Sitges 2009

So I got the scoop on Sitges from my good friend Violeta. She said the festival this year was great although she missed me, and to tell you the truth I also missed going to the festival with her.

The highlights according to her were La Horde, Carriers (already released in the US), Zombieland (excellent zom-com of which you can read some of my thoughts here), Accidents Happen, and her favorite this year, Palermo Shooting.

Of those, I must admit I urged Violeta to see both La Horde, Zombieland and Park Chan Wook’s latest, Bakjwi aka Thirst (which she couldn’t see because it premiered the previous weekend). She, on the other hand, was fixed on the idea of watching Palermo Shooting, which for some reason I wasn’t feeling it, because even though I recognize some good work from Wim Wenders I also believe he is a very pretentious Director (yet not as pretentious as Peter Greenaway) and doesn’t always deliver. In any event, Palermo Shooting with its punctual metaphysical study of death was the best of the bunch according to my friend. The way she speaks of it spiked my interest and I will most likely check it out.

 La horde, which is the French foray into Zombie apocalypse, is one of the films I am most excited about. The French have shown that they know horror, and it was just a matter of time before they stepped into Zombie terrain. From what I was told it seems like sort of Assault on Precinct 13 (John Carpenter) meets Dawn of the Dead (Zack Snyder) with a French flavor. Exciting right?

Carriers (Infectados), already released in the US, was also a great success. The Writers and Directors, Àlex Pastor and David Pastor, who happen to be two Spanish brothers, attended the presentation of their movie. A movie that is the materialization of their lifelong dream; is a story about survivors of pandemic contagion. The movie is rooted in well-drawn characters and a carefully imagined world that seems just around the corner, and for that is much scarier. The Pastor brothers also benefited from the financial backing of a US production company, they are certainly a promising duo.

Regarding Paranormal Activity (which I’m yet to see) was not really my friend’s cup of tea but she did recognize that it made her uncomfortable at some moments. Geena Davis was really good as usual in Accidents Happen. Van Diemen's Land, a movie centered on cannibalism was flat and gory. And ahh, as I told you before, this movie has its own on-going legend. Apparently it was too hard on a young woman who happened to pass out during one of the movie’s particularly realistic scene (which I won’t spoil!).

The festival itself had a great affluence of fans and was perfectly managed by an experienced committee and crew; after all it is the 42th edition. They also did something pretty cool, as they decided to offer zombie make-up to the fans. Imagine walking around the beach with zombies trying to eat your brains as if it was a Romero film! It is a pity I was not there to get me some of that make up! But this is what I would like as a Zombie, and you can also take a look at my friend with some Italian Zombies. Brilliant!