Lund Fantastic Announces Méliès d’Argent Winners 2025

For 30 years, the Lund Fantastic Film Festival has championed the many forms of fantastic cinema, evolving from a small initiative by passionate cinephiles into a key platform for genre filmmaking in Europe. Since its first edition in 1995, the festival has embraced a broad and inclusive vision of the fantastic, offering audiences a space where imagination, experimentation and bold storytelling take centre stage.

Over the years, Lund has welcomed internationally renowned filmmakers such as Terry Gilliam, George A. Romero, Béla Tarr, Peter Greenaway and Neil Gaiman, while continuing to support emerging voices and new perspectives within the genre.

Within this context, the festival once again hosted the Méliès d’Argent competitions, highlighting outstanding European fantastic films and contributing to the ongoing dialogue between creators and audiences.

Here are the Méliès d’Argent winners of the latest edition.

And the Melies d’argent winners are…

The winner of the Méliès d’Argent Award for Best European Fantastic Genre Feature Film at Lund is “Tummy Monster” by Ciaran Lyons (United Kingdom, 2024).

When a self-centered tattoo artist discovers his latest client is a world-famous musician, his fixation on getting a selfie with his client embroils the pair into a bizarre and dangerous game.

The Jury’s Motivation:
“Turning an unexpected wave of empathy for Justin Bieber into an intimate, horrific chamber piece showcases remarkable craftsmanship and a sharp sense of dark humor. The actors’ raw presence heightens the existential tension and draws us effortlessly into an intriguing, wonderfully strange underworld conjured between them. The film is a layered exploration of the horror that arises from within, rendered in a clever style that doubles as social satire. It playfully portrays how facing our shadow self can be far harder than rubbing your tummy.”

Special Mention: Dog of God
“This unusual movie grabs hold of the viewer in the first scene and never lets go. It transports us to a nightmarish but strangely beautiful 17th century world, where magic and witches are real and where anything is possible. With unflinching depictions of cruelty, filth, corruption and oppression, it tells a brutal and mesmerizing story. The Heavy Metal-inspired animation is extraordinary, and its use of light, colors, music and sound effect is masterful. Not for the faint of heart, this is a mysterious and fascinating animated movie.”

The winner of the Méliès d’Argent Award for Best European Fantastic Genre Short Film at Lund is “Terror Night” directed by Jakob Arevärn.

Josefine installs the world’s fattest bass box in her car before her evening date with Billy. But the loud music turns the date into a battle for life and death.

The Jury’s Motivation:
“With an airtight plot, amazing acting, great depictions of contrasts, the film serves exceptional jumpscares and excellent dramaturgy. Above all it is very funny. A female main character doing men’s things exposing her long manicured nails when tinkering her vehicle is a fresh take in film. The film brings us to the universe of the Northern Swedish countryside, and depicts teenage attitude with great precision – pimping rides, epadunken music, and a killer beatbox – what else do you need? The Melies d’Argent award goes to Terror Night by Jakob Arevärn.“

Special Mention: Terminus
“This film is a great example of how to use the short film format with constraints. One location. This film is pinpointing men in the “soon-to-be-retired-age” and their relation to their cars and driving. An expression of existential questioning. You´re not dead. Yet. Is this all there is? Was that all? We found this impressively simple but engaging film made on a low budget to be both exciting and funny in small letters. Therefore the Melies d’Argent special mention goes to Terminus by Ashley Butcher.”