Méliès Competition
The Federation annually awards a Méliès d’or prize for the best European fantastic feature film and short film. An award which is renowned in Europe and abroad, the Méliès generates visibility for films, its producers and directors. It’s an award that stands for quality, creativity, and imagination.
The Méliès d’or award stands for quality, creativity and imagination
Named after the pioneer of fantastic film in the silent film era, the Méliès Awards are given to the best European fantastic feature and short film at our member festivals. Since its inception in 1995, the Méliès has been awarded to films from all parts of Europe, reflecting the cultural wealth and variety of European fantastic cinema. The first Méliès d’or was awarded in 1996
The Méliès is a cycle of competitions that takes place throughout the year. Eight festivals across Europe present a Méliès d’argent to the best European feature film and the best European short film. Another eleven festivals award a Méliès d’argent for short film only.
Out of these Méliès d’argent feature film winners and short film winners, a jury chooses a Méliès d’or, for the best European fantastic film of the year. The Méliès d’or is presented annually at the Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya in Sitges (Spain).
Feature Film 2024
Méliès d’or Winner
Handling the Undead by Thea Hvistendahl
Short Film 2024
Méliès d’or Winner
Weeds by Pola Kazak
Career Méliès 2024
The 2024 Career Méliès was presented to French filmmaker Christophe Gans, who received the award to a standing ovation from the Festival’s audience. This tribute celebrates the career of this director, the man behind such movies that include Brotherhood of the Wolves, the film adaptation of Silent Hill, the remake of Beauty and the Beast starring Léa Seydoux and Vincent Cassel, and his collaboration with Brian Yuzna and Shusuke Kaneko on Necronomicon: Book of Dead.
Since 2018, the Federation presents a Career Méliès for outstanding contributions to European fantastic cinema. Recipients were Álex de la Iglesia in 2018, Asia Argento in 2019, Paco Plaza in 2020, Lucile Hadzihalilovic in 2021, Claudio Simonetti in 2022, Jorge Guerricaechevarría in 2023.