TICKETS FOR CUANDO ACECHA LA MALDAD SELL OUT IN THE FIRST DAY OF SCREENINGS OF THE 33RD EDITION OF FANCINE

Mars Express and Little Bone Lodge open the competition the same afternoon that journalist Moisés Rodríguez is awarded for his program in TVE

With the bizarre gala presented by Soy una pringada—a Spanish youtuber— on Wednesday night, this edition dedicated to housing was inaugurated, and the fantasy film festival of the University of Málaga began on Thursday with its screening schedule. At the Albéniz cinema, the first day left the first sold out of this edition: Cuando acecha la maldad, winner of the last festival in Sitges, put the sign reading “no more tickets”, after filling the screen 3 and making the whole audience clap at the end of the screening. The film follows two brothers who discover a man who is infected by evil forces and is about to give birth to a demon. Extreme horror, possessions and exorcisms meet in this work of Argentinian Demián Rugna, who returns to this genre after directing praised films such as Aterrados.

Meanwhile, on screen 1, the competitive section premiered two films. The first one was Mars Express, the only animation film to be on Fancine’s contest this year. The debut of French director Jérémie Perin, who participated successfully on galas such as Cannes or Annecy, presents Aline Ruby, an opinionated private detective, and Carlos Rivera, the android version of her former colleague, who died five years before. They both race against time through planet Mars. They must find a cybernetic student who escaped to avoid being murdered by killer mercenaries who chase him. And after 22 hours, Little Bone Lodge, directed by Matthias Hoene and in tune with this edition’s topic, has premiered nationally. Set during a storm, two criminals look for shelter in an isolated farm, taking the resident family hostage. It will soon be revealed that both the house and the family hold dark secrets. Both screenings opened public voting time, with their votes, they will help define the audience award, which will be given at the closing ceremony.

Just before this screening, the awarding of the “kitten” of honour to the TV program of the channel 24h, Secuencias, took place. With this award, Fancine recognised the outreach work of this program. For six years, this program has been going over the latest news in cinema and the film listings with interviews and reports. The Vice-rector for culture in the UMA, Tecla Lumbreras, and the actress Alessandra García were once again in charge of presenting this symbolic act, with which the university festival awards more than the winners of the main contest. Moisés Rodríguez, presenter of the program, has been the one to collect this special mention. The journalist dedicated the award to his team and the audience of Secuencias 24h, admitting that it was a boost to keep taking care of the fantasy genre in this TV program.

The programmed schedule in the rest of the venues has also begun, for example in the Rector’s building, where the screening in collaboration with CineAsia, “Home Sweet AsianHome” takes place. The first screening was Door, the Japanese film directed by Banmei Takahashi, considered the first Japanese film of the giallo genre. Despite being a film from 1988, it had never premiered outside of Japan until this year, explains the expert on Asian cinema, Enrique Garcelán during the introduction of this section. Its premiered took place during the last Sitges festival, and now in Málaga’s 33rd Fancine.

The cultural space Contenedor Cultural has presented the theatrical performance Black Telephone: the workshop, from the company Mu Teatro, a play inspired by The Black Phone of Scott Derrickson, screened during the section Camino a Fancine. With another sold out, a second session was needed so that all horror fans could enjoy this play, which is set in complete darkness full of the piercing screams of the protagonists.

Schedule for Friday 10th November

This Friday will bring a lot of music and new guests to Fancine. The contest will go on with the Korean production Sleep, which tells the story of a young woman worried about her husband’s sudden sleepwalkin, and La chimera, the latest work of Alice Rohrwacher, following the adventures of a group of grave robbers who traffic with archeological relics. Two more films will premier: Perdidos en la noche, starring Ester Expósito and No One and Nothing, Gallien Guibert and Paul Hamy—director and actor of this film—will join this screening. For the parallel activities, two concerts will bring the music to this second day of Fancine: the heavy group Santo Rostro at Contenedor Cultural and the symphony orchestra of Málaga with its recital of cinematographic soundtracks at the Technical School of IT and telecommunications of the city.

Fancine – fantasy film festival of the University of Málaga, is an event that takes place annualy in Málaga. Since its creation in 1990s, it has become one of the most important galas of the genre internationally, with more than 80 films screenings per edition and bringing an average audience of 25.000 people. It is the only film festival in all Europe organised by a public university, as well as the oldest activity of the UMA. Fancine celebrates its 33rd edition from 8 to 16 November, thanks to the institutional support of the local government (Ayuntamiento de Málaga), Diputación Provincial, Junta de Andalucía and Fundación General UMA.