The Sitges International Film Festival
September 16, 2011 by Trip Guide Spain
Filed under Tourist Activities, Tourist Attractions
The normally quiet Catalan town of Sitges, situated a few kilometres south of Barcelona, becomes the centre of international attention every October when the Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantastic de Catalunya turns Sitges into a mini Cannes.
Started in 1967, the film festival is considered the world’s foremost festival for international fantasy and horror films. Film buffs of these genres flock to Sitges and every hotel, guest house and hostel is full to bursting so if you plan to go, early booking is essential.
The films are mostly in English with Spanish sub-titles, and the festival attracts some famous main-stream Spanish actors eager to catch the latest in fantasy and horror. Some of the biggest names in the film world can be seen here during the first ten days of October, such as Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch, while past winners of the awards (known as Marias) have been Vincent Price – the king of horror – and Reece Witherspoon.
The festival screens over 300 films at various venues around the town, and the highlight of the whole event is the Zombie Walk. Hundreds of horror fans roam the streets dressed as zombies, and there is a zombie film marathon. The Zombie Walk culminates in a huge beach party and the ‘horrific’ fun continues until the small hours of the morning.
The next day the vampires, ghosts and ghouls pack up and depart and Sitges becomes once again a quiet Spanish coastal town.