NIFFF INVASION is a free program that offers activities all over town. The 2025 edition has more for children and includes several works of art related to the theme of ‘care’, echoing the TAKE CARE! retrospective. The NIFFF INVASION label, which is part of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF, 4–12 July), is coproduced and financed by the City of Neuchâtel.
OPEN AIR: WILLKOMMEN IN DEN HALLES OBSCURA
Dieses Jahr bieten die CLASSICS RELOADED dem Publikum Gelegenheit, fünf Kultfilme kostenlos (wieder) zu sehen und die Kulisse des brandneuen Open Air zu testen, das nun aus Liegestühlen, Stühlen und den Terrassen der Cafés und Restaurants auf der Place des Halles besteht. Vom mysteriösen Verschwinden von vier jungen Australierinnen im fesselnden PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK (Peter Weir, AU, 1975), über die Magie der Schwerter im episch-romantischen CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee, CN/TW/HK/US, 2000), bis hin zur apokalyptischen Rache in CARRIE (Brian De Palma, US, 1976) – das Publikum wird mitfiebern. Nicht zu vergessen die heftigen Emotionen zwischen Leidenschaft und Abgrund im heißen Roadmovie WILD AT HEART, eine Hommage an den unvergessenen David Lynch (US, 1990), und die Lachanfälle bei den ikonischen Sprüchen der tollpatschigen Geisterjäger aus GHOSTBUSTERS (Ivan Reitman, US, 1984). Das alles unter dem Sternenhimmel der Halles Obscura! Nach einem vom NIFFF ausgeschriebenen Wettbewerb und fast 200 Publikumsvorschlägen wurde tatsächlich dieser Name für das Open Air 2025 ausgewählt!
PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
Peter Weir, AU, 1975
Synopsis : Young girls in bloom vanish in the mountains. A mystery in broad daylight, a sensual awakening, a haunting spell. A cult film that served as an aesthetic blueprint for directors from Coppola to Guadagnino.
Trailer
GHOSTBUSTERS
Ivan Reitman, US, 1984
Synopsis : Ghosts, iconic one-liners, and pure 80s energy: a team of misfits faces the supernatural with flair. A legendary pop comedy where Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd, and Bill Murray let loose. Who you gonna call?
Trailer
WILD AT HEART
David Lynch, US, 1990
Images courtesy of Park Circus/Universal
Synopsis : Mad love, raw violence, dream and nightmare intertwined: Wild at Heart blazes like a rock’n’roll scream in Lynch’s desert. A road movie of passion and perdition. “Treat me like a fool, treat me mean and cruel, but love me!”
Trailer
CARRIE
Brian De Palma, US, 1976
© 1976 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc
Synopsis : Between a fanatically religious mother and cruel classmates, Carrie White’s life is pure hell. When they decide to play one final — and bloody — prank on her, the young girl sees red. Her vengeance is apocalyptic. A classic that is as heartbreaking as it is horrifying.
Trailer
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
Ang Lee, CN/TW/HK/US, 2000
Synopsis : Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi in a breathtaking ballet of swords and silence: a dizzying epic where love, honor, and fate collide between heaven and earth.
ENCHANTING MORNING STREET ART PERFORMANCES
Tales, circus shows, theater plays, songs, and clown acts: the CCHAR (Centre de Création Helvétique des Arts de la Rue) will take center stage in the morning, for the first time on Place du Coq D’Inde this year instead of Place des Halles. Our street art performances program runs from Monday, July 7th to Friday, July 11th, 11 a.m. each day, and is suitable for people of all ages.
Behind the Mist
Cie Amandine Berger – Website
Monday, July 7, 11:00 AM, Place du Coq d’Inde
All audiences / Duration: 45 minutes / Storytelling
Description : What if, in a distant future, the stories of yesterday and today had paved the way to a brighter world? In this performance, a storyteller from times to come initiates us into the Mysteries to reveal which tales have endured through the ages and what new myths have arisen.
From forgotten fables to prophecies come true, the audience will discover how the dreams of the past helped shape a desirable tomorrow. What faces will the Living bear? What wisdom will our descendants choose to preserve? A journey between past and future, where imagination weaves the stories of what is yet to be.
We Said No Touching
Cie Le Cirque Compost – Website
Tuesday, July 8, 11:00 AM, Place du Coq d’Inde
All audiences / Duration: 45 minutes / Circus
Description : They are two. They adore each other. They move forward together. And above all: they must not touch. If they do, they must start all over again. They are touching – yet must not touch.
