22/04/2024 - The genre-film showcase comes back to Cannes, inviting seven film festivals along with their curated selection of seven outstanding projects

Set to make a comeback at this year's Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival, Fantastic 7 promises an exciting array of genre-defying films from across the globe thanks to a dynamic new selection. This marks the sixth edition of the renowned international showcase, jointly curated by the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia and the Marché du Film.

As is customary each year, seven prestigious film festivals – Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Cairo International Film Festival, Guadalajara International Film Festival, New Zealand International Film Festival, SXSW Film & TV Festival and Tallinn Black Nights – acknowledged for their dedication to championing innovative genre films and nurturing emerging filmmaking talents, each endorse an outstanding film project to be featured at the Marché du Film. These promising works in progress, at various stages of post-production, will be presented by their respective filmmaking teams during a live pitching session aimed at bolstering their projects and facilitating connections with potential investors, sales agents and distributors. The Fantastic 7 showcase is scheduled for Sunday 19 May, from 12:00 to 13:50 at Palais K, Palais des Festivals.

As is the case every year, Fantastic 7 has appointed a distinguished industry personality to assume the role of the event's “Fantastic Godfather/Godmother”. In this instance, the title is conferred upon Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, a writer, producer and director hailing from Tenerife. Fresnadillo emerges as a pivotal figure able to help decipher the contemporary wave of Spanish genre cinema that has enraptured audiences worldwide in recent decades. His repertoire encompasses notable works such as Linked, Intacto, 28 Weeks Later [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Intruders [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
film profile] and, more recently, the acclaimed global success Damsel, premiered on Netflix. Fresnadillo will join the diverse audience of industry professionals and genre-film enthusiasts at the Fantastic 7 showcase.

The invited films encompass a diverse array of genres, ranging from romance to science fiction, horror to adventure, and beyond. These movies courageously delve into complex themes, including coping with grief, the potency of the imagination, combatting stigma surrounding illness, and navigating cultural disparities. Audiences can anticipate an engaging blend of magical realism, gripping psychological drama, subtle humour and historical folklore.

Here are the projects selected for the sixth edition of Fantastic 7:

A Tale of a Feather and a Fish - Ahmed El-Hawarey (Egypt)
Producers: Hala Lotfy, Dina Farouk
Presented by Cairo International Film Festival

Daniela Forever - Nacho Vigalondo (Spain/Belgium)
Producer: Sayaka Producciones
Presented by Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia

Dog of God - Raitis Ābele, Lauris Ābele (Latvia/USA)
Producers: Kristele Pudane, Giovanni Labadessa
Presented by PÖFF – Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

Esper’s Light - Jae-hoon Jung (South Korea)
Producer: Ko Yoohee
Presented by Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival

Foreign Body - Tom Sainsbury (New Zealand)
Producers: Gabe Lunte, Milon Tesiram, Jonathan Potton, Tom Sainsbury
Presented by New Zealand International Film Festival

Maleficarum - Antonio Gäehd (Mexico)
Producers: Enrique Okusono, Gabriel Guzman, Miguel Ángel Marín
Presented by Guadalajara International Film Festival

Mommy’s Home - James Morosini (USA)
Producers: Dawn Olmstead, James Morosini
Presented by SXSW South by Southwest Film & TV Festival