, Richard Stanley gets the chance to realize his dream project; an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic The Island Of Dr Moreau. He hopes to direct a very personal, eccentric and daring movie. Unfortunately it’s impossible to make something like that in Hollywood without dancing with the devil. The shooting is a hellish ordeal. Stanley faces censorship, a storm destroys the set and the colossal egos of Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer crash with each other. Stanley gets replaced by John Frankenheimer, someone who’s more pliable to the wishes of the studio execs, and is banned from the set. Disguised as one of Dr. Moreau’s creatures, he infiltrates the shooting and is a first row witness of how his dream falls apart.

Lost Soul is a documentary about a movie that never was, at least not the way its director intended it to be. Like previous movies about the same subject (Lost in La Mancha, Jodorowsky’s Dune), this is a film about a director who goes through big studio hell. As often, it’s the story of one man against the machine. Lost Soul is a fascinating and riveting tale about a modern day Don Quixote.

LUPIN THE THIRD (JAPAN) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Ryuhei Kitamura film Screenplay: Monkey Punch, Mataichiro Yamamoto, Ryuhei Kitamura, Joey O’Bryan Casting: Tadanobu Asano, Vithaya Pansringarm, Yayaying Rhatha Phongam Duration: 133 minutes

In this Japanese hybrid of Ocean Eleven and The Italian Job, our favorite “best thief in the world” ends up in a series of highly sophisticated thefts, intricate conspiracies and dazzling slapstick spectaculars. Lupin will have to find his way into the most secured vault on the planet to steal “Cleopatra’s Heart”. What follows is a breathtaking adventure that perfectly captures the tone, atmosphere and spirit of Lupin.

59 MEXICO BARBARO (MEXICO) An Izaac Ezban, Laurette Flores Born, Jorge Michel Grau, Ulises Guzman, Edgar Nito, Lex Ortega, Gigi Saul Guerrero & Aaron Soto film Screenplay: Izaac Ezban, Laurette Flores Born, Jorge Michel Grau, Paul Riqué, Lex Ortega, Gigi Saul Guerrero & Aaron Soto Casting: Dulce Alexa, Sara Camacho, Lorena Gonzalez Duration: 109 minutes

One short plunges headlong in the violence the Aztecs were notorious for. Another one pays homage to a Mexican horror legend. The third one mixes child kidnapping with illegal organ trafficking. Some films are grounded in fantasy, other are grounded in grim reality. There’s a parody on American horror cinema. One has pitch perfect production design, another is pure grindcore. In short, this is one heartily stuffed bloody burrito we’d love to bite in.

MONSTERZ (JAPAN) A Hideo Nakata film Screenplay: Min-suk Kim, Yûsuke Watanabe Casting: Mina Fujii, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Satomi Hishihara Duration:: 112 minutes

Some people are born with a harelip, other with a birthmark, but this child was born with a demonic power that would give the Children of the Corn a run for their money. With his eyes he can control people’s minds and even drive them to suicide. This power makes him master of the world, robbing banks in seconds and killing everyone that stands in his way. Then, one day, he runs into Shuichi, who’s completely immune to his power. Luckily this anomaly seems to be short-lived, as Shuichi gets run over by a truck. Or is it? Because where there’s a Ying, there’s a Yang. Shuichi returns and he’s dead-set on stopping him once and for all.

Everybody who knows their J-Horror, will rejoice when hearing that Hideo Nakata has helmed this feature. The master of contemporary horror (Ringu, Dark Water…) mixes themes from his earliest work with that of his later films (Death Note, Chatroom). The bad guy is none other than Tatsuya Fujiwari (Battle Royale, Death Note), while his opponent is a part of Takayuki Yamada (13 Assassins, Gantz). You’d better brace yourselves, because after Monsterz, you’ll never look at the Grand Theatre of the Bifff in the same way!

60 THE NINJA WAR OF TORAKAGE (JAPAN) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A Yoshihiro Nishimura film Screenplay: Jun Tsugita, Yoshihiro Nishimura Casting: Yuria Haga, Tatsuki Ishikawa, Ryohei Kuroyanagi Duration: 94 minutes

Retired from ninja duty, Torakage lives a peaceful life in a small village with his wife and son. One day, Torakage’s son is kidnapped by his former master in an attempt to force him to break into a nearby castle and steal the Gold Scroll, the counterpart to her Silver Scroll, the two of which when brought together point the way to a vast treasure. Having no choice, Torakage and his wife sneak into the castle. However, their plan goes awry and the two are caught and turned over to the evil lord. Now, with his wife a hostage of the lord, Torakage must bring him the Silver Scroll held by his former master or forfeit her life! Utilizing weaponry crafted by an eccentric inventor, Torakage takes on both sides and plays them and their ninja armies off each other in the hope of saving his family.

PARTS PER BILLION (USA) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Brian Horiuchi film Screenplay: Brian Horiuchi Casting: Frank Langella, Gena Rowlands, Rosario Dawson Duration: 98 minutes Distribution : A-Film

You might not think it, but many films at the Bifff lend themselves perfectly to philosophical discussions about the meaning of life. Take the tagline from Parts per Billion: “If the world ends, will love survive?” It starts with a disaster. An unstoppable virus is decimating the planet’s population. The six protagonists of the film, three couples whose intertwined stories are related to the big question posed by the film, make up the balance of their lives and relationships while the End of Everything approaches. But are they just innocent victims of the impending catastrophe, or is there something else going on?

61 ROARING CURRENTS (SOUTH KOREA) A Han-min Kim film Screenplay: Han-min Kim, Cheol-Hong Jeon Casting: Min-sik Choi, Ryu Seung Ryong, Jin-woong Jo Duration: 126 minutes

Roaring Currents is the spectacular adaptation of the most important sea battle in Korean history, led by Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Despite his impressive state of service, Yi is suspected of treason and gets imprisoned and tortured. After it becomes clear that he’s the victim of a conspiracy, Yi gets released immediately to command what’s left of the Korean fleet. Twelve ships will have to face a Japanese invasion force of more than 300 ships. What follows is a breathtaking battle that will decide the future of the Korean nation.

This epic super-production broke all box-office records in Korea. And that’s no surprise. The action scenes are incredible, adrenaline is flowing at supersonic speeds and none other than Choi Min-sik, the one and only Old Boy from the Korean original, plays Admiral Yi. Roaring Currents is first class high octane spectacle, a superior game of battleship chock-a-block with swordfights, hails of arrows, cannon balls, blood and gore and dazzling cinematographic feats.

ROBOT OVERLORDS (UK) A Jon Wright film Screenplay: Jon Wright, Mark Stay Casting: Ben Kingsley, Gillian Anderson, Callan McAulife Duration: 90 minutes

It took only a few days for the alien robots to conquer Earth. There’s only one rule. Stay inside or be disintegrated. Where they come from, their reasons for invading and keeping people locked inside are completely unknown. They use human collaborators and deliver food rations at home, but their most powerful tool of control is the implant that everyone has and with which they can track your every move. In a small coastal town in England, four children discover a way to temporarily disable the implants. They’re finally able to go outside again. Maybe they’ll even get to start a rebellion against the Robot Overlords!

RUROUNI KENSHIN: KYOTO INFERNO (JAPAN) A Keishi Ohtomo film Screenplay: Nobuhiro Watsuki Casting: Takeru Satô, Emi Takei, Tatsuya Fujiwara Duration: 138 minutes

In this second adaptation of the popular manga we find out that Kenshin has settled down with Kaori and his friends. But their peaceful life is brutally disturbed by Makoto Shishio, also a formal Ronin. After having left Kenshin for dead, he goes after the government in Kyoto. They call upon Kenshin to save them as he is, of course, the only one who’ll be able to stop Makoto.

Everybody cheered when hearing that the successful adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin from 2012 would get two sequels. This success is based on the cult status of the comic that inspired the movies. Rurouni Kenshin is the tale of Himura Kenshin, a former sword for hire who wants to forget his past by assisting those in need. On his travels he encounters many people from his past, a few friends and a lot of enemies. Takeru Sato one again incarnates Kenshin, while his opponent is played by none other than Tatsuya Fujiwara, the hero from Battle Royale and the bad guy from Death Note and Monsterz.

RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE LEGEND ENDS (JAPAN) A Keishi Ohtomo film Screenplay: Nobushiro Watsuki Casting: Takeru Satô, Emi Takei, Tatsuya Fujiwara Duration: 135 minutes

The Legend Ends is the final part of the trilogy that started in 2012 and gives the fans what they always loved in the Rurouni Kenshin series: long forgotten ancient fighting techniques and old masters. In this last chapter Kenshin will have to go all the way to stop Shishio’s plans to overthrow the Meiji government. He’ll meet some old friends and will find support from his master.

The success of this series is for a big part due to the action scenes. In a time where everything is created and enhanced by CGI, it’s a real joy to see actors performing some real fighting choreography. The Japanese movie critics were unanimous with their praise and the gods know how strict they are when it comes to live adaptations of this caliber. The Rurouni Kenshin series is one of the best manga adaptations of this time and doesn’t abandon its fans for a bigger audience. If you love manga, go see this movie. If you love action, go see this movie, if you love Kenshin, definitely go see this movie. And if you’re not dead, there’s really no reason not to go see this movie!

63 THE SLEEPING ROOM (UK) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A John Shackleton film Screenplay: John Shackleton, Alex Chandon, Ross Jameson Casting: Leila Mimmack, Julie Graham, Joseph Beattie Duration: 78 minutes

Blue, an aptly named melancholic prostitute, wanders the streets of Brighton in search for clients. One day, one of them takes her to an old Victorian house. Before savoring her skills, the guy gives Blue a guided tour of the enormous mansion. He shows her an ancient projector containing strange images. Blue’s curiosity is tickled and, once the job’s done, she starts exploring the house for herself. In one of the rooms she discovers a secret chamber hid behind a huge mirror. Blue finds out that the house was used as a brothel in the 19th century. The owner, an avant-gardist with disgusting habits, was probably the director of the world’s first snuff movie. But that’s not everything. Blue is not alone in the secret chamber…

THE STRANGER (CHILE) A Guillermo Amoedo film Screenplay: Guillermo Amoedo Casting: Lorenza Izzo, Aaron Burns, Cristobal Tapia Montt Duration: 93 minutes

16-year old Peter lives in a small, quiet town with his mother Monica, a nurse. One night, a stranger knocks on the door, looking for their former friend Ana. As she’s no longer among the living, they point him to the cemetery. On the way, the stranger stumbles across three hoodlums led by Caleb. They start to beat him senseless and would have killed him if Peter didn’t intervene at the last minute. He manages to stop a passing police car. Is this the end of the affair? No this is just the beginning of a violent and bloody transformation of this peaceful community.

It’s not a coincidence that The Stranger is produced by Eli Roth. Its director, Uruguayan born Guillermo Amoedo has written the scripts for Roth’s The Green Inferno and Knock Knock. His English language debut is an intriguing mystery thriller with some tasty horror goods that slowly builds up tension, culminating in tasty shock moments. The Stranger is serviced by solid acting and writing and is a tense, violent and bloody addition to the genre.

STUNG (GERMANY/USA) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Benni Diez film Screenplay: Adam Aresti Casting: Lance Henriksen, Clifton Colins Jr, Jessica Cook Duration: 90 minutes

Like every year, when spring’s in the air, Madam Perch organizes a grand garden party on her domain. She’s the heir to a family fortune acquired in the pharmaceutical industry. She prides herself most on her garden, which rivals that one in Versailles. Woo the creature that dares to disturb the beauty and quiet of her green paradise. And this year the wasps dare to intrude on the party. Madam Perch spares no means to destroy the intruders, spraying them with state of the art chemicals. But there’s a nasty sting to the product. It produces quite the opposite effect. The wasps not only survive, they return meaner… and a whole lot bigger. We’re talking from 3 meagre centimeters to three full meters! Madam Perch’s garden party is certainly going to be a big hit this year.