As their bodies express themselves, a delicate balance of skill and tenderness unfolds. They explore the possibilities of two bodies moving in harmony without contact—or almost.
A reflection on physical connection emerges.
What does it mean to touch? What does it do? What do we do with it?
Theatron
Cie The Big Bang Company – Website
Wednesday, July 9, 11:00 AM, Place du Coq d’Inde
All audiences / Duration: 50 minutes / Theatre
Description : The history of theatre told in under an hour.
A quick journey through time that takes us to Ancient Greece, Elizabethan England, and, of course, the land of Molière—before ending our epic in the curious realm of contemporary theatre.
Expect rap, puppets, and mustaches along the way.
The Polyphonic Wardrobe
Collectif Les Aimants – Website
Thursday, July 10, 11:00 AM, Place du Coq d’Inde
All audiences / Duration: 30 minutes / Baroque song
Description : The Polyphonic Wardrobe is an old wardrobe left behind on a roadside, a street corner, or a patch of grass in a park or meadow. On its door, a sign reads “Open me,” inviting the audience. When the door swings open, three polyphonists come to life to perform one of their delightfully anachronistic songs, then close the doors once more.
Light-hearted and offbeat, The Polyphonic Wardrobe is a musical interlude—like a human-sized music box.
Out of Order
Cie du Petit Monsieur – Website
Friday, July 11, 11:00 AM, Place du Coq d’Inde
All audiences / Duration: 50 minutes / Clown performance
Description : “As simple as a phone call”: refreshing, accessible, and for all audiences.
Well… not for this impeccably dressed little man, slightly uncomfortable in his tight-fitting suit with too-short sleeves.
Because the phone booth door won’t open, and since he’s not one to give up, he tries every possible way to pick up the receiver.
This leads him into absurd postures and unbelievable acrobatics.
It’s a merciless battle: man versus machine—
Except the man isn’t a brawny Schwarzenegger, but rather a perfectly ordinary little fellow.
BRINGING OUR YOUTH’S DREAMS TO LIFE
Who said the fantasy genre was just for grown-ups? As part of KID-O-NIFFF, Neuchâtel-based pupils aged 5 to 15 will present their stop-motion animation short films, created during workshops organized by the SEEO (Service de l’enseignement obligatoire) and managed by the Filmetic association. Drawing inspiration from the theme Mysteries of the Night, these original short films are equal parts creative, poetic, and enigmatic. The films directed by students aged 15 to 19, who are closer to the world of digital and urban legends, will be shown on the big screen at the FANTASTIC SHORTS special screening.
As far as features are concerned, the NIFFF will be showing SPACE CADET (Kid Koala, CA, 2025), a tender, spellbinding musical fable about memories and the passing of time. Perfect for the whole family.
After having successfully explored science fiction in 2024, the Lanterne Magique will be back with a cine-conference dedicated to the supernatural. Professeur Patate will take us on a new journey that also takes us back to our roots, to show us how, unbeknownst to us, we’ve all been in contact with the genre from our very early years… Finally, an animated shorts program made in collaboration with Fantoche will invite young audience members to explore the theme of ‘care’ in a sensitive and poetic way.
DOUDOU MONSTRES
KID-O-NIFFF
FANTASTIC SHORTS
NIFFF 2025
SPACE CADET
Kid Koala, CA, 2025
While Celeste sets off to explore the stars, her faithful guardian Robot stays behind on Earth, facing the emptiness left by her departure. A vibrant musical fable about memory and the passing of time – to be enjoyed with the whole family!
LA LANTERNE MAGIQUE
Fantastic cinema at child’s eye level
Contrary to popular belief, some naysayers argue that fantastic cinema is a genre only meant for adults. In a brand-new film lecture by Professor Patate, La Lanterne Magique sets out to prove otherwise. In its broadest sense, the fantastic is intrinsic to the spirit of childhood, which thrives on imagination. Without even realizing it, we’ve all experienced it from an early age…
Peppered with evocative film clips, this cine-conference will be both an introduction and a return to our imaginative roots.
DER KLEINE VOGEL UND DAS BLATT
FANTOCHE
CARE CRAZE
Our 2025 retrospective inspires others! The CAN Centre d’art Neuchâtel is giving a carte blanche to Neuchâtel-based artist Maria Guta. Through her project named CARE, TAKEN, which goes hand in hand with the NIFFF’s TAKE CARE! retrospective, she will explore the ways horror and fantasy films can aestheticize suffering and vulnerability while also questioning gender norms and myths about beauty and desire.
