Sitges becomes the epicentre of fantasy films from 3 to 13 October, with a programme of more than 400 films and over 400 accredited photographers. Yet the 57th edition of the Sitges - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia will have more life beyond cinema halls, transforming a significant part of the old town centre into the King Kong Area to offer unique experiences for film buffs and visitors alike. This zone will link different iconic spaces in the town, such as the Cinema Prado, the remodelled Excorxadorm and the Palau del Rei Moro, which will be hosting a wide range of parallel activities for all audiences, such as open-air sessions for short films, exhibitions, workshops, live podcasts, a children’s gymkhana and more. A network has been created over the last five years so that people can experience the festival atmosphere all around the town, with streets and establishments decorated for the occasion.

The Miramar-Centre Cultural will be offering the Sitges Family screenings, along with games and other activities, while the Palau del Rei Moro will be hosting children’s workshops (fantasy make-up, face masks, stop-motion and much more), plus storytelling and other activities so that young children can also enjoy the festival. In parallel, the Estudi Vidal will become a fantastic display space during the festival, with the exhibition ‘The strangers colors of Vranckx’ by Gilles Vranckx, a Belgian artist trained in graphic design, animation, comic art and illustration. The traditional Fan Shop will be operating near the sea throughout the festival, offering a space next to the Sant Sebastià beach with fantasy and horror merchandising stands (books, t-shirts, films and more) in Carrer Port de n’Alegre.

Zombie Walk

Once again, this year’s Zombie Walk will be the biggest display of how Sitges experiences the festival with some decorated streets. The parade is on Saturday, 5 October, setting off from the Sant Sebastià hermitage at 8.30 pm and heading for the Fragata beach. For anybody interested in getting their make-up for free, tickets will be given out at the gazebo in Carrer Port de n’Alegre, next to the Sant Sebastià beach, at 12 noon. A make-up service will be offered here from 12 noon to 7 pm for those taking part in the Zombie Walk. You can also get made up as the living dead at other spaces such as the Casina Prado (10.30 am to 2 pm and 4 pm to 7.30 pm) and the Port d’Aiguadolç-Sitges (4 pm to 7.30 pm). 

Fantastic commerce

The Councillor’s Office for Economic Promotion at Sitges Town Council, with the collaboration of the festival, is offering a series of parallel activities within the framework of the Fantastic Commerce campaign to add vitality to local shops and businesses. These include the children's gymkhana, this year entitled ‘Find Gizmo’, from 3 to 11 October. Children will have to go into the establishments taking part in the campaign and look at their window displays to find a reproduction of Gizmo, the iconic character from the film Gremlins, by Joe Dante. After finding the figure, they have to hand their card to the establishment to get a stamp. Once they have ten stamps from different establishments, participants should put it into the box at the municipal market or at the Tourist Office, located in Plaça Eduard Maristany. The gymkhana ends at 5.30 pm on Friday, 11 October, when the draw will be held at the municipal market to determine the five winners, with the prizes to awarded straight after the draw. 

As part of the same campaign, some open-air sessions are also being held to screen short films in Plaça Catalunya on 4 and 11 October, from 9.30 pm. The Councillor’s Office for Economic Promotion will be offering a programme with two sessions of short films selected for the Film Festival and shown at last year’s event.

At the same time, processions are planned on two days to add some warmth to the occasion, with music from fantastic films courtesy of the group Appocadixie Cotton Pickers. The group will be performing at the Saturday market on 5 October, at 9.30 am, and at the Poble Sec shopping hub, and then at the municipal market on 11 October, at 5.30 pm, during the prize ceremony for the gymkhana ‘Find Gizmo’ and in the shopping area in the town centre.

The full programme and information can be found here.