After sheep, snakes and spiders, it’s now finally our friends the wasps who’ll prominently figure in your favorite monster movie nightmares. German director Benny Diez has adapted his famous eponymous short into a fully- fledged long feature. It’s a true homage to VHS-cult classics such as Tremors and Critters in a movie that is very generous with gore and humor. In the leads we find Lance Henriksen and Clifton Collins Jr (Pacific Rim).

64 THE TERROR LIVE (SOUTH KOREA) A Byeong-woo Kim film Screenplay: Byeong-woo Kim Casting: Jung-woo Ha, Duek-mun Choi, Jin-ho Choi Duration: 97 minutes

Journalist Yoon’s ambition knew no limits, until he went too far and was demoted to hosting a morning show on a local radio station in Seoul. When he gets a call from a guy who claims he’s going to blow up a bridge, Yoon immediately cuts the line and goes back to business. A few moments later, a loud explosion is heard all over the city. This time he’s not dealing with a prank caller. Yoon smells an opportunity to get back into the spotlights. The terrorist only wants to talk to him and Yoon starts to haggle with his bosses for prime time exposure. But the terrorist tells him that he’s also on the target list. Is the president himself doesn’t show up in the studio, Yoon’s earpiece is going to blow up… along with him and the rest of the office.

The Korean action thriller The Terror Live takes place entirely in a radio studio and ingeniously uses this closed location to pump up tension and suspense from the very beginning to the spectacular end. The movie also has a solid backbone, lashing out against the merciless hierarchy and tough working conditions in Korean companies, the ruthless drive for higher ratings and the corruption and cronyism plaguing the higher layers of society. Korean superstar Jung-woo Ha (The Chaser, The Yellow Sea) plays the opportunist anchorman who gets caught in his own game.

TORRENTE 5: MISSION EUROVEGAS (SPAIN) A Santiago Segura film Screenplay: Santiago Segura Casting: Santiago Segura, Alec Baldwin, Neus Asensi Duration: 105 minutes

Mission Eurovegas marks the return of our beloved Torrente, a cop who has as many successes as Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm, but whose failures we cherish. This time we run into Torrente at the prison gates. After a deal gone south, he had to do some time in the can, but now he’s free again. The year is 2018 and Spain looks completely different. Is there still room for a dishonest, disgusting, misogynist cop like Torrente or has the world really gone to hell!?

This is the fifth part of one of the most successful Spanish franchises of all time. Mission Eurovegas is the sequel to Lethal Crisis and was last year’s biggest box office success in Spain, even beating the big Hollywood blockbusters. With the right mix of politically incorrect humor, a fun cast (Alec Baldwin as the bad guy) and lots of action and spectacle, Torrente will not run out of steam in the years to come. Take a bit of Lethal Weapon, a whiff of Die Hard and spice it up with humor from The Hangover and you’ll know what you’re in for.

65 TURBO KID (CANADA/NEW ZEALAND) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell film Screenplay: François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell film Casting: Munro Chambers, Michael Ironside, Laurence Leboeuf Duration: 95 minutes

It’s 1997 and in this post-apocalyptic future Earth resembles a gruyere cheese after it has been ravaged by acid rain and nuclear bombs. There is almost no water left in this barren wasteland. That’s why the sadistic Zeus, the leader of a motorcycle gang, has ordered his minions to squash what left of mankind like lemons to obtain this most precious of resources. And that’s because, as you know from biology class, the human body consists for 80% out of water. Brave young Kid and his girlfriend Apple manages to evade Zeus’ gang. He wants to devote himself to his biggest passion; the search for relics from the past: comics, Rubik cubes and Game Boys. When Apple’s kidnapped, Kid is forced to put his gaming skills to the test and face Zeus and his biker boys.

We’re very proud to present this Frontières 2012 project at the BIFFF, which met with wide public and critical acclaim at its première at the Sundance festival last January. The movie is director by the EMA collective and produced by Jason - Hobo with a Shotgun - Eisner. Turbo Kid is the ideal movie for all genre buffs who love a nihilistic retro-punk Mad Max-like extravaganza!

VIY (RUSSIA/UKRAINE/CZECH REPUBLIC) An Oleg Stepchenko film Screenplay: Nikolai Gogol, Aleksandr Karpov, Oleg Stepchenko Casting: Jason Flemyng, Agnita Diktovskite, Igor Jifikine Duration: 127 minutes

Early 18th century. Cartographer Jonathan Green undertakes a scientific voyage from Europe to the East. Having passed through Transylvania and crossed the Carpathian Mountains, he finds himself in a small village lost in impassible woods. Nothing but chance and heavy fog could bring him to this cursed place. People who live here do not resemble any other people which the traveler saw before that. The villagers, having dug a deep moat to defend them from the rest of the world, share a naive belief that they could save themselves from evil, failing to understand that evil has made its nest in their souls and is waiting for an opportunity to gush out upon the world.

Pan’s Labyrinth meets Gogol in Viy 3D, the long awaited remake of the movie classic from 1967, itself based on a classic Russian horror story. Director Oleg Stepchenko has spared no expense or effort to lift the film to a higher level. Viy 3D is a delicious, fantastic and scary fairytale with an international cast (Jason Flemyng, Charles Dance) and creatures that are as strange as they are original.

66 THE WHITE HAIRED WITCH OF LUNAR KINGDOM (CHINA) A Jacob Cheung film Screenplay: Yusheng Liang Casting: Bingbing Fan, Xiaoming Huang, Wenzhuo Zhao Duration: 104 minutes

The Ming dynasty is trembling on its foundations; Corruption is rife, the rival Jin Empire has an army ready to invade and the emperor dies after having been poisoned. There’s only one who dares to defend the common folk. Jade Rakshasa gives food to the hungry and defends the people against their oppressors. She operates from her Lunar fort, safely surrounded by mountains. The Ming authorities want to put an end to her resistance and accuse her of having killed Governor Zhuo Zhonglian. Jade and her fellow warriors are branded criminals. But the white haired witch of Lunar Kingdom is not so easily tamed, especially when there’s love in the air.

The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom is based on a classic of Chinese literature, the eponymous novel by Liang Yushen. It was adapted numerous times by, among others, Ronny Yu (The Bride of Chucky). This time Jacob Cheung (Battle of the Warriors) had a go at the immortal classic. He has created an epic spectacle in the best wuxia-tradition with in the lead Fan Bingbin (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Iron Man 3) as the white haired heroine.

WYRMWOOD (AUSTRALIA) A Kiah Roache-Turner film Screenplay: Kiah Roache-Turner, Tristan Roache-Turner Casting: Jay Gallagher, Bianca Bradey, Leon Burchill Duration: 98 minutes Distribution:

Zombie-apocalypses are always stressful affairs. Just take the peaceful life of mechanic Barry, his lovely wife Annie and their cute daughter Meganne. Their idyllic existence is shattered when a gang of masked soldiers kidnaps auntie Brooke. They hand her over to a psychopathic scientist who submits her to all kinds of weird experiences while he’s dancing to some kitschy disco tunes.

67 YOUNG ONES (USA) A Jake Paltrow film Screenplay: Jake Paltrow Casting: Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning, Michael Shannon Duration: 100 minutes

It’s not easy to be young in the not so distant future. Together with their father and their sick mother, Mary (Elle Fanning) and Jerome (Kodi Smit-Mc Phee) are trying to make a living in an America where water is more precious that gold and where the dishes are cleaned with dust. It almost looks like the first part of Interstellar, but nobody gets catapulted into space to save mankind.

Young Ones is an ambitious project that’s visually stunning and benefits from a strong cast. You know Michael Shannon from Jeff Nichols’ movies like Shotgun Stories and Take Shelter and from TV’s Boardwalk Empire. Elle Fanning made quite an impression in Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere and Kodi Smit-Mc Phee debuted as Viggo Mortensen’s son in The Road. Director Jake Paltrow also delivers great work. He fills his impressive sets with tension and inventive sfx and creates a universe that reminds you at the same time of science-fiction films from the seventies and westerns.

ZOMBIE FIGHT CLUB (TAIWAN) EUROPEAN PREMIERE A Joe Chien film Casting: Jessica Cambensy, Abby Fung, Chang Han Duration: 95 minutes

At the end of the century, in a remote corner of the city, in an apartment building full of violence, we meet Jenny, a young model that has a knack for choosing the wrong friends. During one of her many parties, all hell breaks loose and everybody starts drowning in blood.

COURTS MAIS TRASH

With all the newest technologies and the fact that cameras are becoming cheaper and cheaper, it is getting easier to make movies without a big budget and crew. Thanks to these developments, we are getting more and more small but interesting work produced that deserves more than a few clicks on the internet. Ten years ago, Courts Mais Trash was created to put these films in theatres and on the big screen. We thought it would be great to show our audience the work these guys have been doing for the last couple of years. To go against the classic way of producing a movie is one thing; to get the movies into theatres is quite another. Self production is maybe easy to make, but not easy to distribute. The internet is a handy tool to get those first clicks and to build an audience. But the internet is often too big for a small movie and it gets lost in an endless sea of information. It’s always more rewarding for a director to see his film on a big screen in a real theatre. That is the goal of Courts mais Trash. The trash doesn’t only

68 stand for gore movies but for a kind of movie that is radical, alternative, different, politic or cheap …

They experiment with documentaries, animation and video clips. A movie doesn’t need to be dripping with blood to be shown. It just needs to be made outside the classic way of producing.

KUT BUITENLANDERS FROM OUTER SPACE ! by Edward J. Mulder & Armand Pigss – Belgium - 19’50 - 2013 The first science-fiction movie from Wallonia! Dirty Rônin Productions

INFERNAL NUN by Roland Petrizza – Germany - 2’25 - 2013 The trailer of a film that’ll never be released and that’s a damn shame!

NINJA ELIMINATOR 4 THE FRENCH CONNECTION by Mathieu Bethon - France - 8’11 - 2014 Trailer about Concorde - MB Productions

POSTE À POURVOIR 1&2 by Alliouch Conchin – Belgium - 2’01 - 2013 In search of new professions… La Cambre.

FLY by Mike Roush - U.S.A. – 38''- 2014 Life and death in 38 seconds…

BANANA MOTHERFUCKER by Pedro Florencio & Fernando Alle - 15’40 – Portugal - 2011 Attack of the bloodthirsty bananas !

L’ACCOUCHEMENT DE WENDY by Dewis Eizykman - 3’20 – France - 2008 A few months after her marriage to Peter Pan, Wendy gives birth to her first baby. Prométhée productions & Broken

THE LIFE OF SAM by Raphaël Kolacz & Olivier Prémel - 4'14'' - Belgium - 2009 Your birth movie of the evening!

CLOSED by Wilde Rudy - 5'56 – France- 2013 The toilets seem to be angry about something!

69 Cyrus Productions

Q.G. - BOMB DISASTER by Pierre Teulières - 9’58 – France - 2011 A simple story with a powerful psychedelic effect.

GUN SHY de Sam Goetz - 2'46'' – U.S.A. - 2014

PEINE DE MORT by Julien de Volte - 11'26'' - France - 2014 Vengeance is a dish best served cold Insolence productions

DANS LA JOIE ET LA BONNE HUMEUR by Jeanne Boukraa - 5'51 - Belgium - 2014 a rejuvenation remedy La cambre

M IS FOR MENSTRUATION by Oliver Tietgen - 1'41 - Germany - 2013 Get in touch again with your femininity!

FAIM DE MORT 3 by François Yagopian - France - 10' - 2014 You’ll never look at a corkscrewer in the same way after having seen this film.

RESTER MINCE GRÂCE À BÉBÉ by Fabien Rennet - France - 4’22 Found footage and babies.

