The Festival de Cine Fantástico de Canarias Isla Calavera presents a first preview of the program of its fourth edition, which will take place from November 13 to 21 and will recognize the career of British filmmaker Neil Marshall, author of essential titles in the fantasy genre, such as 'Dog Soldiers' (2002), 'The Descent' (2005) or 'Doomsday: Judgment Day' (2008). The screenwriter, director and producer, also responsible for two of the key episodes of the 'Game of Thrones' series, 'Blackwater' and 'The Watchers of the Wall', will receive one of this year's Isla Calavera de Honor awards and will present his latest feature film, 'The Reckoning'.
His film will participate in the official competition section of this edition. It is a proposal set in England, in 1665, which tells the story of a young widow, accused of witchcraft by her landowner after refusing his indecent proposals.
Tribute to 'Friday the 13th
In addition, the Skull Island Festival will pay tribute this year to the cult classic 'Friday the 13th', on the 40th anniversary of Sean S. Cunningham's title that helped define the slasher subgenre. The screening of the third installment of the franchise, the first to feature the iconic Jason Vorhees character as he has passed into the popular imagination, will be on opening day, Friday, November 13.
Official Section of Feature Films in competition
The best fantastic cinema of the moment can be seen in this new edition of the Festival Isla Calavera through other titles in competition such as the debut films 'Skin Walker' or 'The Owners'. Written and directed by Christian Neuman, with Udo Kier and Amber Anderson, 'Skin Walker' combines gothic and supernatural horror with psychological drama in homage to the European horror classics of the 70s.
'The Owners' comes from French director Julius Berg, who has experience in directing for television in series such as 'The Purple Rivers' or 'La Forêt'. Leading the cast is Maisie Williams, popular for her starring role in 'Game of Thrones'. The story, set in the 1990s, takes us to rural England, when a group of teenagers plan to break into an empty house to steal a safe full of money. However, nothing will go according to plan as the owners, an elderly couple, arrive earlier than expected.
The catalog of this edition of the Isla Calavera Festival will offer a wide range of fantastic typologies with the participation of other titles such as the anthology 'Vampus Horror Tales', signed by Víctor Matellano and debutants Manuel M. Velasco, Isaac Berrocal, Erika Elizalde and Piter Moreira. Actor Saturnino García "brings to life" a sinister undertaker who presents four horror stories that take place in a house lost in the mountains, a disturbing amusement park, a unique wedding hall and a world beset by a strange pandemic. The film, shot in black and white and scope format to emulate classic and more Pulp titles, will have its world premiere at Isla Calavera.
In the documentary section, Diego López will present his latest work, 'La Dama del Fantaterror', in which he delves into the figure of German actress Helga Liné, who debuted on the Spanish stage in 1954 and starred in titles such as 'El espanto surge de la tumba' (Carlos Aured, 1973) and 'Pánico en el transiberiano' (Eugenio Martín, 1972). He also shared the bill with Cecilia Roth and Imanol Arias in Pedro Almodóvar's 'Laberinto de Pasiones' (1982).
The screenings will take place at Multicines Tenerife, a multiplex located in the Alcampo Shopping Center in La Laguna, which for the fourth consecutive year is once again opening its doors to the Isla Calavera Festival.
Film Industry Meeting
For its part, Santa Cruz de Tenerife will host a new edition of the Film Industry Meeting, a space in which Tenerife companies involved in film production will be able to show their potential to renowned international professionals of the Seventh Art and present the advantages and possibilities of filming on the island. A successful format that seeks to attract major productions with the aim of boosting the audiovisual sector in the Canary Islands.
Stan Winston School of Character Arts
Isla Calavera has reached an agreement with the prestigious Stan Winston School of Character Arts as part of the festival's commitment to the didactics of the fantastic. Thus, the program of parallel activities will include an exhibition dedicated to the artist, creator and visual effects supervisor after whom the school is named. Died in 2008, the acclaimed animatronic design specialist Stan Winston won four Oscar Awards in recognition of his work, which includes sagas such as 'Terminator', 'Jurassic Park', 'Alien' and 'Predator'.
Carlos Areces, honorary ambassador of the Skull Island Festival
The Isla Calavera Festival is preparing a unique edition designed to celebrate the fantastic genre and as an appetizer offers this Friday, October 2, a first meeting with the followers of the annual event in which the versatile actor Carlos Areces ('Balada triste de trompeta'), who will receive the title of honorary ambassador of the event, will participate. Since 2018, Areces has not missed any edition of the Festival Isla Calavera, enjoying the program and participating in its activities.
This pre-festival event, which will take place from 8:00 pm at Multicines Tenerife, will revolve around the classic 'The Exorcist', which premiered in Spain 45 years ago, in September 1975, with the label of "the most terrifying film of all time".
Multicines Tenerife has arranged two screening rooms, and after the screening of 'The Exorcist' there will be a colloquium.
The press conference took place at the City Hall of La Laguna with the presence of the Councilor of Culture of La Laguna, Yaiza López Landi; the CEO of Sociedad de Desarrollo de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Evelyn Alonso; the co-directors of the Festival Daniel Fumero and Ramón González Trujillo and the actor Carlos Areces, who will receive this Friday the title of honorary ambassador of the event.
