The Sitges festival is much more than a film competition. Anyone who wants to star in their own film should not miss the Cursed Filming in this edition of the festival. A tunnel of terror that runs through an old abandoned film studio. Composed of numerous dark rooms, your visitors will have the (real) feeling that someone is following them. The impression of being inside a horror movie is palpable, and the adrenaline flows as the audience becomes the protagonist of their own cinematic nightmare. A nightmare that they can later view on the big screen, when participants sit in a room to watch the recording of their visit.
In the King Kong area, the nuns of Paco Plaza, straight out of Sister Death, invite you to spend a few minutes in Father Miguel’s confessional. “Here in Sitges there are many sinners,” warns one of the sisters, “so we have brought our confessional, where Father Miguel will be able to listen to them all.” What happens once inside is a mystery, no one dares to speak after leaving the confessional. But the screams heard from outside intrigue both the director’s most loyal fans and those who have not even seen the film.
In addition to the immersive activities the festival offers, fans can explore a world of cinematic treasures and collectibles at fanshops. From Star Wars action figures to exact replicas of Marty McFly’s DeLorean keys in Back to the Future, these businesses are a collector’s paradise. One of the most visited places is Retrolala. Guarded by Chewbacca and a giant gremlin, this store houses jewelry from the 1970s onwards. An original Furby toy, vintage porcelain dolls and classic movie posters. The most striking thing? An embalmed fox. “We have it as a decoration, but it is also for sale,” says Alexis, the seller.
Two exhibitions complete the festival’s activities agenda. The amazing and shocking, in Monster Creators: George A. Romero between creatures and monsters, a tribute to the director of Night of the Living Dead and other horror classics made by the visual artists Elsa Neri and Lady Laudano. For the most nostalgic, Animation! travel through history. From the early days with El Cigronet Valent to Pablo Berger’s latest feature film, Robot dreams.