BRICOLONS AVEC MADAME COUCOUNE by Mathieu St-Onge - 3’42 – Canada - 2012

Do it yourself 100% Canadian style

SUN-A by Vincent Richard - 54’’ - France - 2010 A breath of fresh air…

70 Belgian Film Day Tax-Shelter

BIFFF CONFERENCE 2015

The Tax Shelter 2.0, a Win-Win investment for investors and for the local economy

Since 1 January 2015, the Tax Shelter reform is now in force. This reform considerably changes this fiscal measure for the investor.

The legislator proposes a fiscal exemption of 310% on the total amount of the transferred sum.

During the BIFFF (Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival) the UCM (Union of Independent Entrepreneurs) will give a detailed explanation of this fiscal measure at a conference with several representatives from the sector: a specialist from the Ministry of Finance, a company specialized in the Tax Shelter, etc…

The following themes will, among others, be discussed:

! What are the most important changes to the law?

! What is the amount exempted from taxes?

! What is the amount of the tax reduction ?

! What is the investment profit of the Tax Shelter?

! What are the financial risks?

! What are the necessary authorizations for the producers/intermediaries?

• Can you invest without a Prospectus validated by the FSMA?

• Can you invest without a Ruling?

! Can you be covered by a bank guarantee or by an assurance?

! Who delivers the Tax Shelter certificate? Who controls the conditions?

! What is the value of a Tax Shelter certificate?

! What are the practical steps of a Tax Shelter investment?

71 BOZAR

Friday 10 April 2015 Center for Fine Arts Brussels rue Ravenstein 23 1000 Brussels

9am

Reception

9.30am

Conference

11.30am Ð 12.30pm

Drink

Official approval IEC Ð IPCF 3h

The first 100 registered fiscal specialists will receive a small surprise linked to Belgian cinema.

Please note this date in your agenda.

REGISTRATIONS : [email protected]

72 Short Films

The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (the BIFFF) remains a staunch supporter and promotor of short features. The following prizes will be attributed: - the Grand Prize of the Festival (the Michel Devillers Award and the Silver Méliès of the BIFFF). - a Sabam Award, a BeTV Award, a “La Trois” Award and a Fedex Award. - a Youth Jury (composed of the winners of a scriptwriting contest organized by the Confederation Parascolaire) will also award a short feature. - a Film Critics Award will be attributed for the third time. We also continue to extend our short film offer with a section of non-competitive features and, as exceptional bonus this year, we’ll present a “Courts Mais Trash” session at Midnight at Ciné 2!

Two screening sessions on Friday 10/04 at 11:00 (competition) and 16:00 (out competition), in theatre CINE 2.

The Short Film Competition is organised with the support of the “Fédération Wallonie- Bruxelles“.

The jury is composed by Christian Bontinckx (Mediator), Michel Devillers (Président), Guy Trifin, Alain Galand, Gilles Reunis, Goekhan Kulak, Nathalie Lebel, François Stassens & Bénédicte Bourgois

COMPETITION

WIEN FOR LIFE

A film by Alidor Dolfing Cast: Wim Willaert, Mieke Dobbels, Thomas Ryckewaert & Jan Hammenecker Screenplay: Alidor Dolfing Photo: Maximiliaan Dierickx Music: Emmanuel Marcantuoni Special effects: Wiessenhaan Version: Ned. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 24 min. / Dcp Contact: Sieber, 32/479/391.807

A “criminal comedy” about two mates whose friendship will be pushed to the limits by a winning lottery ticket.

LE ZOMBIE AU VELO

A film by Christophe Bourdon Cast: Olivier Bonjour, Astrid Whettnall, Carlo Ferrante, Renaud Rutten, Frédéric Bodson, Eric Larcin, Sofia Sykopoulos & Nissim Renard Screenplay: Christophe Bourdon Photo: Frédéric Martin Edited by Bruno Pons Music: Greg Remy Special effects: Lionel Lè Version: Fre. O.V. 2015 / 24 min. / Dcp Contact: Les Films du Carré, 32/499/617.916

An absolute world première. And no, this is not a parody of the work of the Dardenne brothers. This is a very sensitive and socially engaged film about a zombie struggling to find his place in society and who’s only happy when he can ride on his bike.

LA VALSE MECANIQUE

A film by Julien Dykmans Music: Amaury Bernier Special effects: Julien Dykmans Version: Fre. O.V., Fre., Eng. & Ned. st 2014 / 5 min. 47 / Dcp Contact: Julien Dykmans, 33/6/2322.4875

It’s a gloomy morning with rain pouring down. The puppets on strings join the daily grind, trapped in a soulless routine.

DOLLHOUSE

A film by Marieke Versonnen Cast: Kimke Desart, Tine Laureyns, Jenne Decleir, Inge Paulussen, Gert Lahousse & Stef Wauters Screenplay: Marieke Versonnen Photo: Liesbet De Loof Edited by Marieke Versonnen Music: Adriaan Swerts Special effects: Siebe Vranx Version: Ned. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 17 min. 56 / Blu-Ray Contact: Marieke Versonnen, 32/494/641.231

A psychological drama with gruesome side-effects! This film tells the story of a girl looking for her place in the world. After the separation of her parents, her relationship with her mother rapidly deteriorates.

LES PECHERESSES

A film by Gerlando Infuso Off voices: Erika Sainte & Erik Lambert Screenplay: Gerlando Infuso Photo: Gerlando Infuso Edited by Gerlando Infuso Music: Philippe Tasquin Special effects: Gerlando Infuso Version: No dialogue 2014 / 16 min. / Dcp Contact: Eklektik Prods, 32/2/534.7595

Three women: Eve (the very first), Josephine (Bluebeard’s wife) and Cerise (a dancer in a cabaret) have a taste of the forbidden in three different eras.

ALLES VOOR DE FILM (EVERYTHING FOR THE MOVIES)

A film by Lukas Buys Cast: Steve Aernouts & Dorien De Clippel Screenplay: Lukas Buys Music: And They Spoke in Anthems, Hugo Matthysen & Stan Lee Cole Version: Ned. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 19 min. 44 / Blu-Ray Contact: Lukas Buys, 32/494/326.748

Lize, a young and ambitious actress, is looking forward to her next part. The guy from the production picks her up and drives her to the set. But once they’ve arrived…

ED & SHOELDAER

A film by Maxime Pasque Cast: Kevin Dudjasienski, Helena Coppejans, Damien Marchal, Olivier Bonjour & Mounir Ait Hamou Screenplay: Kevin Dudjasienski & Maxime Pasque Photo: Romain Ferrand Edited by Jérôme Guiot Music: R.I.P. Bonaparte Version: Fre. O.V. 2014 / 20 min. 34 / Blu-Ray Contact: Left Field Ventures, 32/2/345.4505

Kick-ass hairdresser Ed Scissor has seen better days. Together with his girlfriend Lea Shoeldaer and his assistant Alan he waits for clients. Then Romeo Gonzo jr enters with an offer he can’t refuse.

75 DE VIJVER (THE POND)

A film by Jeroen Dumoulein Cast: Kirsten Pieters Screenplay: Michel Sabbe Photo: Robrecht Heyvaert Music: Miguel Moerman Special effects: Vfx Version: Ned. O.V., Ned. & Eng. st 2015 / 15 min. / Dcp Contact: A team prods, 32/497/464.180

A poetic and horrific story! Watch out, little girl, because there’s danger lurking in the garden pond.

I WISH MY LIFE

A film by Joachim Huveneers Cast: Kim Hertogs, Johny Voners, Erik Goris & Lukas Buys Screenplay: Joachim Huveneers Photo: Wesley Versteeg Edited by Herman Tilma Music: Brian Clifton Special effects: Wesley Versteeg Version: Ned. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 15 min. / Blu-Ray Contact: Joachim Huveneers, 32/499/251.934

When Sarah’s alone in her room stuffed with old objects, she always listens to a song that soothes her and makes her dream of another life.

DERNIERE PORTE AU SUD

A film by Sacha Feiner Screenplay: Sacha Feiner Photo: Sacha Feiner Edited by Sacha Feiner Music: Alexandre Poncet Special effects: Sacha Feiner Version: Fre. O.V., Eng. st 2015 / 14 min. / Dcp Contact: Take Five, 32/2/534.6636

The world consists of floors, rooms and stairwells for the boy and his second Siamese head, because that’s the only world his mother wants him to know.

76 PLUTOT CREVER QUE MOURIR ICI

A film by Jean-Baptiste Delannoy Cast: Luis Rego, Maryvonne Michel, Maud Bettina Marie, Pierre Lekeux, AntojO, Aurélia Bonta, Denise Schwab, Andrée Cambier Screenplay: Frédéric Castadot Photo: Patrice Michaux Edited by Bruno Pons Music: Simon Delannoy Version: Fre. O.V. 2014 / 14 min. 26 / Dcp Contact: Stromboli Pictures, [email protected]

Willy, a big fan of action movies, has no intention to die in the retirement home that feels like a prison to him. He wants to die a free man. So he comes up with an escape plan, with a little help from his goldfish, a nurse and a gang of pensioners.

NOCT

A film by Vincent Toujas Cast: Thomas Barraud Screenplay: Giles Daoust Photo: Thomas Pantalacci Edited by Vincent Toujas Music: Ernst Meinrath Special effects: David Scherer Version: Fre. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 15 min. / Dcp Contact: Title Media, 32/496/548.789

Jay feels numb and emotionless, out of place in society. A strange presence in his flat starts chasing him. It becomes his executioner; opening the way to freedom.

77 OUT OF COMPETITION

EDGAR ET LA DOUZE DEMOISELLE

A film by Frédéric Legrand Cast: Bella Zio, Lola Destercq & Laetitia Trozzi Off voice: François Pirette Screenplay: Frédéric Legrand Photo: Frédéric Legrand Edited by Frédéric Legrand Music: Olivier Dogot Special effects: Frédéric Legrand Version: Fre. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 13 min. / Dcp Contact: Frédéric Legrand, 32/471/493.593

It’s only normal to be free and to feel loved… except for Edgar and the Sweet Damsel.

L’ECRAN DEMONIAQUE

A film by Patrick & Marilyn Hella Cast: Jean-Luc Couchard Screenplay: Patrick & Marilyn Hella Photo: Michel Baudour & Robin Sabrina Edited by Gilbert Olivier Music: Andrew Bolton & Martin Daniel Version: No dialogue 2014 / 3 min. 33 / Dcp Contact: Delfilms, [email protected]

A man walks down the street and discovers he’s a prisoner of the movie screen.

DERNIERE FORMALITE (LOOSE ENDS)

A film by Stéphane Everaert Cast: Bernard Marbaix & Bénédicte Philippon Screenplay: Thomas Vilquin Photo: Oliver Imfeld Edited by Bruno Pons Music: Stéphane Everaert Special effects: Dan Bruylandt, Fabien Deplanque & Chadi Abou Sariya Version: Fre. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 14 min. 04 / Dcp Contact: Revolver Prod., [email protected]

An old man stands on the threshold of heaven, but the angel wants to send him to purgatory. He tries to make a deal.

78 DEEP SPACE

A film by Bruno Tondeur Screenplay: Bruno Tondeur Music: Pierre Slinckx Version: Eng. st 2014 / 7 min. 06 / Blu-Ray Contact: Atelier de Production de La Cambre, 32/472/555.257

Brandon’s first intergalactic mission is to find intelligent extraterrestrial life. For months he observes the strange behavior of even stranger creatures on a faraway planet.

EEFJE DONKERBLAUW

A film by Charlotte Dewulf Cast: Celine Verbeeck & Joren Seldeslachts Screenplay: Mattijs Deraedt Photo: Nick Bollaert Music: Gregory Caron Special effects: PixMix & Mud Version: Ned. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 10 min.46 / Dcp Contact: Het ReclameBureau, [email protected]

Everything is fifty shades of blue with Eefje; from the jam to the table, the chairs, the bed, the walls… She would love to interact with the grey people, but they don’t like her. Then she meets the Yellow Prince!

