As part of the 55th edition of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, the City of La Laguna Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival presents an important preview of the lineup and guests for its sixth edition, with the announcement of the first titles in competition and honorary awards for filmmaker John Landis and costume designer Deborah Nadoolman.
As for the Official Competition Feature Film Section, Spanish fantastic cinema will land with force in the sixth edition of the Isla Calavera Festival, where 'La piedad', the second feature film by Eduardo Casanova, will be screened after receiving the award for best film in the official competition section of the Fantastic Fest in Austin (Texas) for its original proposal, a mixture of drama and horror starring Manel Llunell and an immense Ángela Molina.
Paul Urkijo ('Errementari', 'Dar-Dar') returns to Isla Calavera with 'Irati', a fantastic mythology set in medieval Euskadi that today celebrated its world premiere at the Sitges Festival. With a budget of more than 4 million euros, it stands as the most expensive production in Basque cinema.
The winners of the 2021 Isla Calavera Audience Award for best feature film for 'La pasajera', Raúl Cerezo and Fernando González Gómez, will present their new work, 'Viejos', with Zorion Eguileor ('El hoyo') and Paula Gallego (2021 Isla Calavera Award for best actress for 'La pasajera').
Science fiction will be represented by 'The Antares Paradox', feature debut of Luis Tinoco, the story of Alexandra, a scientist on duty at a radio telescope, who receives a signal that could answer one of the most transcendental questions of humanity.
Other titles in competition
Neil Marshall's new film, 'The Lair', can also be seen at the Festival after the British filmmaker's visit to the festival in 2021, where he presented a preview of this work when receiving his honorary award. Starring Charlotte Kirk, lead actress and co-writer of 'The Reckoning', his previous work, it follows pilot Kate Sinclair, who will have to survive in an abandoned subway bunker in Afghanistan, where fearsome biological weapons awaken.
Huesera', director Michelle Garza Cervera's first feature film, arrives in the Canary Islands after celebrated recognitions, such as the award for best debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. It is an atmospheric psychological horror thriller about pregnancy and the fear of motherhood.
From South Korea comes Kim Hong-sun's 'Project Wolf Hunting', a violent action-horror film set on the high seas where a group of dangerous criminals team up to coordinate their escape during sea transport.
