HÕFF Selections 2026
The winner of the Haapsalu competition will move on to the grand finale to compete for the Méliès d’Or, the highest honor in European fantastic cinema.
Organized by the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF), the competition spans 35 festivals across 21 countries. HÕFF has been a proud member of the federation for fourteen years.
A total of 7 films will compete for the prestigious Méliès d’Argent at the 21st Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival.
The Estonian contender, Breadsong, is a haunting historical fantasy centered on the theme of greed. This marks the first time since 2022 that an Estonian film has reached this stage, following in the footsteps of Raoul Kirsima’s (Don’t) Look, which eventually reached the European finals.
The lineup features two world premieres: Francesco Gabriele’s British horror Hunger Beneath the Moonlight and William B. James’ German thriller Geist. Both directors will be in Haapsalu to present their work, with James making a highly anticipated return following his 2018 Audience Award win for the revenge-thriller Snowflake.
They are joined by Finnish editor-turned-director Jussi Rautaniemi—well known in Estonia for his EFTA-winning work on The Invisible Fight—who brings his directorial debut, the sci-fi actioner Strive.
Rounding out the competition are Anna Pieri and Pietro Zuercher’s Swiss dark comedy Cherubs, Santi Capuz and Diego Jiménez’s gritty Spanish crime-caper I Owe You One, and Jauffrey Gallé’s French horror short A Cat Under The Wheels.
The winner will be decided by an expert jury comprising director Elis Rumma, distributor Erkki Joasoon, journalist Kaire Reiljan, and Latvian film critic Kristīne Simsone.
HÕFF Selection 2026
This year’s shorts competing for the Méliès d’Argent in Haapsalu are:
- Breadsong, Katariina Aule, Estonia, 16’
- Hunger beneath the moonlight, Francesco Gabriele, United Kingdom, 9’58’’
- Strive, Jussi Rautaniemi, Finland, 15’
- Cherubs, Anna Pieri, Pietro Zuercher, Switzerland, 13’
- Geist, William B. James, Germany, 23’30’’
- I OWE YOU ONE, Santi Capuz, Diego Jiménez, Spain, 11’
- A Cat Under The Wheels, Jauffrey Gallé, France, 18’
The winner will be decided by an expert jury comprising director Elis Rumma, distributor Erkki Joasoon, journalist Kaire Reiljan, and Latvian film critic Kristīne Simsone.
These films represent some of the finest examples of European fantastic cinema, competing for recognition within the Méliès d’Argent network. Winners will later compete for the Méliès d’Or at Sitges 2026.