LA CHAIR

A film by William Henne Cast: Lionel Fernandez, Michel Baladi & Sydney Scotto Screenplay: Louise Lemoine Torrès Edited by Marc Boyer Music: Michel Korb Version: Fre. O.V., Eng. st 2014 / 14 min. 40 / Dcp Contact: Zorobabel, 32/2/538.2434

Everything in society has been perfected to make the economic wheels turn and the female body has become the ultimate expression of this drive for efficiency.

79 Press Jury

MOVIE CRITICS AWARD

For the third year in a row, a Movie Critics Award will be attributed to the Best Belgian Short Feature. This award, attributed at ten Belgian festivals, is supported by two national Belgian movie associations, the UCC (Film Critics Union) and the UPCB. (Union of the Belgian Film Press), with three of their members attending the occasion. Christophe Clin (Pour vous servir, 2013) and Vincent Smitz (Babysitting Story, 2014) were the two first award winners.

MARIE CHARETTE (UPCB)

This journalist, a contributor to Home Cinéma, a program about Belgian cinema on Be TV, has been working for three years now at the RTBF, where she presents the morning slot at Vivacité. She’s a member of the UPCB since 2014. She realizes, presents and produces Synestetic, a webcast about culture and cinema, where she explores the particular universes of film directors. At the moment she’s also editor in chief of Bim TV, a new cultural youth channel.

STEFAN ERALY (UCC)

This independent journalist, a graduate in Social and Political Sciences of the Catholic University of Louvain, writes for the Belgian Journal of Medicine. He’s always been passionate about genre cinema. As former chairman of the UCC from 2005 till 2011, he’s still involved with the association as a member of the Board of Directors. On occasion he introduces the movie screenings at Cinematek, the Belgian National Film Archive.

GAUTHIER KEYAERTS (UPCB)

This journalist with Cinenews.be and graduate of the ULB, divides his time between journalism (movies, series & dvd reviews) and art. This former member of our 2005 7th Orbit Jury has also moderated many Q&A’s at the festival (Wes Craven, Dario Argento, Lloyd Kaufman…). He composes mood music and scores for publicity spots. This new UPCB member also regularly participates to the Human Rights League debates at the BIFFF.

Guests

Nicolas Alberny

If we had to explain Nicolas Alberny in one word we would choose multitasker: author, composer, director, storyboard maker, producer and even set designer. Alberny does it all! He started making short films where he assisted with every part of the film process, learning many different jobs in the film business. In 2008 he took a leap of faith and made his first feature film 8th Wonderland. It didn’t go unnoticed. Our 7th Orbit Jury 2009 gave him a Special Mention. This year, he’s back with Good Boy, one of the four segments of the Japanese anthology: Tokyo Grand Guignol (2014) Filmo : 8th Wonderland (2008), Tokyo Grand Guignol (2014)

Sami Baaroun

Born in 1977 in Champigny-sur-Marne, Samy Baaroun became an author, script and dialogue writer. After his philosophy studies, he started working for the Mouvance newspaper as a literary critic. He started writing articles about philosophy, esthetics and politics like : the classic rules of unity in the political work of Machiaveli for PhiloMag, Chateaubriand vs. Bonaparte or the fight for taste in La République des Lettres, Malaparte Nimier : Politics of the esthetics in ResPublica, Origin of dandyism in Souliers.net. Now he writes novels like Ghost Writer and non-fiction like Protest Song : A History of… (work in progress). In between he started working for cinema and wrote some scripts and dialogues for Dealer and Döner by Jean-Luc Herbulot, Loyal by Guillaume Pierret and a TV show in development: Contrebande.

Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead

Like Tom and Jerry, Blake and Mortimer or Black & Decker, this Canadian duo is inseparable. They debuted in 2012 with Resolution, an immediate hit on the festival circuit. Their unique style made them famous around the world and they made quite an impact with their segment for the VHS Viral anthology. One year later they come with Spring, which met with wide critical and public acclaim. Variety magazine placed them among the upcoming talents of 2015. They’re now working on a new project around the Victorian occultist Aleister Crowley. Filmo : Resolution (2012) – VHS : Viral (2014) – Spring (2014)

Andres Borghi

Andres Borghi was born in Argentina, a year before the BIFFF (which was in 1983 for those who’ve already started to count). Borghi already experimented with a camera when he was twelve year old. After getting his directing degree at the Fundacion Teba, he started making some weird and subversive shorts. He even shot a short in New Zealand, which was awarded with a prize by Peter Jackson himself! Borghi will present his newest feature Born To Die, that bathes in the same deranged atmosphere as the first Peter Jackson movies. Born To Die is the unofficial sequel of Bailando con el Peligro and the best proof that you don’t need drugs to raise hell! Filmo: Bailando con el Peligro (2004), Born to Die (2014)

Dan Bronchinson

Dan Bronchinson is an autodidact who was born and raised in Paris. He found his way to theatre through small parts in classical plays. That got his noticed by several directors. In between he tried out many jobs before going for a career as a professional actor in 2005. Ten years later he has already played in 15 movies and numerous short films and video clips. In 2012 he founded the production company MULTIPASS PROD. With that company he made the movie DEALER by Jean-Luc Herbulot in 2014 (with selections at Fantasia, L’Etrange Festival, Raindance and sold to the USA, Germany, Switzerland, Greece and Turkey), in which he also starred as the main character. At this moment he is co-producing SUPER Z by Julien De Volte and Arnaud Tabarly. Filmo : Dealer (2014)

Joe Chien

This man is already an ‘habitué’ of the festival like we say in French. For the third time, Joe Chien will be showing his latest work at the BIFFF. And again there will be zombies and lots of blood. Zombie Fight Club looks like an homage to old school exploitation films, but is much more. It shows that Joe Chien isn’t the little new guy of the Taipei studio’s anymore. We’ll give him a warm welcome, as he’ll show that Hou Hsiao- hsien and Edward Yang aren’t the only game in town!

Filmo: Zombie 108 (2011), The Apostles (2013), Zombie Fight Club (2014)

Diego Cohen

This young director, who is still relatively unknown at this side of the ocean, hails from Mexico and made his debut with the tragicomedy Amaneceres Oxidados (2010). He will present his 2nd feature film at the BIFFF: Honeymoon, which won two awards at Blood Window in Buenos Aires. Do refrain from viewing when you're soon getting married!

Filmo : Amaneceres Oxidados (2010) - Honeymoon (2014)

André Cruz Shiraiwa

Over the last ten years, André Cruz Shiraiwa has developed a significant directing career in a variety of formats, including commercials, documentary and live visuals, but most specifically in music video where he has earned numerous awards for his work with some of the most prestigious artists on the Spanish music scene such as Macaco, Amaral, Fito y los Fitipaldis, Ojos de Brujo and Jarabe de Palo. After directing the documentary “Girando Compás” about the band Ojos de Brujo, “L’Altra Frontera” is his first feature film as a director. Filmo: Another Frontier (2014)

Polina Davidova

This beautiful Russian actress can finally get a drink in the USA. She just turned 21 and is already a revelation. She has a major in economics, but het talent brought her to other horizons. In 2012 she started working for a project called Volor Flex Music Video, where she met Igor Kiselev. He immediately introduced her to his friend Pavel Khavleev, who was working on his first long feature film III and selected her for the lead. The rest is history.

Filmo: III (2014)

Frank Ellrich

Frank Ellrich was a marketing specialist for renowned international brands, before he dropped everything to become a DJ. In the 90’s a new musical genre was changing the game: Electro. Next to being a DJ, he became a producer and started his own label. One thing led to another and he started a friendship with two famous DJ’s: Pavel Khvaleev and his brother Vitaly. The friendship lasted longer than his music career and when Pavel introduced his first movie project, Random, Frank Ellrich took the job of producer (and also played a small part in the film). It’s no surprise then to see Frank Ellrich back as the producer of Pavel’s second long feature, III, which will be screened at this year’s BIFFF.

Isaac Ezban

Isaac Ezban not only went to different cinema schools in London, New York and Mexico, he also wrote a couple of books and directed some short features that were appreciated by people like Guillermo Del Toro! The incident, his first long feature, got a good head start as his pitch got awarded at the 2013 Austin Fantastic Market. This year, he’ll not only present the end result at the Bifff, he’ll also defend his contribution to the horror anthology that is destined for cult status: Mexico Barbaro! Filmo: The Incident (2014), Mexico Barbaro (2014), Los Parecidos (2015)

Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala

The story of Austrian director duo Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala is a bit of a family thing (but not as disturbing as in their movie, rest assured). Veronika is the partner and Severin is the nephew of director Ulrich Seidl. Veronika Franz has co- written the scripts of Seidl’s films and is a journalist for the Austrian daily Kurier. Severin Fiala has directed short features such as Kern and Elephant. They have teamed together to bring us this devilish piece of psychological nightmare horror, which has already garnered quite a few awards, among which the Silver Méliès at the latest Sitges film festival. Filmo: Goodnight Mommy (2014)

Evgeny Gagarin

It’s incredibly funny to see this former DJ popping up playing a priest (one dealing with strange shamanism acts). Just like his two friends of III, Evgeny Gagarin used to make electro music before appearing in front of the camera. For this 33rd edition of the BIFFF, he leaves his home country of Russia to accompany the team that he has been working with since 2012.

Filmo : Random (2013), III (2015)

Paulo Gaudio

With a degree in philosophy and in cinema, Paolo Gaudio could be seen as an intellectual. But the man behind these degrees has a bigger passion for comics than for metaphysics. In the early stages of his career, he experimented a lot with different styles and genres to become a master of all kind of animation techniques. His first feature, Fantasticherie di un Passeggiatore Solitario, is the culmination of all this knowledge. Philosophy, melancholic esthetic and stop-motion are brought together in an amazing expressionistic trip. Filmo: Fantasticherie di un Passeggiatore Solitario (2014)

Marwan Hamed

After working as an assistant-director for Samir Saif and Sherif Arafa, Marwan Hamed decides to get behind the camera himself in 2005. And he certainly doesn't lack ambition. His adaptation of The Yacoubian, the international bestseller by Alaa Al-Aswany, was then the most expensive film in the history of Egyptian cinema. With awards at Tribeca, Sao Paulo and Montréal, the film definitely launches his directing career. This year he comes to the BIFFF for the first time with The Blue Elephant. Filmo : The Yacoubian (2006) – Ibrahim Labyad (2009) – 18 Days (2011) – The Blue Elephant (2014)

Jean-Luc Herbulot

Jean-Luc Herbulot is what you call self-taught. Just like Robert Rodriguez, he directs, writes and edits his projects and he learned the tricks of the trade by directing lots of video clips. After shooting some shorts (Concurrence loyale, Sick, Stabat Mater) he finally made it to the big screen with his first long feature Dealer. It was a big hit on the festival circuit and got his noticed by Hollywood. So now this prodigal son is making his first Hollywood film: The Bends, starring the stunning Rosamund Pike from Gone Girl.

Filmo: Dealer (2014)

Alejandro Hidalgo

It took him almost two years to make his first movie, but now this thirty-something made something he can proud of! With The House at the End of Time, this apprentice of Robert Mc Kee – the guru of screenwriting – made the 2nd biggest box office hit in Venezuela. Leaving blockbusters such as The Sixth Sense and A Nightmare on Elm Street way behind him! He benefited from the Cannes and the Blood Window effect. Alejandro Hidalgo is now ready to enjoy the BIFFF effect…. Filmo: The House at the End of Time (2013)

Pavel Khvaleev

Before scaring the audience in dark theatres, Pavel Khvaleev was a world famous DJ, together with his brother Vitaly. In 2004 they designed a multimedia sound and light spectacle that got them both listed in the world 100 best DJ’s. But in 2012 Pavel needed to broaden his horizon and he started making movies. His first one, Random, was an instant success; not only because it was put free of charge on the internet, but also because of the big buzz it received. He'll introduce us to III, a hard hitting and scary story about two sisters trying to survive a monstrous epidemic. Filmo: Random (2013), III (2015)

Conor McMahon

Conor McMahon became obsessed with genre cinema after seeing Evil Dead 2. From then on, he went all the way to build up a career as a film director: documentaries, video clips, short features (of which one was awarded in Sitges), the aptly named six episode series Zombie Bashers and four long features. He already visited the BIFF in 2013 with his demonic clown Stitches. Apparently he wants to sing a song again at our stage, because he’s back in Brussels with the horror gem From The Dark!

