As Orson Welles once said - “ Look what 700 years of democracy have brought to Switzerland: chocolate and the cuckoo clock”. Well since the picturesque city of Neuchâtel is precisely the Home of Swiss chocolate and watches, you might conclude that it is the quietest place on earth.
Well not anymore! Since 2000, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) has rocked the city to the ground, welcoming cult guests such as Roger Corman, Phil Tippett, Dario Argento, Ray Harryhausen, Stuart Gordon, Shinya Tsukamoto, Tobe Hooper, Marc Caro and many more.
Now one of the most important film festivals in Switzerland, NIFFF gives away the “Narcisse” Award by Oscar Winner H.R.Giger, the famous designer of “Alien”. After “The bothersome Man” in 2006, “You, the Living” by Roy Andersson won the Narcisse award in 2007, leading a high profile selection of over 70 features and shorts, all presented in Swiss or International Premiere.
NIFFF holds various sections, from its International Competition for fantastic features to special programs and workshops devoted to Special Effects and the Digital Image. With two Competitions for feature films (fantastic and Asian) and its side programs the event offer the best platform to promote Fantastic and Asian recent productions in the country.
PALMARÈS 2016
H.R. GIGER ‘NARCISSE’ AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION)
CHF 10,000 offered by the City of Neuchâtel
“UNDER THE SHADOW” – Babak Anvari, Iran/Jordan/Qatar/UK
“The Lure” (Córki dancingu, literally “Daughters of the Dance Club”, 2015)
Honourable mention: “THE LURE” - Agnieszka Smoczyńska, Poland
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST EUROPEAN FANTASTIC FILM
Nomination
“PARENTS” – Christian Tafdrup, Denmark
Awarded by the Méliès jury
Brigitte Häring, Journalist (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen - SRF), CH
Andrea Quiroz, Producer, MX
Frederik Peeters, Comic book artist, CH
The film is nominated for the Golden Méliès, which will be chosen on October 29th, at Fantastik Filmfest (Lund, Sweden).
NIFFF AWARD FROM INTERNATIONAL CRITICS (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION)
“SWISS ARMY MAN” – Daniel Scheinert & Dan Kwan, USA
Awarded by the NIFFF international critics
Pierce Conran, Screen Anarchy, CA
Cédric Delelée, Mad Movies, FR
Andrea Monili, Nocturno, IT
Luis Rosales, Scifiworld, SP
Nando Rohner, Deadline, DE
IMAGING THE FUTURE AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION)
CHF 5,000 offered by the CSEM (Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique)
“SWISS ARMY MAN” – Daniel Scheinert & Dan Kwan, USA
Awarded by the Imaging The Future jury
Michael Krummenacher, Director, CH
Alexandre Poncet, Director & Journalist, FR
Laura Sanchez Acosta, Producer, AR
DENIS-DE-ROUGEMONT YOUTH AWARD (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION)
“DETOUR” – Christopher Smith, UK, South Africa
Awarded by the Lycée Denis-de-Rougemont jury
Hafsa Ibrahim, Njarasoa Rumpf, Camila Schmalz P., Valentin Straub
AWARD FOR BEST ASIAN FILM (ASIAN COMPETITION)
“HONOR THY FATHER” – Erik Matti, Philippines
Awarded by the audience
RTS (National Swiss Television) AUDIENCE AWARD (INTERNATIONAL AND ASIAN COMPETITIONS)
Broadcast
“SWISS ARMY MAN” – Daniel Scheinert & Dan Kwan, USA
Awarded by the audience
H.R. GIGER ‘NARCISSE’ AWARD FOR BEST SWISS SHORT FILM
CHF 10,000 offered by the SSA and Suissimage
“IVAN’S NEED” – Veronica Lingg, Manuela Leuenberger & Lukas Suter, Switzerland
Awarded by the SSA/Suissimage jury
Anne Deluz, SSA/SUISSIMAGE Delegate, CH
Carmen Jaquier, Director, CH
Marie Klay, Programmer at Spoutnik, Administrative Director & Programmer at LUFF, CH
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST EUROPEAN FANTASTIC SHORT FILM
Nomination
“IVAN’S NEED” – Veronica Lingg, Manuela Leuenberger & Lukas Suter, Switzerland
Awarded by the SSA/Suissimage jury
Anne Deluz, SSA/SUISSIMAGE Delegate, CH
Carmen Jaquier, Director, CH
Marie Klay, Programmer at Spoutnik, Administrative Director & Programmer at LUFF, CH
The film is nominated for the Golden Méliès, which will be chosen on October 29th, at Fantastik Filmfest (Lund, Sweden).
TAURUS STUDIO AWARD FOR INNOVATION (SWISS SHORTS COMPETITION)
CHF 2,000 voucher for audio post-production
“BELLE COMME UN COEUR” – Gregory Casares, Switzerland
Awarded by Jury Taurus Studio
Claude Lander, Founder of Taurus Studio, CH
Marie-Thérèse Bonadonna, Cultural Delegate at Club 44, CH
Freddy Landry, Journalist & Producer, CH
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
Passage Max. de Meuron 6, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Festival Director: Anaïs Emery
Federation Contact: Anaïs Emery
Award Film Winners
| Films | Director | Country | Type | Year | Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men & Chicken | Anders Thomas Jensen | Germany, Denmark | Feature | 2015 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Es War Finster Und Merkwürdig Still | Mirella Brunold & Nina Calderone | Switzerland | Short | 2015 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Blind | Eskil Vogt | Norway | Feature | 2014 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Lothar | Luca Zuberbühler | Switzerland | Short | 2014 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Entre Ange et Demon | Pascal Forney | Switzerland | Short | 2013 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| In the name of the son | Vincent Lannoo | France, Belgium | Feature | 2013 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Citadel | Ciaran Foy | United Kingdom, Ireland | Feature | 2012 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Room 606 | Peter Volkart | Switzerland | Short | 2012 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Brutal Relax | Adrian Cardona / David Munoz / Rafa Dengra | Spain | Short | 2011 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Troll Hunter | André Øvredal | Norway | Feature | 2011 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Strigoi | Faye Jackson | England | Feature | 2010 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Try a Little Tenderness | Benjamin Teske | Germany | Short | 2010 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Lägg M för Mord | Magnus Holmgren | Sweden | Short | 2009 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Left Bank | Pieter Van Hees | Belgium | Feature | 2009 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Scary | Martijn Hullegie | The Netherlands | Short | 2008 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Let the Right One In | Tomas Alfredson | Sweden | Feature | 2008 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Ugly Swans | Konstantin Lopushanskiy | Russia | Feature | 2007 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Silence is Golden | Chris Shepherd | France, United Kingdom | Short | 2007 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Dilemma | Boris Paval Conen | The Netherlands | Short | 2006 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| The Bothersome Man | Jens Lien | Norway | Feature | 2006 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Code 46 | Michael Winterbottom | United Kingdom | Feature | 2004 | Feature Film Méliès d’Or |
| The Last Minute | Nicolas Salis | France | Short | 2004 | Short Film Méliès d’Or |
| 7:35 de la Mañana | Nacho Vigalondo | Spain | Short | 2004 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| The Machinist | Brad Anderson | Spain | Feature | 2004 | Feature Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Loups | Hugo Veludo | Switzerland | Short | 2003 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |
| Joshua | Andreas Müller | Switzerland | Short | 2002 | Short Film Méliès d’Argent |