Still as an extension to the TAKE CARE! retrospective, the ‘Mens sana in corpore sano’ exhibition will cast an unusual look at the imagination of the medical world. From hygienicist utopias of the 15th century to the fetishizing of bodies put under duress by modern therapeutic devices, the Maison d’Ailleurs will highlight a duality that distinguishes between the flesh and the soul.
Finally, the Villa’s mission is simple: to heal the soul through groundbreaking installations and state-of-the-art treatments. In the ephemeral sanatorium, you can wander from one game to the next, be fully immersed in the world of the Colibri Foudre book, experience a musical exhibition from Bastien Bron (in collaboration with He-Arc), or discover the imaginary animals of artist Mary-Audrey Ramirez (in collaboration with Octobre Numérique). The whole healthcare team is looking forward to helping you every step of the way to reach a better version of yourself.
MARIA GUTA
Carte blanche du CAN
GAME SELECTION AT THE VILLA
COLIBRI-FOUDRE
© Paul-Emile Boucher
MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO
© coll. Maison d’Ailleurs
FORCED AMNESIA
© Mary-Audrey Ramirez
TIME TO WRITE!
Author, musician, and journalist Magali Bossi will once again be moderating a writing workshop. This year, it will take place as part of the Tour du Fantastique. Have you ever dreamed of meeting fantastical creatures covered in feathers, fur, or scales, or of coming up with legends where robots meet fairies? This is for you!
REGISTRATION FORM
© Sarah Adatte / NIFFF 2024
NIFFF 2025 – MUSHROOM PICKING IN THE STREETS OF NEUCHÂTEL
The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) is proud to reveal the trailer for its 24th edition (4-12 July) and to unveil its open-air mushroom picking event, a life-size interactive game where the greatest explorers can win big prizes.
TRAILER
With the NIFFF two months away, it’s time to release this year’s wonderful trailer created by the eponime studio, enticing us to look closer at the mystical world of the poster and to pay closer attention to the mushrooms through an immersive and hypnotic spreading effect. This gradual movement creates an impression of depth and sets an atmosphere of mystery which perfectly sums up the 24th edition.
AN ENCHANTING URBAN GAME
On May 29th, the City of Neuchâtel will turn into the backdrop for a magical quest! Inspired by the mushroom theme of its poster and trailer, the NIFFF invites you to partake in a very special adventure. Go looking for 7 mushrooms that have grown at the edge of the near-perfect circle of a fairy ring, a mysterious natural phenomenon located in carefully selected locations.
A series of clues posted on our social media accounts will help you find them, and a digital map will guide your progress throughout this enchanted quest. For every mushroom found, the winner will receive a mystery prize from one of our fantastic partners, as well as tickets for NIFFF 2025!
The best mushroom hunters will be invited to a special prize giving ceremony during the NIFFF, for a unique event where the visible and invisible worlds collide…
The spell is cast. Now it’s up to you.
EARLY BIRD PASS
Good news for those who can’t wait! The NIFFF is already putting its Early Bird passes up for sale! This discounted rate (CHF 180 instead of 195) is valid until May 18th.
TICKETING
SAVE THE DATE – NIFFF 2025
Full line-up and ticket bookings: Thursday, June 19
TAKE CARE! – CURE ME IF YOU CAN
The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) is proud to unveil this year’s retrospective: TAKE CARE!, a watchful examination of care through the lens of the fantasy genre. As part of the 24th edition (4-12 July), this special program will take you on a journey through space and time over the span of a century with about twenty feature films – some cult, some underseen.
THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS
“Take care!” We’ve all heard it before: a well-meaning idiom that often rings like a gentle call to do the impossible. At first glance a sign of concern, it actually shrouds a much more complex and ruthless system. This expression all too often neglects to take the reality of the person we are speaking to into consideration, therefore reminding them of what they cannot (or can no longer) do.
Echoing themes of SCREAM QUEER (2022), FEMALE TROUBLE (2023), and EAT THE RICH (2024), the NIFFF 2025 retrospective puts the spotlight on care, which does not always end up being a straightforward endeavor, especially as portrayed in genre cinema. The 20 TAKE CARE! films will implicitly paint the portrait of anxiety and suspicious societies in which people must contend with healthcare systems deeply rooted in inequalities (whether they relate to the intimacy of the bodies or the public institutions themselves). This downward spiral affects those who try to take care of themselves as well as people taking care of others. The NIFFF invites you to explore films from various time periods and countries, all haunted by mad doctors, body mutations, shady nurses, and terrifying hospitals.