Filmo : Dead Meat (2004) – The Disturbed (2009) – Stitches (2012) – From the Dark (2014)

Yoshihiro Nishimura

Yoshihiro Nishimura is a living legend when it comes to special effects. The creatures he designed often surpassed the movies they were featured in. In 2008 he started directing and his debut feature, Tokyo Gore Police, became an immediate international cult classic. As you know, there is lots of love between Yoshihiro and BIFFF. Whether it were his creations or his own films, Helldriver, Cold Fish, Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl, Karate-Robo Zaborgar, Zombie Ass… all premiered at festival. This year he’s back to show us his newest feature: The Ninja War Of Torakage. You will understand why we all call him the master of Japanese genre cinema! Filmo: Suicide Club (2001), Tokyo Gore Police (2008), The Profane Exhibit (2013), Ninja War of Torakage (2014)

Claudio Noce

After working on documentaries and publicity spots at the end of the previous century, Claudio Noce devoted himself successfully to fiction films. His short film Aria (2005) got selected to the Venice Film Festival and won the European Film Award. Four years later, his first feature film, Good Morning Aman, also became a success, winning the award for best director at the FICE Awards. This time he's back with a thriller with a political undertone. We almost feel the urge to invite Amnesty International!

Filmo : Good Morning Aman (2009) – Ice Forest (2014)

Ivan Noel

Attention: the next sentence might give you jetlag. Ivan Noel, a Spaniard who was raised in France and now lives in Argentina, made his first short feature in … Brussels! From the start of his career, he has always financed his own movies. To cut the costs, he also works as writer, producer, composer and editor for all his movies. It’s important to know that he always releases his completed movies on the internet. But this latest one, The Returned, was selected to our international competition and what better venue for this première than the Brussels’ Centre for Fine Arts! Filmo: in your absence (2008), Brecha (2009), Primary ! (2010), Vuelve (2013), Limbo (2014), The Returned (2014)

Esteban Roel & Juanfer Andres

Being both professors at the Madrid Institute of Cinema, they started working together on some short features like 036, where they worked with Carolina Bang. This encounter let to a rare opportunity. Their script for Shrew’s Nest was presented to Alex de la Iglesia, who was impressed and wanted to produce their film. The movie was a success and, after being selected at lots of festivals such as Austin, Toronto, London and Sitges, was awarded with 3 Goya’s. Filmo: Shrew’s Nest (2014)

David Rühm

David Rühm had already made a name for himself as a publicity director before he turned to fiction, presenting short features (Die mysteriösen Lebenslinien, 1991) and long features (The Escape, 1992) at festivals such as Cannes. After 17 years he put himself back in the director’s chair and we can only say that the result was well worth the wait. Therapy for a Vampire, or better said Dracula meets Freud, is one of the secret weapons of this years festival! Filmo : The Escape (1992) – El Chicko-Der Verdacht (1997) – Therapy for a Vampire (2014)

Sung-Bo Shim

2003 is the year of Memories of Murder, a shockingly good movie that still resonates today in Korean cinema. The script was written by Shim Sung-bo. It took him ten years before he got behind the camera; the adaptation of a true story. Haemoo, his first long feature, has the impact of a sledgehammer and was chosen to represent Korea at the Oscars. So meeting this guy in person is priceless. Thanks to whom? Thanks to the BIFFF!

Filmo: Haemoo (2014)

Hiroshi Shinagawa

Hiroshi Shinagawa got his degree at the Yoshimoto New Star Creation College (a theatre school in Tokyo) and started acting in comic parts with Tomoharu Shoji. In 2009 he turned his biography into a full-length movie called Drop. Just like the book, the film became a big success. This gave him the opportunity to adapt his second book Slapstick Brothers, which was an even bigger success! In his latest movie Deadman Inferno, he pairs humour with gore and this in first screening at the BIFFF!

Filmo: Drop (2009), Slapstick Brothers (2011), One Third (2014), Deadman Inferno (2015)

Károly Ujj Mészáros

Hungarian director Károly Ujj Mészáros (Keszthely, 1968°) has a university degree in economics. He works as a commercial director and producer. Over the last 6 years he has made 10 short films that won 11 awards at 34 national and international short film festivals. As one of the busiest commercial directors in Hungary, he has shot over 150 commercials during the last 11 years. Liza, The Fox-Fairy is his first fiction feature film. As a script, it was invited to the coproduction forums and script development projects Sarajevo Cinelink, Netherland Film Festival, Holland Film Meeting, Equinoxe Script development, Cannes festival Cinéfondation l’Atelier (2010) and the Rome International Film Festival NCN Circuit. Filmo: Liza, The Fox-Fairy (2014)

Eihi Shiina

Now we have Gone Girl… But before that, we had Takashi Miike’s The Audition, in which the deranged student Asami gave everybody nightmares. When Eihi Shiina played the part, she was still only 22 years old, but even then we knew we were going to see great things from her. After the Audition, she played in Ryuhei Kitamura’s Sky High, Hold Up Down by Sabu and Outrage by Takeshi Kitano. But her all- time favorite director is Yoshihiro Nishimura, with whom she has worked five times: Tokyo Gore Police, Vampire Girl VS Frankenstein Girl, Helldriver, The Profane Exhibit and The Ninja War of Torakage. We would almost forget that she’s also a model, besides being an icon of Japanese genre cinema! Filmo: The Audition (1999), Sky High (2003), Tokyo gore police (2008), Helldriver (2010), Outrage (2010), The Profane Exhibit (2013), The Ninja war of Torakage (2014)

90 91 EGFM European Genre Film Market

The first edition of the European Genre Film Market ( EGFM ) and the fifth edition of the Frontières International Co-Production Market ( Frontières ) will take place from April 9 to 11, 2015 during the 33rd BIFFF in Brussels. In order to create, develop and strengthen business bonds for the production, sales and distribution of quality genre films and contents within and outside Europe, the EGFM is proposing a unique business platform and market to promote your company, your film, your film commission or association through :

▶ Exhibition stands

▶ Digital Video Library / Market Screenings

▶ Advertising pages in the Industry Guide / DVL Catalogue

▶ Insertion of flyers or equivalent materials in the Industry Bags

▶ Poster and Signposting

▶ Dedicated tables in the EGFM Club

▶ Meetings, panels, networking sessions and workshops

Pascal Diot EGFM & Frontières Managing Director [email protected] Mob. +33 6 07 26 90 33 www.BIFFF.net

92 Frontières

FRONTIÈRES@BRUSSELS ANNOUNCES THE 2015 PROJECT LINE-UP & CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR FRONTIÈRES@FANTASIA

MONTREAL, Friday February 6, 2015 - After a highly successful 2014 that saw the debut of its European edition, Frontières@Brussels, and a record level of attendance at its 3rd North American edition at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Frontières returns to the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) for its 2nd European edition from April 9-11 2015.

Accreditation for Frontières at BIFFF 2015 is now open (Early bird rate: until February 20) and project submissions are also now open for Frontières@Fantasia 2015 (until March 31).

Frontières is the first and only co-production market to connect North America with Europe in an environment specifically focused on genre film production and financing. Frontières marks its return to the heart of Europe with an expanded Frontières line-up that will allow more projects to participate in live pitch sessions, and will also feature specialized spotlights including a Market Spotlight that will bring together the best of the best in genre film projects and industry initiatives from around the world. The Market Spotlight for Brussels will feature projects co-presented by Blood Window at Ventana Sur in Argentina, and the European Genre Forum at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Frontières@Brussels will also feature a Seeking Director spotlight, which will include 3 projects in development: DAMNATION ISLAND (Netherlands, Phanta Film & Goldman Film), THE HAG (Canada, Six Island Productions & Devonshire Productions), and THE LODGERS (Ireland, Tailored Films).

Following the announcement of the pre-selection of ON THE THRESHOLD, the English- language remake of SUR LE SEUIL, from Go Films and director Érik Canuel (BON COP, BAD COP), Frontières@Brussels 2015 features a strong cross-section of projects from emerging

93 and established filmmakers, including producer Carole Scotta (THE CLASS, COCO BEFORE CHANEL, LAST NIGHT), director John Harrison (DUNE: The Miniseries, TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE: THE MOVIE), producers Misha Jaari & Mark Lwoff (CONCRETE NIGHT), director Alexandre O. Philippe (THE PEOPLE VS. GEORGE LUCAS, DOC OF THE DEAD), executive producer Michael Baker (YPF, EVERYTHING’S GONE GREEN), and producer Andrew D. Corkin (Jim Mickle’s WE ARE WHAT WE ARE, MARTHA MAY MARCY MARLENE).

Producer Anne-Marie Gélinas (TURBO KID) states: “For us at EMAfilms, being invited to participate at a market like Frontières is central to the progress and packaging of our projects. It’s a place where major industry decision makers gather in an environment conducive to exchange and development.” TURBO KID, a 2012 Frontières project, recently had a highly successful world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and is screening at the European Film Market in Berlin this month as part of the Perspective Canada series. EMAfilms returns to Frontières 2015 with the project JESSIE’S DEMONS alongside director Eugene Garcia (BURNT EDEN).

Registration for Industry Accreditation is now open for Frontières@Brussels and the European Genre Film Market (EGFM). The early bird deadline is February 20.

Submissions are now open for Frontières@Fantasia 2015 until March 31.

The Complete Frontières@Brussels 2015 Line-Up:

FRONTIÈRES PROJECTS

78:52 (USA) Dir/Wri: Alexandre O. Philippe Prod: Kerry Deignan Roy (Exhibit A Pictures)

BEWARE OF THE DOG (Italy) Dir: Giovanni Bufalini Wri: Giovanni Bufalini, Francesco Bufalini, Marco Greganti Prod: Mario Lanti & Alan Vele (Al One Srl)

DÖNER (France) Dir: Jean Luc Herbulot Wri: Jean Luc Herbulot & Samy Baaroun Prod: Alexis Perrin (Rumble Fish Productions)

GEORGIE (UK) Dir: Johnny Kevorkian Wri: Craig Rutherford Prod: Gerry Maguire (Pins & Needles Media)

94 JESSIE’S DEMONS (Quebec) Dir/Wri: Eugene Garcia Prod: Anne-Marie Gélinas & Benoît Beaulieu (EMAfilms Inc.)

LA NUIT A DÉVORÉ LE MONDE (France) Dir: Dominique Rocher Wri: Dominique Rocher, Guillaume Lemans & Jérémie Guez Prod: Carole Scotta (HAUT ET COURT)

ON THE THRESHOLD (Quebec) Dir: Érik Canuel Wri: Celeste Parr Prod: Nicole Robert (GO FILMS)

ONCE UPON A TIME IN JERUSALEM (Spain) Dir: David Muñoz & Adrian Cardona Wri: David Muñoz Prod: David Muñoz, Valentina Chidichino, Daniel Antequera & Adrian Cardona

ONE DROP (Canada) Dir: Tricia Lee Wri: Corey Brown Prod: Tricia Lee & Brigitte Kingsley (A Film Monkey Production) Executive Prod: Michael Baker (Bunk 11 Pictures)

ORPHEA (Belgium) Dir: Léo Médard Wri: Dick Tomasovic Prod: Nicolas George (Films du Carré)

SINNERS (UK) Dir: Steven Sheil Wri: James Charkow, David Murdoch & Steven Sheil Prod: David Murdoch (Sinner Films Ltd)

