The Méliès d’or Competition Nominees 2026
Announcing the Méliès d’Or Nominees for Best European Fantastic Feature Film and Short Film
The Méliès d’Or is a prestigious award that stands as a symbol of quality, creativity, and imagination in European fantastic cinema. Named in honor of Georges Méliès, the pioneer of fantastic film in the silent film era, this award celebrates the best in the genre across Europe.
Throughout the year, Méliès d’argent awards are given to the finest European fantastic films at our member festivals. These winners then compete for the ultimate prize—the Méliès d’Or—presented annually at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain. Let’s take a look at this year’s contenders!
Méliès d’Or – Feature Film Nominees
The following 10 films, each the recipient of a Méliès d’argent at one of the Federation’s competitive festivals, will compete for the Méliès d’Or for Best European Fantastic Feature Film 2026:
Feels Like Home — Gábor Holtai
Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia
Tummy Monster — Ciaran Lyons
Lund Fantastic Film Festival
The Shrinking Man — Jan Kounen
Trieste Science+Fiction Festival
The Last Viking — Anders Thomas Jensen
Imagine Fantastic Film Festival
Nightborn — Hanna Bergholm
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
Gaua (The Night) — Paul Urkijo Alijo
Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival
Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak? — Nicolas Steiner
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
No Rest for the Wicked — Kasper Kalle
MOTELX – Lisbon International Horror Film Festival
The End of It — Maria Martínez Bayona
Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival
Bloody Tennis — Nikias Chryssos
SLASH Film Festival Vienna
These films represent the best in contemporary European fantastic cinema, from psychological horror to dystopian visions, and from dark comedy to deeply emotional fantasy.
Méliès d’Or – Short Movie Nominees
In addition to the feature films, Méliès d’argent short films winners from across Europe will also compete for the coveted Méliès d’Or for Best European Fantastic Short Film. Here are the nominees:
The Quinta’s Ghost — James A. Castillo
Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia
Terror Night — Jakob Arevärn
Lund Fantastic Film Festival
Animalia — Marius Rolfsvåg
Trieste Science+Fiction Festival
Radix — Anne Breymann
Imagine Fantastic Film Festival
Bait (Señuelo) — Martha G. Ayerbe
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
Glory Hole — Andoni Fernandez
Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival
Le mouvement tragique des sphères — Simon Rieth
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
Mancave — Fredrik S. Hana
MOTELX – Lisbon International Horror Film Festival
The Old Lady and the Eternity — Marc Martínez Jordán
Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival
Hag — Anna Ginsburg
SLASH Film Festival Vienna
Under the Ice — Michel Kessler & David Oesch
Grimmfest
The Leader Will Come — Michiel Geluykens & Manuel Janssens
Razor Reel Flanders Film Fest
The Quinta’s Ghost — James A. Castillo
Ramaskrik Film Festival
Dagon — Paolo Gaudio
Ravenna Nightmare
Mater Benefacta — Marc Riba & Anna Solanas
San Sebastian Horror and Fantasy Film Festival
Judy 1964 — Marie-Hélène Van Thuyne
Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival
The Call — Kiko Prada
Isla Calavera – Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival
Grandma is Thirsty — Kris Carr
Abertoir Horror Festival
Double or Nothing — Tokay Sirin
Fancine – Málaga Fantastic Film Festival
Coyotes — Said Zagha
Wench Film Festival
Compost — Jennifer Lumbroso
HARD:LINE Film Festival
I Owe You One — Santi Capuz & Diego Jiménez
Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival
What You Lack (Lo que te falta) — Sara Bermejo
FANTBilbao
You Must See It (Tenéis que verlo) — Nacho Solana
Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival
Breadsong — Katariina Aule
Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival
Lanugo — Félix Dobaire
Court Métrange
Each short film has already captivated audiences with its originality, technical brilliance, and bold storytelling. The Méliès d’or winner for short films will join the ranks of Europe’s finest cinematic achievements.
Stay tuned for the official announcement of the winners at Sitges 2026, where the Méliès d’Or for both Best Feature Film and Best Short Film will be awarded. This annual celebration of European fantastic cinema continues to reflect the rich diversity and imaginative power of genre filmmaking across the continent.