Thea Hvistendahl's poignant and atmospheric "Handling the Undead" triumphantly reigned at the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) this year, bagging the prestigious H.R. Giger "Narcisse" prize alongside the Silver Méliès for the best European fantastic feature. Starring the renowned talents of Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie from "The Worst Person in the World," Hvistendahl's directorial debut reinvents the walking-dead tropes, transforming the traditional zombie movie into a profound meditation on familial grief. As Guy Lodge of Variety noted after its Sundance debut, "'Handling the Undead' lingers hauntingly in one's mind, offering a more subtle and emotional take on the undead genre, surpassing many zombie films that rely solely on immediate, gruesome thrills. It's a living-dead tale with a profound soul, a beating heart, and an unforgettable brain."
The esteemed international jury, comprising sci-fi author Saul Pandelakis, filmmakers Ishan Shukla and João Pedro Rodrigues, festival programmer Annick Mahnert, and photographer Kourtney Roy, also acknowledged the uniqueness of Tilman Singer's mind-bending "Cuckoo," led by Hunter Schafer, with a special mention. Jane Schoenbrun's "I Saw the TV Glow" received the Imaging the Future prize for its outstanding production design. The fact that all three films have garnered accolades from Sundance and Berlin, and secured distribution in both Switzerland and the US, speaks volumes about the growing esteem for elevated genre fare in festival selections and the marketplace. This upward trend has undoubtedly buoyed NIFFF, with its 23rd edition witnessing record-breaking attendance, attracting 35,000 viewers over nine jam-packed days with 124 screenings.
In rounding off the awards, the esteemed international critics jury was drawn to Shalini Ushadevi's sci-fi-infused romantic drama "Ennennum," while a jury comprising local high-school students awarded Ulaa Salim's "Eternal" with their prize. Amidst the cheers of the Neuchatel audience, Damian McCarthy's "Oddity" and Soi Cheang's "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" received their respective audience accolades. The recognition bestowed upon filmmakers Thea Hvistendahl and Shalini Ushadevi marked a triumphant edition, brimming with feminist viewpoints and a lineup that highlighted a substantial number of female and non-binary directors. The event also celebrated actor and director Asia Argento as its esteemed guest of honor. "Our intention was never to impose a narrative," stated NIFFF's chief Pierre-Yves Walder. "Nor did we actively seek out a specific type of film. However, during our extensive programming process spanning several months, we stumbled upon numerous captivating tales told by powerful feminist voices. Given that genre cinema has historically been dominated by masculine narratives, we deemed it crucial to highlight this burgeoning generation of female talent."