SKIN & BONES (Canada) Dir: Casey Walker Wri: Pascal Trottier, Peter Scott Vicaire & Casey Walker. Prod: Casey Walker (Cave Painting Pictures)

THE SONATA (France) Dir: Andrew Desmond Wri: Andrew Desmond & Arthur Morin Prod: Laurent Fumeron, Rodolphe Sanzé, Daniel Goroshko (The Project)

SPARE (USA) Dir/Wri: Kevan Tucker Prod: Andrew D. Corkin, Tim O’Neill, Jared Parsons, Bryan Reisberg (Uncorked Productions)

UBU (USA-Poland) Dir: John Harrison Wri: John Harrison & Stephen Billias Prod: Wojtek Jezowski (Black Rabbit)

VIVA BERLIN! (Germany) Dir: Moritz Mohr Wri: Benjamin Karalic Prod: Benjamin Munz (Rat Pack Filmproduktion)

95 VIVARIUM (Ireland) Dir: Lorcan Finnegan Wri: Garret Shanley Prod: Brendan McCarthy & John McDonnell (Fantastic Films)

MARKET SPOTLIGHT

FUCK THE WORLD (Spain) Dir: Santiago Alvarado Wri: Ramon Salas & Santiago Alvarado Prod: Joaquim Vivas (Magno Entertainment SL) – Co-Presented by Blood Window at Ventana Sur

ICKERMAN (France) Dir/Wri: Seth Ickerman (Savitri Joly-Gonfard & Raphael Hernandez) Prod: REEL SUSPECTS – Co-Presented by the European Genre Forum at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

ONCE UPON A TIME IN JERUSALEM (Spain) Dir: David Muñoz & Adrian Cardona Wri: David Muñoz Prod: David Muñoz, Valentina Chidichino, Daniel Antequera & Adrian Cardona – Co- Presented by Blood Window at Ventana Sur

WHITE POINT (Finland) Dir: Akseli Tuomivaara Wri: Vesa Virtanen Prod: Misha Jaari & Mark Lwoff (Bufo) – Co-Presented by the European Genre Forum at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

SEEKING DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT

DAMNATION ISLAND (Netherlands) Wri: Wijo Koek Prod: Petra Goedings & Edwin Goldman (Phanta Film & Goldman Film)

THE HAG (Canada) Wri: Justin Simms & Paul Scherzer Prod: Paul Scherzer & Paula Devonshire (Six Island Productions & Devonshire Productions)

THE LODGERS (Ireland) Wri: David Turpin Prod: Ruth Treacy, Julianne Forde (Tailored Films)

Established in 2012 at the Fantasia International Film Festival, Frontières has since developed into a biannual transatlantic circuit between Montreal and Brussels. Frontières is the first market to specifically focus on the co-production and financing of genre films between North America and Europe. Frontières is a collaborative initiative between the Fantasia International Film Festival, the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF),

96 and Vision-in-Motion. Frontières is made possible thanks to the generous support of Creative Europe, SODEC, Telefilm Canada, la Région de Bruxelles Capitale, Visit Brussels, Wallimage, the Netherlands Film Fund and the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

For more information, please visit frontieresmarket.com

CONTACT Lindsay Peters Market & Industry Director Frontières International Co-Production Market Fantasia International Film Festival [email protected]

97 Cosplay

Bifff and Be Cosplay are thrilled to invite you to the 9th annual edition of the BIFFF cosplay contest.

Once again, fans of all ages pull out all stops to bring to life their favorite characters. In cosplay, people from all walks of life get in touch with their crafty sides and recreate the costumes of their favorite characters. For competitions, in addition to their hand crafted costumes, the cosplayers take to the stage to showcase their work and pay tribute to their fandoms with short performances. While the costumes are expected to be as accurate as possible, the performance gives them more creative freedom and can range from dramatic reenactments to humoristic dances.

Last year our talented judges picked Cyanide to join Cyclone X in representing Belgium at the EC finals in London 2014. This year, we have a special treat for our regular visitors: in addition to the 5th Belgian EuroCosplay, we are also bringing you the selections for Season 5 of the European Cosplay Gathering.

As you may know, the EuroCosplay selections gives 44 European cosplayers representing different countries to compete against each other in a battle of craftsmanship at the finals held at the end of October during the MCM London ComicCon.

For the European Cosplay Gathering, one solo representative and one group from 11 different countries take part in the finals that organized in each July during Japan Expo in Paris. Boasting the best cosplay stage in Europe, the competition gives contestants the opportunity to present fantastic performances in a crowd of over ten of thousands of people. At both events, the participants receive free trips to the respective finals and the marvelous opportunity to become part of the warm and welcoming European Cosplay Community.

Date: April 12th Hour: 2 pm Place: Ciné 3 – 3€

98 Focus Argentina

Some faraway countries are only known through worn out stereotypes such as beer & fries for Belgium. When we think of Argentina, we see Maradona and Messi tango with a ball, we travel to the end of the world in Patagonia and we shed a tear for Eva Peron. But this impossibly long country, which tickles the South Pole, is a true creative gold mine. And we’re not just talking about Jorge Luis Borges or Astor Piazzolla. Argentina has one of the most dynamic Latin-American film industries. The country of Ricardo Darin and Gaspat Noé is bursting with talent: Juan José Campanella and his Oscar in 2010 for The Secret In Their Eyes, Marcelo Pineyro’s The Method, Carlos Sorin’s Bombon el Perro... And many others are just waiting to break through on the international stage. Come to our BIFFF Focus on Argentina and discover the audiovisual heirs of Julio Cortazar, the famous surreal Argentinean author, who was, by the way, born in Brussels!

99 Blood Window

This was an opportunity we just couldn’t miss! In the year that the BIFFF organizes its first genre film market and also puts the spotlights on Argentinean cinema with its Focus, it would be unthinkable not to talk about Blood Window! This is not an extra bloody version of Microsoft’s operating system, but simply the biggest Latin-American genre film market. Blood Window, that takes place during the Ventana Sur Festival in Buenos Aires, is the hot- blooded nephew of our very own coproduction market Frontières. During the year, it also assures the promotion and post-production of South-American genre movies. After a long trip at the other end of the planet, the BIFFF returns with a few spicy samples of “miedo, sangre y terror”!

100 Hong Kong is Back!

Hong Kong has been known for decades for its outstanding genre cinema and the BIFFF has always closely watched this movie hot spot this year, at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the HKETO (Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office) in Brussels, the BIFFF presents an exquisite selection of the most recent genre productions from this dynamic peninsula. And, as an extra cherry on the cake, the HKETO will attribute a special award to one of the winners from the international competition, the Hong Kong Office Golden Jubilee Award.

101 Rétro Kung Fu

Hong Kong and its kung fu movies, it’s like Belgium and mashed potatoes with carrots: one’s not possible without the other! They became popular in the seventies, thanks to heroes of the tatami like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan or Sammo Hung, and got an upgrade through Tsui Hark’s beloved wu xia pan. The genre now has a cult status and is recognized all over the world. The 4 Oscars for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon are the best proof of that. With the sequel getting its release this year, the BIFFF takes advantage of this opportunity to present a small retrospective of absolute classics for all those enthusiasts of choreographed brawls!

1972 1980 1983 1986 1986

1993 1992 2004 2004 2013

More information on http://www.bifff.net

102 I’m a Seoul man

Few people knew about Korean cinema until the eighties, when it soon caught up and made its mark on the international stage thanks to a new wave of talented directors, led by the golden trio Chan-wook Park, Ki-duk Kim and Joon-ho Bong. This made Korea one of the few countries in the world where local productions can beat American blockbusters at the box office. For some ten years now, the BIFFF enthusiastically promotes this extraordinary movie country, which has become a guarantee for quality.

103 Children’s Matinee

Children’s Matinee: Mini and the Mozzies – Jannik Hastrup

Mini is a small beetle who’s always up for a crazy adventure. Together with Egon and Dagmar, he works in a flea-circus. Then one day everything goes wrong. Miranda the flea-girl sabotages the rope dancing and everything points to Mini for the blame. Our hero is forced to run away and encounters a horrible gang. Their leader, a brutal beetle called Basse, forces him to commit a burglary at the bees. But Mini gets caught and sentenced to a lifetime of hard labour. Miranda, who feels guilty, tries to help him escape. But will they succeed?

Mini and the mosquitos is the second big screen adaptation of the adventures of Mini. The film is directed by Danish animation stalwart Jannik Hastrup, a man with an impressive résumé whose unique style makes him an outsider within the classical animation scène.

This film is the focal point of this year’s Children’s Matinee. Together with youth film distributor Jekino, we have concocted an enchanting morning where children starting from the age of 4 can enjoy a multitude of entertaining activities. They’ll be able to be creative and learn the basics of animation with the famous Jekino “Film Frizzles”.

Date: Sunday 19th of April 2015 Place: Ciné 2 Movie : (spoken in Dutch!) : 10 am Workshops : from 11.30 to 13pm Price: Movie + workshops + Goodies for the price of a single ticket Obligatory reservation: you may send the number of kids and adults to the following adress: [email protected]

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105 Gaming Madness Days

7 days of OFF festival with tournaments, board games, a master class and more...

Who doesn’t want, after another vision of The Evil Dead, to slaughter a bunch of zombies? Who doesn’t want to start a Mad Max worthy chase? Thanks to video games, that’s been possible for a while now! Because the success of games is ever growing and a part of our audience has an affection with videogames, we thought that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to turn it into an OFF-festival event. Those who visited the festival during the nineties, might have memories of the LAN-Parties. This year we changed that concept a little. Now you don’t play LAN at one single location. You can cherish these little pleasures at many geek-spots in Brussels. Try to break Speedrun-records, fear the night with DeadLight, get to know the world of videogames through a Masterclass and a documentary, survive a night full of party games around zombies, participate in our Survivial Horror retrospective, meet the developers in a unique setting or gain prizes during tournaments of Super Smash Bros and Call Of Duty Zombies. This will all be organized during the festival by day. Come in great numbers, discover the new geek-spots of Brussels and win tickets for the festival!

An avalanche of activities

April 7th: Left For Dead Tournament – Outpost – 14 To 21 o’clock April 8th: Speedrun contest around Survival Horror games – Hyperion – 14 to 21 o’clock April 9th: Horror in gaming, a retrospective – Schrodinger’s Cat – 14 to 21 o’clock April 10th: Sunset Overdrive Tournament – EGO – 13h30 to 21 o’clock April 13th: Super Smash Bros Fantasy Rules Tournament + Cosplay – Game-In Manga Café – 14 to 20 o’clock April 14th: European Premier of Game Loading: Rise Of The Indies + Masterclass around Indie Gaming + Price Ceremony – BIFFF – 15 to 18 o’ clock April 16th: A night of Zombie Boardgames organized by Brussels Games Festival – La Table – 22 to 4 o’clock

For tournament inscriptions, please contact the organizer of the specific tournament.

