More than twenty audiovisual proposals from the four participating festivals will be progressively uploaded to the platform throughout the month..
Once again, autumn brings a new edition of Ghost November, the collaborative initiative between four of the most important fantasy and horror film festivals in Spain: Semana de Cine Fantástico y de Terror de San Sebastián, Fancine – Festival de Cine Fantástico de Málaga, TerrorMolins – Festival de Cine de Terror de Molins de Rei and Isla Calavera – Festival de Cine Fantástico de Canarias Ciudad de La Laguna. In its fifth season, this project continues to consolidate with more than twenty unpublished audiovisual proposals that will be published progressively throughout the month of October. All content will be available for free on the Noviembre Fantasma website, allowing fans of the genre to enjoy interviews, talks, concerts and other exclusive events from home.
San Sebastián Fantastic and Horror Film Week
The Semana de Donostia will offer a varied program with prominent names in international horror and fantasy cinema. Among the most anticipated proposals, the meeting with Morito Inoue, who will share the surprising story behind his film Onsen Shark, a project that took off thanks to an ingenious crowdfunding campaign that added sharks to the film for every donation received. There will also be an interview with Koji Shiraishi, a veteran Japanese filmmaker known for mixing horror and humor, who will present his latest work, Sayuri, and will reflect on how his personal experiences have influenced his career.
In addition, anime fans will be able to enjoy a chat with the popular YouTuber The Fifth Emperor, which will analyze the worldwide success of the series One Piece. There will also be the participation of Heidi Honeycutt, an expert in horror cinema, who will talk about the role of women in this genre through the book I Spit on Your Celluloid. And, for lovers of critical film theory, there will be two unmissable meetings: the first will be the dialogue between Jonathan Allen and Jesus Palacios, who will address the presence of the Kafkaesque universe in fantasy cinema. Finally, a conversation on Spanish fantasy cinema will be presented between Angel Sala and Alberto Sedano, in which they will discuss the peculiarities of the so-called “ghost terror”.
TerrorMolins – Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival
The Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival will focus on exploring new trends and horizons in independent horror cinema through different talks. Thus, we will be able to see the colloquium with the filmmakers Caye Casas and Victor Catalá, moderated by the youtuber Hector Garcia, which will delve into the challenges of making horror films outside the commercial circuit, with the iconic example of The Dining Room Table. Another event of interest will be the journalist's talk. Manuel Manero, author of the book Horror film told to children, which will address how horror films can be adapted to the youngest, addressing the educational possibilities of the genre and its influence on child development. This program is completed with a presentation on the art of illustration in horror films, by Dani Noblom and Jordi Pastor, professor at the JOSO School, who will reveal the creative processes behind his works.
To close, Rocío Ales, author of’Deep America, North American cinema of rural horror, will offer a talk on the way in which films set in the most desolate landscapes of deep America have shaped a subculture within horror cinema, through classic titles such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre y The Hills Have Eyes.
Isla Calavera – Fantastic Film Festival of the Canary Islands Ciudad de La Laguna
Isla Calavera pays tribute to some of the greatest names in fantasy cinema. This year, Javier Botet, an actor who has played some of the most terrifying creatures in recent cinema, from [REC] until Alien: Covenant, will receive the Isla Calavera de Honor Award 2024, in recognition of his chameleon-like career and contributions to the genre. It will not be the only tribute we will witness: we will also be able to enjoy the meeting with Tami Stronach, the unforgettable Children's Empress of The Neverending Story, which will collect the Isla Calavera Leyenda del Fantástico Award 2024.
Likewise, the pioneer of web series Borja Perez, known for his work in What a sad life, will tell us about his passion for fantasy cinema and its importance in his career. The festival will also feature a talk with Marcus Nispel, which will offer a vision of the Leatherface myth and the impact of modern horror cinema. To close, a round table
will commemorate the 70 years of Godzilla, with a round table in which the documentary filmmaker will participate Jonathan Bellés and the director of the Sitges Festival, Angel Sala, which will analyze the enduring influence of the king of monsters on world cinema. .
Fancine – Fantastic Film Festival of the University of Málaga
True to its alternative approach, Fancine will delve into the intersections between technology, music and visual narrative. This year, the festival will feature a fascinating analysis of the influence of artificial intelligence on comics, by professor and cartoonist Pepo Perez, who will compare this new creative era to the famous “Infinity Gauntlet” by Marvel. Also in the field of graphic narrative, the award-winning author Antonio Altarriba will share his experience in a talk with students about the process of adapting comic scripts to images, while the professor Mikel Lagar will explore the impact of AI on the creative industries, focusing on its use within film production.
In addition, there will be room for the experimental with the concert of CRAVAT and PRRMB, which will fuse electronic sounds, shoegaze and visual art to create an immersive and multisensory experience. And the most fantastic melody will continue with the traditional recital of soundtracks by the Málaga Symphony Orchestra, which this year will be dedicated to Studio Ghibli with a program that will include iconic themes from films such as My Neighbor Totoro o Spirited Away. Finally, we will have the opportunity to get to know the actor and comedian better. David Couple, known for his participation in films such as Kill God i The Dining Room Table, who will give an interview to talk about his career and his particular approach to humor within horror.
All these videos can be enjoyed for free on the platform. www.novembrefantasma.com
With these twenty additions, the Noviembre Fantasma catalog now exceeds the 70 pieces, since this initiative was launched in 2020 in response to the restrictions of the pandemic. Over these five years, the project has proven to be a successful alliance within the network of fantasy and horror film festivals in Spain, allowing fans
of the genre accessing exclusive content and connecting them through a common platform.
This union complements the participating festivals' lineups and reaffirms their commitment to the dissemination of genre cinema, as well as the promotion of a taste for the fantastic in all its forms and without borders. This synergy not only fosters a sense of community among fans, but also promotes a broader and more diverse film culture, where each festival brings its own particularity, and allows viewers to enjoy a richer and more complete experience of genre cinema.
● 35th San Sebastián Fantastic and Horror Film Week, from October 25 to November 1.
● 43rd TerrorMolins – Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival, from November 8 to 17.
● 8th Isla Calavera – Fantastic Film Festival of Canarias Ciudad de La Laguna, from November 8 to 17.
● 34th Fancine – Málaga Fantastic Film Festival, from November 13 to 21.