Sitges 2023
A short highlight reel
Dear overheated reader,
Well, perhaps the temperatures are tracking downwards in your location, but not here in Sitges, Spain, where I’m attending the Sitges Film Festival (Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya) as a juror for the Méliès d'Argent Award, along with fellow jurors Matthew Turner (journalist, author and podcaster) and Alexandra West (film critic and podcaster).
Currently I’m typing this on my laptop on my balcony, looking down on the boats docked at the port, with the tranquil sea beyond, and the orange sun sinking below the horizon. This is the balmy respite, when I’m no longer dashing from shadow to shadow like a harried vampire.
I’m seeing a lot of films, so I’m locked in air-conditioned cinemas for many hours of the hot days, but I try to squeeze in strolls so I can enjoy the beautiful town of Sitges, with its sandy beach, curving streets, and splendid architecture. Spanish horror/science fiction/animation fans are hardcore so the town is heaving with people across all generations (mostly wearing black t-shirts) who are visiting with the purpose of enjoying the latest movie releases.
It’s also a wonderful reminder of the benefits of arts funding in the EU, where a festival with a niche focus like Sitges can be this well organised and promoted. It is celebrating its 56th year, and is truly the Horror equivalent of the Cannes Film Festival.
The mascot of Sitges is King Kong, and bunting with his image is everywhere in the town. No matter if you are in a hardware shop or having a coffee at the local patisserie, the festival promotion is proudly displayed throughout this coastal location.
Although I have over two dozen short and feature films to watch for the award, I’m also squeezing in a few extras while I have the access. I won’t discuss any of the films in my competition, but I will highlight two that are outside my adjudication.
There was a massive turnout in the largest auditorium in the festival for the premiere of The Boy and the Heron, the latest film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who has come out of retirement several times to make just one more film.
It’s a coming-of-age movie that deals with grief, war, death and love, so it’s hitting all the major issues in life. It’s Miyazaki’s most profound, funny and moving film in a long time, and in particular it ponders the futility of trying to orchestrate one’s legacy and to coerce what will happen after you die. Plans go awry and death always has its final judgement.
I laughed a great deal throughout the film as there is so much sly humour happening in the background, and Miyazaki fully embraces the wonder of the strange in a fashion that’s been missing since the amazing Spirited Away. Fans of his oeuvre will not be disappointed.
I have a lot of thoughts about Poor Things, which is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos from a screenplay by Tony McNamara, based on the book of the same name by Alasdair Gray. It’s an alternative 19th century world with a fabulist bent which is a version of the Doctor Frankenstein/Doctor Moreau story, but told mostly through the evolution of the ‘creation’ at its centre: Bella Baxter, played with extraordinary verve by actress Emma Stone.
Much of the credit for this visually arresting film goes to the designers, in particular costume designer Holly Waddington, who produced an incredible array of clothes to highlight the shifting moods of the characters. I bet we will see many Bella Baxter cosplays at conventions in the coming year.
It’s a long film at 2 hours and 20 minutes, but it earns its keep through its inventive characters and exotic (plus erotic) displays. I only watched it this morning so I require the headspace and time for digestion before I venture into a more rounded opinion, but the film is bound to generate a great deal of discussion.
There are many, many movies being shown every day, but there are lots of other events happening at Sitges. I stumbled up on the Mestres de l’Art Fantastic in a small church in the town, which has some terrific original art and excellent reproductions of famous European comic book and cover artists such as Frazetta, Moebius and Pepe Gonzalez.
It was a joy to escape the Martian death ray sun and wander among beautiful art in a shaded sanctuary.
I’ve mentioned before my love of a good cemetery, and on my first day walking into Sitges I passed the Cementiri Municipal de Sant Sebastia, which has a stunning selection of crypts and mausoleums in between the yews and cypresses. Above is one of the many poignant tombs I admired, a reminder that we should enjoy life’s opportunities while we have them.
I will return next week with some further observations about some of the films I watched, but now I’m off to bed to prepare for another day of watching movies.
Until then: adiós
Have a great time in Spain!
(And I'm not jealous...no, really not...;-)
A great time to be away as the Irish weather returns to its default settings.