In Michael Crichton’s COMA (1978), the hospital becomes the setting for sinister acts of trafficking, a reflection of the fears and fantasies surrounding the supposed omnipotence and impunity of the medical profession. With THE CURED (2017), David Freyne offers his own take on the zombie genre with a story centered around the difficult rehabilitation of “infected” people that have since been cured — a striking metaphor which socio-political themes resonate louder than ever today. Mental health is at the forefront of A PAGE OF MADNESS (Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1926), a film which explores the gradual emergence of horror that comes with the slow decline of a loved one. Intermittent fasting is taken way too far in Jessica Hausner’s CLUB ZERO (2023), while Yorgos Lanthimos questions the boundaries between the parental desire to protect and child abuse with DOGTOOTH (2009), in which parents isolate their three children from the outside world. The concept of care is riddled with paradoxes and excesses, but it can also inspire a more playful approach to genre cinema, where sadism flirts with black humor. Such is the case in Rob Reiner’s MISERY (1990), in which the care of a dutiful nurse toward an injured writer slowly turns into a grotesque nightmare – a brilliant satire where kindness eventually turns into control.
TAKE CARE! will include a roundtable discussion, and the festival’s cultural mediation program will also offer related screenings and interventions in compulsory and post-compulsory education establishments.
FIRST PART OF THE ‘TAKE CARE!’ LINE-UP
A PAGE OF MADNESS
Teinosuke Kinugasa, JP, 1926
Hoping to get closer to his wife, who is a mental health patient, a former sailor becomes the custodian of an asylum. A gem of black & white Japanese silent cinema, this one-of-a-kind film offers a tender reflection on women’s mental health.
Trailer
COMA
Michael Crichton, US, 1978
A seemingly fit patient falls into a coma after undergoing surgery. An edge-of-your-seat thriller that questions the medical profession, directed by the man who wrote JURASSIC PARK, and starring Michael Douglas and Geneviève Bujold.
Trailer
MISERY
Rob Reiner, US, 1990
Rob Reiner, US, 1990
After a road accident, a famous writer is taken care of by a nurse in a remote cabin. This brutal psychological thriller is a cult adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, which earned Kathy Bates a well-deserved Oscar for her performance as a frightening, creepy, star-struck nurse.
Trailer
DOGTOOTH
Yorgos Lanthimos, GR, 2009
The house is surrounded by a high fence. For these three teenagers, the outside world does not exist. All they have is the life their parents have made for them. When the desire to protect becomes abuse…
Trailer
THE CURED
David Freyne, IE/FR, 2017
After a pandemic turns many people into flesh-eating zombies, a cure is found. Side effects? Anxiety: the rehabilitation of those formerly infected is met with so much suspicion, the world is soon on the brink of chaos once again.
Trailer
CLUB ZERO
Jessica Hausner,
AT/GB/DE/FR/DK/TR/US/QA/BA, 2023
Ever heard of “conscious eating”? They teach it at this private school, but the novel concept eventually turns out to be a little dangerous. Come for the morbid influence and twisted chain of events, stay for the biting satire.
Trailer
SAVE THE DATE – NIFFF 2025
Festival Pass – Early Bird price: Thursday, May 8
Full line-up and ticket bookings: Thursday, June 19
IN 2025, THE ENTIRE PLACE DES HALLES WILL TURN INTO THE NIFFF OPEN AIR
Forget the bleachers, now is the time to fill the cobbled square with seats and deckchairs! Our new Open Air concept is coming to Place des Halles for the next edition of the NIFFF.
This new elegant and less invasive set-up will have a capacity of up to 1,000 people, making the screenings – including several free ones, as is now customary – even more memorable! And with the restaurants on Place des Halles taking active part in this project, film lovers will also be able to make the most of their outside seating areas and savoir-faire.
While eagerly awaiting the line-up for the 24th edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF), which will take place from July 4th to July 12th, 2025, genre film fans can rejoice, for the famous Open Air on Place des Halles will be coming back in a new, improved formula that can welcome up to a thousand festival-goers, twice as many as with the bleachers.