Our Usual Suspects:

EGO: opened in June 2014, the European Gaming Organization is an association that promotes eSport for console gaming. Specialized in tournaments around famous games like FIFA, COD, HALO. http://www.egorganisation.com/ Inscriptions: [email protected] Schrodinger’s Cat: wants to be a Cultural House for gaming and geek culture in general. Opened in February 2015, this place will deliver good games and serve some good beers! http://www.schrodingers-cat.be/

106 La Table Food and Games: Here you can play and eat at the same time. More than fifty playable boardgames, with friendly locals willing to help you explain those difficult rules. Yes I’m talking about you, Endeavor. http://www.latablefoodandgames.be/ inscriptions: [email protected]

Outpost: Just in front of La Table this Mecca for the boardgame geek is the place to be if you want to play games like X-Wing, Vanguard, Dungeons & Dragons, … There are also computers at your disposal to play Left For Dead, Starcraft and others http://www.outpost.be/ inscriptions: [email protected]

Hyperion E-sport Bar: New gaming bars are popping up everywhere and Hyperion want to gather all the fans of E-sport. Streams of tournaments, Starcraft events, and even a semi-pro team gather together at this place. http://www.hyperionesportbar.com/ Inscriptions: [email protected]

Game-In Manga Café: A café where two passions come together: Manga and gaming. So come play along to some Super Smash Bros and Fifa or enjoy discussions around One Piece, Death Note, Naruto and many more! https://www.facebook.com/game.in.cafe?fref=ts Inscriptions: [email protected]

The House Of Indie : The House of Indie is an indie game collective based in Antwerp, Belgium. We're committed to curetting, nurturing and solidifying local indie culture. http://www.thehouseofindie.com/

Brussels Games Festival: is the first summer festival around gaming in Brussels. 3 days of all kinds of gaming experiences. http://www.brusselsgamesfestival.be/website/

PXL BBQ: Their main activity is to follow up on gaming news, but PXL BBQ also organizes events around gaming and talks about the subculture in general. http://pxlbbq.com/

107 Masterclass

Synthesis Workshop 2015, Georges Lucas, Pixar… and why not you?

Wednesday April 8th & Thursday 9th from 2pm to 5pm at Ciné 3

The masterclass Synthésis Workshop returns in 2015 with three themes: Georges Lucas, Pixar and... You.

Synthésis Workshop is an event that explains in an interactive manner what special effects are. Jean-Yves Arboit is the master of ceremonies. His explanation will this year be spread over two days.

The first day he’ll explain the different stages out of which a 100% digital effects shot consists. Step by step, from a blank paper to the finished product, Jean-Yves will demonstrate how easy, accessible and powerful these techniques are and how high their artistic potential really is. This masterclass will focus on the work of Georges Lucas and Pixar and will show you how it can inspire your own productions.

The second day consists of two parts. The first part will explain in a practical manner how you can make your movie with limited means and with software that’s accessible to everyone. The second part consists of an open forum focused on the projection of a completely digital sfx short feature and its “making off”. On the menu a Q&A about all the production stages of this movie. A film explained from A to Z!

As a bonus, one of Jean-Yves’ old students, who now works in the sector, will share his experience and will explain the first steps that lead from getting your degree to a career in the film industry

Finally, the Synthésis Workshop team will be present during the festival at the BIFFF “village” and will be at our disposal for council and support for your digital sfx scenes, whether it’s for a first movie or project, financed or not.

All these talents are labelled “made in Belgium”!

This workshop is organized by, training and event network www.CGItrainer.com in collaboration with the BIFFF and “Les Cours des Métiers d'Art du Hainaut” Press & info : [email protected] CGI trainer : [email protected]

108 The Human Rights League presents

DEBATA When the judge is no longer present

Friday April 17th at 4pm at Ciné 3

How science-fiction cinema represents the judge Justice has always been a big theme in the science-fiction universe, especially in movies about a dystopian future. Strangely enough, we hardly ever see a judge in these kinds of films. What does a society looks like when there are no judges? What happens when the judge is replaced by a computer or a robot? Or when the government chooses to outsource the legal system to a private contractor? Or even when society blindly trusts a technology that can prevent crime? Whether it’s about societies reverting to a more primitive state or driven by technological progress, science-fiction shows us a broad view of possible futures and questions our systems of justice. From Judge Dredd to Minority Report, the Human Rights League will try to understand through film why future societies no longer see any use for judges. It’ll make us realize how fast things are already changing now and how our society isn’t that far removed from a dystopian vision of the world. Host : Julien Pieret, assistant professor – Centre for Public Justice (ULB) and a member of the Human Rights League.

109 Masterclass Indiegaming + Tournament Ceremony

Thuesday April 14th 2015 at 3pm at Ciné 3

To complete the Gaming Madness Days, the BIFFF and The House Of Indie will organize an afternoon centred around indie games, followed by a ceremony to attribute the awards for the tournament winners.

What’s on the menu?

A premiere of the documentary Game Loading: Rise Of The indie. A movie about the indie gaming community in Europe and how that scene is becoming bigger and bigger.

This will be followed by a panel discussion with creators portrayed in the documentary. Do you dream of starting your own studio or are you just eager to learn how the industry works? Feel free to join the discussion and ask away!

Finally the award ceremony will take place for the different tournaments that took place during the Gaming Madness Days.

110 Vampire’s ball

They say that when you become thirty you stop being restless, prefer to stay at home with a hot drink and slip between the sheets before the clock strikes midnight… Our Vampire Ball is definitely not that kind of thirtysomething. Come and join us on this epic night of madness. We’re planning a big birthday edition for this 30th anniversary, one that will forever mark the minds and bodies of the participants!

Only disguised or made-up party animals allowed! A hell of a make-up team is at your disposal for only 3€...

At the turning tables: Mister PomPon and his a(l)colytes

Attention: limited number of tickets!!!

Start of the party: 10pm (till 6.30am)

Hôtel de la Poste / Tour & Taxis (entrance and parking: rue Picard)

111 Body Painting

28th International Body Painting Contest

Organised in collaboration with FARDEL Cosmetics (www.fardel.com)

The International BODY PAINTING CONTEST is an important festival event, of which the reputation has spread far beyond our borders. The BODY PAINTING contest will use the same original theme as last year. One again, the candidates will transform their models into LIVING PAINTINGS, inspired by famous paintings (classical or contemporary, all the choices are allowed): you’ll see their world famous paintings come alive on human bodies. The contest takes place every evening from 8 till 16 April 2015.

The candidates will have 4 hours to complete their creation at the Body Painting stand of the Festival. You can see them every day for free between 5pm and 9pm. At 9.30pm every model will parade in front of the audience and the professional jury, after which an army of photographers will capture their virtuous brushstrokes on ones and zeros.

BODY PAINTING CONTEST At the 33rd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival – Center for Fine Arts From Wednesday 8 till Thursday 16 April 2015, Between 5pm and 9pm Free entry

Attribution of prizes on Friday 17 April 2015 at 8.30 pm.

Info: www.bifff.net

112 The Awards

1st Prize

! FARDEL Cosmetics A case of FARDEL Cosmetics products with a value of +/- 1.000 €

! BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL An original autographed silk-screen print of the poster of the "33rd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival" offered by the Festival.

2nd Prize

! FARDEL Cosmetics A case of FARDEL Cosmetics products with a value of +/- 500 €

! BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL An original autographed silk-screen print of the poster of the "33rd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival" offered by the Festival.

3rd Prize

! FARDEL Cosmetics A case of FARDEL Cosmetics products with a value of +/- 400 €

! BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL An original autographed silk-screen print of the poster of the "33rd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival" offered by the Festival.

Other Prizes

Every body painter will receive on the evening of the contest :

! A certificate of participation ! A case of FARDEL Cosmetics products with a value of +/- 250 € to 300 €. ! Other prizes can still be added to this list...

113 Make-up Contest

Free Make-up Competition: open to everyone!

Beginners, amateurs or semi-professionals, come in large number and demonstrate your creativity on the theme of the fantasy, imagination, horror, science fiction or supernatural to the 32nd Make-up Contest. Transform the human faces into monstrous or divine creatures, be delirious in special effects and, especially, indulge yourselves! Join one of the three categories: amateur, semi-pro, special effects. Registrations are compulsory and made the very evening in the make-up stand. Products are provided, but it is however recommended to bring your own material: brushes, sponges, latexes, prostheses … The jury will determine the winners on base of pictures taken during the all festival.

Practical information: At the make-up stand of the 33rd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival – Center for Fine Arts. From Wednesday 8 till Thursday 16 April 2015, between 5.30 pm and 10.30 pm – free entry. Responsible: Georges STEVENS Attribution of prizes on Friday 17 April 2015 at 9.30 pm.

With the participation of :

www.finotto.be Prizes are generously offered by Fardel Cosmetics : www.fardel.com Arkel Body Art Gallery : www.arkel.be Hair Club: www.hairclub.be Jean-Luc Maitrank: tel: 0478.251.276 Maquibel: tel: 02.514.40.84 Optique Vicqueray: tel/fax: 02.343.54.50

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115 Zombifff Day & Night

April 11th 2015

ZOMBIFFFLYMPICS

RULES & REGULATIONS PRICE: 3€ per player to be paid on the spot at the day of the event. Number of players: 6 per team Advance registrations by mail to [email protected]. Send us the name of your team and the names and first names of your six zombies! To be able to register, teams have to consist of 6 players. What if you’re not with 6? Here are two solutions: 1) Find friends 2) Buy friends! You arrive on the spot and you want to register? NO PROBLEM! Our Point Info stand will welcome you with open arms. Register your zombies for the competition and start to drool over the First Prize! You’ll also have the opportunity to take a team picture, so you’ll receive a nice souvenir of your rotting faces. Schedule

116 The party will start at 11am with the arrival of the Olympic Torch in the Parc Royale. It will, of course, be carried by a zombie, so it could take a while before it will be lit. You’ve been warned! Next on the menu is a collective warm-up session to avoid muscle cramps and any preliminary loss of limbs on the field. Teams will be able to register till 2.30pm. The closing ceremony of the Zombifff’lympics 2015 and the attribution of the awards will take place at 3.30pm. By 4pm, all surviving zombies will gather for the start of the parade (which will leave at 4.30pm!) The games Upon arrival: go to Point Info to register your team! Once registered and paid, each team will receive a score card with the different disciplines of the games: - Spinal cord throwing

- Running - Intestine pulling - Attacking humans The accumulated points go to the entire team. Be zombies, but play as a team. The team comes first. Reach for the stars! Each discipline will be judged according to 4 criteria: - SPORTIVE (if you have respected the rules of the discipline) - ACHIEVEMENT (if you achieved a truly high score despite all that blood beneath your feet!) - ZOMBIE (if you haven’t forgotten your true zombie nature by wanting to do better than the others…)

- BONUS (if you’ve given the jury a good laugh!) After having competed in all disciplines, the teams must RETURN to the Point Info stand with their score cards completed by the jury to have their points calculated by the ULTIMATE JURY. A ranking will be made in real-time. The awards The first prize, attributed to the team with the most points, will be a magnificent jelly brain! Other surprises are foreseen for the teams that occupy the second and third spot on the podium.

THE DISCIPLINES

SPINAL CORD THROWING Power, concentration, courage … the participating zombies will need all these qualities to finish this discipline. You need more explanation? Really? You take the spinal cord and you THROW it as far as possible in front of you. Try not to lose your arm while throwing…

117 RUNNING A simple discipline. You only have to run 100 meters. And because we’re so nice, we’ve even reduced the number of meters to run. One has to realize that not all zombies are bitten equal. If some are as fortunate to be more or less in one piece (or seem to be), others are a lot less lucky: a leg or two torn off, intestines hanging out, no eyeballs (but can zombies actually still see something?), a half- eaten arm… But don’t worry. It’s just a few meters, you’ll manage. The discipline starts with a roll of the Dice of Destiny. This will determine which part of your body you’re not allowed to use during the discipline. Fingers crossed it’s going to be your arms!

INTESTINE PULLING A miserable, screaming human (that seems to be hugely motivating) with its intestines hanging out, is the stake of an argument between two rival zombie teams. Six on one side, six on the other side and a cord of intestines… which team is going to get to eat him? A trial of force to be completed by an entire team of competing zombies. Please show some understanding for the miserable, screaming human. You’re playing with his intestines.

ATTACKING HUMANS The participating zombies are hungry and what do you know? A bunch of yummy humans are at the other side of the field. But chances are they’re not going to be very cooperative. Armed with stones, they’ll try to push back the advancing zombies. Every time a zombie gets hit, he has to go back to the starting line. Will the zombies be flexible and agile enough to avoid getting stoned?

