Raw (Grave) by Julia Ducournau wins the Méliès d’or 2016

Raw (Grave) by Julia Ducournau wins the Méliès d’or 2016

L’oeil silencieux (The Frozen Eye) wins the Méliès d’or 2016 for short film

Lund, October 29, 2016

The European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation (EFFFF) is pleased to announce the winners of the 20th Méliès d’or competition for European fantastic film.

The Méliès d’or for feature film was awarded to Raw (Grave) Director: Julia Ducournau (France, Belgium, 2016).

Shocking in the very best sense of the word, this film is a gory family drama about crossing the line that separates normality from the unacceptable, and vice versa. It keeps surprising the audience up until the very end, and does so quite brilliantly“. (jury comments) 

The Méliès d’or for short film went to The Frozen Eye (L’oeil silencieux),

Director: Karim Ouelhaj (Belgium, 2016).

A surreal and captivating film that skillfully paints a picture of isolation within modern society. It’s tale of progressing decay and madness placed within an excellent and convincing mise-en-scène that manages to pull the spectator into its world.“ (jury comments)

The all-Swedish Méliès jury was composed of Charlotte Wiberg, a PhD candidate in film studies; Tommy Gustafsson, professor of film studies at Linnaeus University; and Johan Simonsson, film commissioner at FilmCentrum Syd in Malmö. 

Raw (Grave) by Julia Ducournau wins the Méliès d'or 2016

The Méliès d’or ceremony took place on 29th October in Lund (Sweden), and was hosted by the Lund International Fantastic Film Festival. It marked the culmination of a unique cycle of ongoing competitions held by 16 members of the EFFFF in 12 European countries, during 2015/16. The winning films (see below) were awarded a Méliès d’argent and a nomination for the 20th Méliès d’or competition. 

Founded in 1987, the EFFFF has become the world’s largest festival network with 23 film festivals from 15 countries and a global attendance of more than 470 000 visitors, making it a vital player in the promotion of European genre cinema, both in Europe and abroad. The goal of the EFFFF is to promote European fantastic film productions by enhancing their visibility and standing with both the public and industry. The Méliès competition was launched in 1996 to help achieve these goals and has been one of the principal activities of the Federation since that date. 

The next Méliès d’or ceremony will take place in October 2017 at the Sitges – Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya

The 8 nominees for Méliès d’or were: 

Polder (Der Polder)
Directors: Julian M. Grünthal, Samuel Schwarz (Switzerland, Germany, 2015)

Méliès d’argent winner at the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, 2015

Demon
Director: Marcin Wrona (Poland, Israel, 2015)

Méliès d’argent winner at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, 2016

Survivalist
Director: Stephen Fingleton (UK, 2015)

Méliès d’argent winner at the Imagine Film Festival, 2016

Parents
Director: Christian Tafdrup (Denmark, 2016)

Méliès d’argent winner at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, 2016

I Am Not a Serial Killer
Director: Billy O’Brien (Ireland, UK, 2016)

Méliès d’argent winner at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival, 2016

The Noonday Witch (Polednice)
Director: Jiri Sádek (Czech Republic, 2016)

Méliès d’argent winner at the MOTELx – the Lisbon International Horror Film Festival, 2016

Raw (Grave)
Director: Julia Ducournau (France, Belgium, 2016)

Méliès d’argent winner at the Sitges – Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya, 2016

K-Shop
Director: Dan Pringle (UK, 2016)

Méliès d’argent winner at the Lund Fantastik Film Festival, 2016

The 17 short-film nominees were: 

Graffiti
Director: Lluís Quílez (Spain, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Sitges – Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya in 2015

The Karman Line
Director: Oscar Sharp (United Kingdom, 2014)

Giacomo Cimini / United Kingdom

Méliès d’or nominee at the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, 2015

Teeth
Directors: Tom Brown, Daniel Gray (England, Hungary, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Court Metrange Festival, 2015

2037
Director: Enric Pardo (Spain, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee at the FanCine Málaga – Festival de Cine Fantástico, 2015

Noct
Director: Vincent Toujas (France, 2014)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival, 2015

Infringe
Director: Martin Åhlin (Sweden, 2014)

Méliès d’or nominee at the San Sebastian Horror & Fantasy Film Festival, 2015

Splintertime
Director: Rosto (The Netherlands, France, Belgium, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival, 2016

Sanguine Craving (Pulsion sangrienta)
Director: Gerard Tusquellas Serra (Spain, 2014)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Abertoir Horror Festival, 2016

The Frozen Eye (L’oeil silencieux)
Director: Karim Ouelhaj (Belgium, 2016)

Méliès d’or nominee the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, 2016

Aquabike
Director: Jean-Baptiste Saurel (France, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Imagine Film Festival, 2016

The Black Bear (L’ours noir)
Directors: Mèryl Fortunat-Rossi, Xavier Seron (France, Belgium, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Haapsalu Horror & Fantasy Film Festival, 2016

Ivan’s need
Director: Veronica L. Montaño, Manuela Leuenberger, Lukas Suter (Switzerland, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, 2016

The Tunnel (Tunnelen)
Director: André Øvredal (Norway, 2016)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival, 2016

Post mortem 
Director: Belmiro Ribeiro (Portugal, 2016)

Méliès d’or nominee at the MOTELx – the Lisbon International Horror Film Festival, 2016

Pearlies (Quenottes)
Directors: Pascal Thiebaux, Gil Pinheiro, (Luxembourg, 2015)

Méliès d’or nominee Mélièsat the Grossmann Fantastic Film & Wine Festival, 2016

Dawn of the Deaf
Director: Rob Savage (UK, 2016)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Sitges – Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya in 2016

Macabre
Director: Jeronimo Rocha (Portugal, 2016)

Méliès d’or nominee at the Lund Fantastic Film Festival, 2016

 

For more information, see: 

The EFFFF and the Méliès competitions: www.melies.org 

Lund Fantastic Film Festival: www.fff.se

Raw (Grave) by Julia Ducournau wins the Méliès d'or 2016