On screening nights, the iconic Neuchâtel landmark will turn into a place entirely dedicated to cine-ma: over one hundred deckchairs and some 200 seats will be set up in front of an 18-meter screen installed at the South end of the square for complete, convivial immersion. With the cafés-restaurants joining in the celebrations, you will also be able to use their outside dining areas, which layout will be specially modified to accommodate movie watching wherever you are seating, drasti-cally boosting the Open Air’s overall capacity. Plus, an improved projection booth installed near the Maison des Halles will guarantee the screenings’ quality.
ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS
This new set-up has been designed by the NIFFF and the City of Neuchâtel in close collaboration with the square’s restaurant owners. While it will be business as usual during the day, only people with a valid ticket will be able to access the Place des Halles on screening nights (from 8:45 p.m. onwards). As part of NIFFF INVASION and in collaboration with the City of Neuchâtel, the NIFFF organizes five free screenings of classic films every year (but you still need to book a ticket!). Please note that headsets will be used for late-night screenings.
The residents of Place des Halles (or who must access it to enter their building) will have permanent access and will therefore be able to enjoy all Open Air screenings free of charge.
City of Neuchâtel – NIFFF – Place des Halles restaurant owners
NIFFF 2025 POSTER – GENRE SPREADS LIKE LIGHTNING
For its 24th edition (4–12 July 2025), the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) invites its audience to become immersed in an evolving visual world, where the organic teems with mysteries and fuels mystical stories.
Created by the Lausanne-based éponime studio, the NIFFF 2025 poster draws inspiration from a simultaneously elusive and universal symbol: the mushroom. As if it were blurring the lines between genres, mushroom is a blanket term for a multitude of species. It cannot fall into one sole categorization, and can have countless shapes, colors, and textures. A keeper of enchantments and secrets at times, at others a source of supernatural powers and hallucinogenic visions, the mushroom creates a bridge between what can and cannot be seen, between reality and imagination, and of course safeguards the balance of nature with its healing and poisonous properties. At the junction of art and science, it can become a gateway to yet unexplored universes.
THE FAIRY RING – WHERE SCIENCE, ECOLOGY, AND MYSTERIES MEET
Steeped in beliefs and legends, the fairy ring is a fascinating natural phenomenon that happens underground before making its way to the surface in the form of an enigmatic fungal circle. Not unlike the NIFFF, which invites festivalgoers to let themselves sink into an ecosystem of abundance, where fantasy seeps in and lets the curious minds gather around a shared quest for escapism.
SAVE THE DATE
Festival Pass – Early Bird price: Thursday, May 8th
Full line-up and ticket bookings: Thursday, June19th
WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE 24TH EDITION
The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) will soon unveil the colors of its 24th edition, set to spread across the City of Neuchâtel from July 4-12th, 2025. In the meantime, the festival is still touring with NIFFF ON TOUR, a series of fantastic collaborations and events.
COMING SOON TO NIFFF ON TOUR
LA JULIENNE AT THE OUTER LIMITS
From March on and for the fourth year in a row, the NIFFF will be back at La julienne, Maison des arts et de la culture in Plan-les-Ouates (GE), with free monthly screenings: LES MERCREDIS DU FANTASTIQUE (FANTASTIC WEDNESDAYS).
Wednesday, March 19th, 8 p.m.
ANIMALE
Emma Benestan (FR, 2024, 1h40)
In France’s Camargue region, 22-year-old Nejma hopes to win the next bullfighting contest, called “la course camarguaise”. But the locals are troubled by strange deaths attributed to a wild beast. Selected as part of the NIFFF 2024 International Competition, ANIMALE is the sophomore feature of French Algerian filmmaker Emma Benestan.
More info
Wednesday, April 16th, 8 p.m.
PENDANT CE TEMPS SUR TERRE
Jérémy Clapin (FR, 2024, 1h29)
Elsa grew up in the shadow of her big brother Franck, a young astronaut admired throughout the region. She must now grapple with reality itself and events of cosmic ramifications. Selected as part of the NIFFF 2024 International Competition, Jérémy Clapin’s latest feature masterfully navigates the lines between genres.
More info
MORE INFO
NEW EXHIBITION AT LA MAISON D’AILLEURS
Horizons, from Feb. 15th to Apr. 16th, 2025
Opening on Saturday, February 15th from 5:30 p.m.