REGULATIONS or how to behave like a good zombie It goes without saying that all disciplines must be completed in a true spirit of fair play. Zombies HELL YEAH, but well educated zombies! Every infraction to the rules can be sanctioned by the jurors at each discipline. Sanctions can go from a simple loss of points to total, complete and irrevocable disqualification from the competition. We ask you to: - Respect the other teams... - … and also respect your own team members! A bought friend is also a friend for life… - Do not bite your opponents. - Be nice to the jurors (biting the jury may lead to disqualification!) - Respect basic decency rules (we know it’s difficult, but the King is just across the street!) - Do not throw your garbage, intestines, maggots or rotting limbs on the ground or at your opponents and certainly not at the jurors and the MC’s.

- Realize it’s just a game. A sane mind in a healthy body is fine… but in a decaying body is even better, don’t you think?

118

ZOMBIFFF PARADE It’s that time of the year again for those who prefer their walks to include lots of shuffling and moaning. The one and only ZOMBIFFF PARADE will welcome hundreds of undead from the cradle to the grave for a march that’s a little bit different from all those other marches that are filling the streets of our capital in these times of crisis. For the occasion, our venerable Manneken Pis will again put on his costume of Drakulen Pis and give a hearty and wet salute to our jolly zombie friends!

If you don’t really know how to put some putrefaction on your face, don’t worry. Come to the Parc Royal, starting from noon, to get made-up for free by the team of Michael Loncin (FX Bubbles)!

ZOMBIFFF NIGHT#5

Once again, Cheap Satanism Records and Café Central join forces for a rhythmic limb swinging ritual at the 5th ZomBIFFF Night. This year the party kicks off under an occult sign with the presentation of the latest albums by Alos and Solar Skeletons. Alos is the brainchild of Italian performance artist Stefania Pedretti, who has no equal in bringing her audience into a diabolic and Machiavellian trance. The duo Solar Skeletons are true apprentice- sorcerers, whose spells consists of audio-explosions that are going to knock you out. If there are still some undead alive after all that, Agent Palmer, dDash en Tzii will deliver the final blow with some diabolic spins to the turntables.

By the way, Café Central extends the ZomBIFFF Night by inviting you every Sunday evening in April to watch a zombie movie at the occasion of their habitual movie-club evenings. Entrance is also free. This year they’ll try to answer the question that is haunting every decaying brain: can zombies have romantic adventures or are they doomed to rot away watching Oprah Winfrey reruns?!

At the Café Central every Sunday at 8pm.

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120 ARTBIFFF Exhibition

Zombies and Other Strange Paintings

Hell at the gates!

What is the place of the zombie in our collective consciousness? Why do they fascinate us so much? When and in what shape do they appear in our lives? Those are the questions I’ve been asking myself for months now while making a series of small oil paintings featuring the undead. Anthropophagy, cannibalism, fear for the hereafter and for trespassing our limits… the zombie-theme keeps inspiring writers, directors and artists. While creating these works, I’ve injected them with lots of humor.

Some works are in a figurative style bursting with color. They are presented as the typical American publicity billboards from the 60ties. Playful and deliberately naive – rosy cheeked kids devouring adult corpses when they’re not being pursued by zombies themselves – the zombie-theme is given a fresh perspective. Other works, in more sober colors, portray zombies with a lot more “bite”!

Whether it’s zombies or disfigured humans, no one will remain indifferent while watching these creatures suffer. The portraits of this Persona Non Grata will expose them to the audience no holds barred!

Michel Soucy Junior www.soucymichel.com [email protected]

121 53*033*'*,

«Squid Lab are true explorers of faraway lands. Just for the sake of entertainment, they went on an adventure to the lost islands of the Bermuda Triangle and returned with the strangest artefacts. Your jaws will drop all the way to the ground when encountering these morbid societies, mutated beasties and unexplained phenomena. They’ve risked their lives to amaze and stun the BIFFF audience!»

So do come and enjoy the tortured relics of Trëz, the astounding animals of Dinh Van Fx or be overwhelmed by the beauty of Squid Lab’s Lady Without Mercy.

www.dinhvanfx.com www.squidlab.be

Trëz www.orbscurarium.com

122 Script Writing Contest

Since 2014 the BIFFF houses the European edition of the International Coproduction Market FRONTIERES, a film market that creates trans-Atlantic partnerships between film industry professionals. More than 214 participants from 21 countries assisted to this first Brussels’ edition.

Even though the participants to this project have a head start in realizing their ambitions, they’re not the only ones bursting with creativity. Chuck Palahniuk lived in a garage before his breakthrough with Fight Club (okay, it was first a novel before it became the film we all know) and Quentin Tarantino classed VHS tapes in a video club while writing the script for what was to become Reservoir Dogs. This just to say that good ideas are finally the most democratic thing in the world, because everybody can have them! Starting from that, the BIFFF decided to organize a script writing contest open to everybody under the following conditions: -it has to be in the fantastic genre in the broadest sense of the word. -it has to be written in French. -it has to be written according to established film script rules (see http://www.cscinema.com/presenter/objet_script/ ) - it has to be sent before the deadline of 15 November 2015 to [email protected]

The jury will be composed of Nadine Monfils, Jean Dufaux and Philippe Dumont. The winner’s script will be translated into English and distributed to all participants of Frontières; always looking out for original projects!

Who knows? Maybe one of you might be the next Tarantino…

123 Animations

TROLLANDIA

Coming out straight from the fantastic world, the creatures from Trollandia lost their way. They randomly end up in the strange human world; a universe so different than the one they know! Curious and puckish, Trollandians are thrilled to find out more every day about those odd animals, with neither fur nor horns... Waggish troll, juggling satyr, acrobatic faun and many more will come cheer your evening up with their drolleries of all kinds! [email protected]

Cie LES DESAXES “Archam and his Uruluki”

Archam, rare creature tamer extraordinaire, has crossed all oceans, climbed the highest mountains and explored the deepest chasms with but one goal: finding an Uruluki. Do not miss this unique opportunity, for the very first time on this planet, to see this shy and naughty creature. Do not be afraid; follow Archam and discover who, the master, the creature or the audience, has really been tamed...

“The Brothers Zorbites”

When the Spatians started to conquer other worlds, they introduced an extremely rigorous control procedure on the species that could be introduced on these planets. Thanks to this, the worlds of the Spatians do not contain any life form hostile to humans. That’s because most Spatians think that mankind is an underdeveloped species. (sic) www.lesdesaxes.be

124 Magic Land Théâtre

The Magic Land Theatre is not only pretty daft in a seriously funny sort of way; they’ve also been a part of the BIFFF for decades. The company, founded in 1975, has a very diverse range of activities, from puppet-theatre to TV-shows, but they’ve always remained loyal to their first love: street theatre animation. At the occasion of the BIFFF, they’ll spout their funniest and most absurd jokes, put on their most extravagant costumes and transform into weird and fantastic creatures to create havoc at the festival. www.magicland-theatre.com

RATOONCOMPANY

A contemporary take on the classic tale of the dragon, the knight and the princess!

[email protected]

DOLLE PRÊT

Hector & Hektor

A truly heart-warming act with totally deranged Siamese zombie twins! They’ve just risen from the grave and they’re having a great time here. You have to forgive them their mindboggling dumbness, as the mice ate most of their brains. Together they share one functioning brain cell. Have fun with this outrageous duo. www.dollepret.be

125

PUCK

A whole year without the BIFFF, that was long... but a whole year without seeing them; that might have been even worse! You remember them, those silly creatures that kept you from drinking your beer in peace while they were pretending to entertain you? You thought you got rid of them, didn't you? Too bad! They've remembered the way to Bozar. And, for your very own pleasure, they've brought with them a plethora of new creatures... The PUCK Company will once more be present at the BIFFF this year! Still quirky, still crazy, the Puck actors will be delighted to see you again. [email protected]

RUDY

The Rudyprod company is specialized in event representations for fantastic film festivals with creature costumes that they either make themselves or that are delivered by the special effect companies that created the creatures for the represented films. They also make their own creature costumes for various horror and fantasy films.

[email protected]

126 Comic-Strip Stand

LEONIE BISCHOFF

Hoodoo darlin’

La Princesse des Glaces

ADRIEN FLOCH

Cixi de Troy

Fatal Jack

Les Filles du Soleil

Les Naufragés d’Ythaq

PHILIPPE FOERSTER

L’appel du Fossoyeur

Certains l’aiment noir

Gueules de Bois

Silex Files

127 FLORENCE MAGNIN

L’autre Monde

Mary La Noire

L’Héritage d’Emilie

Mascarade

JEAN-CLAUDE SERVAIS

Tendre Violette

Lova

La Mémoire des Arbres

Fanchon

STUFF

Passe-moi l’ciel

REMI TORREGROSSA

Les Filles de Soleil

Triskell

Les Dragons

128 Euromillion Contest

Scandalously fantastic! Once again, Euro Millions will be present at the BIFFF with a small surprise for fans of science fiction and fantasy. Go to our Euro Millions stand in your disguise/costume, inspired by the theme “Scandalous”… and get a FREE TICKET and a photo shoot! Zombies, vampires, mutants… Come in droves, we’re waiting for you ;-) !

129 Practical Informations

PRESS CONTACT

Public Information: 02/204.00.13 or www.bifff.net Press Information: Jonathan Lenaerts 8 rue de la Comtesse de Flandre, 1020 Bruxelles tel: 02/204.00.14. ; fax: 02/201.14.69. e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

130 THE PICTURES OF THE PRESS FILE ARE SUBMITTED TO A COPYRIGHT

Press and pro accredit’ The accreditation forms are already available on our website. Please send us your form duly completed online before the 31th march 2015. Beyond this date, 25€ of administrative fee will be asked to dispose of an accreditation. The press and professionals accreditation gives, in any case, access to the press views of the festival. Differents types of accreditations are distributed. We will keep you informed, by e-mail, about the acceptance of your accreditation request and the type of accreditation that will be suggested to you. Beware, the accreditation doesn’t give the automatic access to all the screenings of the festival. It is required to book the screenings you want to attend to, at least the day before them. The number of available places for the accredited being limited, we can’t guarantee the availability of the places for all the screenings. Press and Profess-Space A place is made available throughout the festival. You can find the press period at the ground floor of the Fine Art Museum, level at Ravenstein street (cf plan). An Internet access will be provided to the badge holders, but it is recommended to bring your own laptop. The entire BIFFF space is covered by the Wifi offered by BeCyber. Press Screenings A list with all the press projections will be available later on our website or on request to the contacts hereabove. Please note that this list may still be subject to change. Video space (for the press and the professionals) Video screens will be provided to the press accreditation holders or the professionals. Most of the films from the program may be watched on a secured server. However, the number of screens being limited, a reservation is required and the press department reserves the right to determine who will have the priority access. We caution that the guests list as well as the one of the jurys is temporary and may change at any time.

131 Access

Center of Fine Arts Rue Ravenstein 23 1000 Brussels

To reduce air pollution, avoid the queues and parking problems, come by public transport, walking or cycling. It’s more fun!

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Train: Central Station Metro: Line 1 & 5: Gare Centrale & Parc stop – Line 1 & 2 & 5 & 6: Arts-Loi stop Tram: 92 – 93 Bus: 27 – 29 – 34 – 38 – 63 – 65 – 66 – 71 – 71N – 95

132 Parking

Parking Albertine Rue des Sols & Place de la Justice. Preferential tarif in the evening. From Monday to Friday, 07:00 am > 01:00 am. Walking distance: 2-5 minutes

Parking Grand Place Rue Marché aux Herbes 104. From Monday to Sunday, open 24h/24h. Walking distance: 5-10 minutes Parking Sablon-Poelaert Place Poelaert. From Monday to Friday, 07:00 am > 00:00 am Saturday, Sunday and public holidays : 10:00 am > 00:00 am Walking distance: 10-15 minutes

Useful links

Carpool : www.djengo.be Share the car : www.cambio.be By bike : www.villo.be

133