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Exploring the rise of feminist voices in genre cinema: A deep dive into the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
The Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) has long been a beacon for genre cinema, but this year, it took a significant turn towards celebrating feminist perspectives. The festival’s 23rd edition not only broke attendance records but also highlighted a new wave of female and non-binary directors who are reshaping the landscape of fantastic films.
Thea Hvistendahl’s atmospheric slow-burn “Handling the Undead” took top honors at this year’s NIFFF, claiming the festival’s H.R. Giger “Narcisse” prize alongside the Silver Méliès for best fantastic European feature. Toplined by “The Worst Person in the World” stars Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie, Hvistendahl’s feature debut repurposes walking-dead tropes, reimagining the traditional zombie movie as a more ambient reflection on family grief. For more details, check out the trailer and information sheet here.
A new kind of zombie film
“Full of frail, mortal feeling and overcast last-days imagery, ‘Handling the Undead’ lingers coolly in the bones longer than many zombie films that offer more immediate, grisly gratification,” Variety’s Guy Lodge wrote out of Sundance. “It’s a living-dead nightmare with a brain and a heart, and, most importantly and indelibly, a soul.” This nuanced take on the zombie genre is a testament to Hvistendahl’s unique vision and storytelling prowess.
The international jury, comprising sci-fi author Saul Pandelakis, filmmakers Ishan Shukla and João Pedro Rodrigues, festival programmer Annick Mahnert, and photographer Kourtney Roy, also gave a special mention to Tilman Singer’s gonzo, Hunter Schafer-led freak-out “Cuckoo” and awarded Jane Schoenbrun’s “I Saw the TV Glow” the Imaging the Future prize for best production design. For more on these films, you can view the trailers and information sheets for Cuckoo and I Saw the TV Glow.
Elevated genre fare in the spotlight
That all three films arrived with laurels from Sundance and Berlin – and, perhaps more importantly, with both Swiss and U.S. distribution secured – reflects the growing pride of place for elevated genre fare in festival selections and in the marketplace. This rising tide has lifted NIFFF as well, with this 23rd edition breaking attendance records, seeing 35,000 admissions over the course of 124 screenings and nine jam-packed days.
Rounding out the prizes, this year’s international critics jury took a shine to Shalini Ushadevi’s sci-fi-twisted romantic drama “Ennennum,” while a jury of local high-schoolers gave their prize to Ulaa Salim’s “Eternal” and the Neuchatel crowd spoke up to celebrate Damian McCarthy’s “Oddity” and Soi Cheang’s “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” with respective audience awards. For more information, you can view the trailers and information sheets for Ennennum, Eternal, Oddity, and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.
A celebration of feminist perspectives
The accolades for filmmakers Thea Hvistendahl and Shalini Ushadevi capped an edition rich with feminist perspectives and a selection that shone the spotlight on a significant proportion of female and non-binary directors. The festival also celebrated actor and director Asia Argento as guest of honor.
“We weren’t trying to impose a message,” says NIFFF chief Pierre-Yves Walder. “And we didn’t go out looking for any particular type of film. Only, over the many months we spent programming, we came across so many powerful stories told by strong, feminist voices. And because genre cinema has traditionally been quite masculine, we found it important to underline this new generation of female talent.”
Reflecting on the future
The success of this year’s NIFFF is a clear indication that the landscape of genre cinema is evolving. With more diverse voices being celebrated and recognized, the future of fantastic films looks promising and inclusive. As we look forward to the next edition of NIFFF, one can only wonder what new stories and perspectives will emerge to captivate and challenge audiences worldwide.