Under the artistic direction of Frédéric Jaccaud, the oneiric, thought-provoking Horizons exhibition is an invitation to explore elusive landscapes. From kitsch illustrations of 70s prog rock to 1930s-1950s visions of the future of urbanism, to engravings of the tales of Jules Verne and hyper realistic digital images, Horizons brings to light a history of desirable, fragile imagined places.
STAY TUNED! On Friday, April 11th, the NIFFF will attend a one-of-a-kind film event at the Espace Jules Vernes at la Maison d’Ailleurs.
MORE INFO
THE FRIENDS OF THE NIFFF AT THE JEUDI-OUI
Thursday, April 24th at Neubourg and surrounding area
NIFFF regulars and film lovers, take note! On Thursday, April 24th, the friends of the NIFFF will have a booth at the Jeudi-Oui. The perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and discover more about what the members of the association do.
MORE INFO
SAVE THE DATE – NIFFF 2025
2025 Poster: Thursday, April 3rd
Festival Pass – Early Bird price: Thursday, May 8th
Full program and bookings: Thursday, June 19th
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL PASS AND GIFT IDEAS
This Christmas, why not surprise your loved ones with something out of the ordinary? With the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF), you can offer a way to unforgettable movie-going experiences – thrills, laughter, emotions, and even a chance to meet people from the film industry next summer.
The first 100 Festival Passes are now up for grabs on NIFFF.CH (special price: CHF 160). It’s the perfect gift for lovers of fantastic films, and it usually takes less than 24 hours to be sold out. No time to waste… Get your pass or check out our other NIFFF offers below!
TO CHRISTMAS OFFER
🎁 2025 FESTIVAL PASS
Limited Edition 💥 SOLD OUT
The first 100 Festival Passes are CHF 160 (instead of CHF 195).
With this pass, you can attend any film screening at NIFFF and explore genre cinema in all its diversity, from thrillers to comedies, action, science fiction, and of course horror, all the while enjoying the idyllic, lakeside City of Neuchâtel. Tickets can be booked as soon as the full program is unveiled on Thursday, June 19th, 2025, on NIFFF.CH.
💛 SUPPORT FESTIVAL PASS
NIFFF regulars are familiar with this Festival Pass that makes it possible to see as many films as you want, to meet filmmakers at the festival’s VIP area, and to discover the winners from a front-row seat during the Closing Ceremony. Plus, you get the team’s undying gratitude to boot.
🎫 4 AND 10-TICKET MULTIPASSES
The 4-ticket (CHF 58) and 10-ticket (CHF 130) multipasses can be used by more than one person. You will therefore be able to share unforgettable moments of cinema and discoveries.
TO TICKETING
The Support Festival Pass and the 4 and 10-ticket multipasses can be purchased all year-round on NIFFF.ch. Tickets to specific films can be booked as soon as the full program is unveiled on Thursday, June19th, 2025.
BECOME A MEMBER OF AANIFFF
This year, gift more than a pass – gift a special relationship with the NIFFF! By becoming a member of AANIFFF (Association des Ami·es du NIFFF), you will be joining a community of enthusiasts and enjoy special privileges all year long.
There are various membership levels, each with different advantages.
TO MEMBERSHIP LEVELS
Every year, the AANIFFF (Association des Ami·es du NIFFF), which includes film industry professionals, regular festivalgoers, and stakeholders in the Swiss film industry, financially supports and contributes to the festival’s standing.
Following its successful 23rd edition (nearly 40,000 tickets sold), the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) is back. Films from our selection are scheduled for screenings at partner cinemas as part of our NIFFF ON TOUR program, while our NIFFF EXTENDED conferences can now be watched at home.
COMING SOON TO NIFFF ON TOUR
RIVER
Time loop at les Culturateurs
Tuesday, October 15th, 8:30 p.m.
Caves du Château (Yverdon-les-Bains)
Free admission
The NIFFF is delighted to kick off the free monthly screenings season at Les Culturateurs in Yverdon-les-Bains with Junta Yamaguchi’s RIVER (JP, 2023, 86’). Selected as part of the NIFFF 2023 ULTRA MOVIES category, RIVER is set in the peaceful Kyoto area… where an inn and all its dwellers seem affected by a mysterious time loop. A quirky, exhilarating cinematic experience!
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
at the Cinémathèque suisse
Friday, October 25th, 9 p.m.
Capitole (Lausanne)
For the third edition of Friday Night Frights (Les Vendredis de la peur), the NIFFF and the Cinémathèque suisse suggest you tag along with a duo of Americans in the deep British countryside who are about to make the acquaintance of a very… hairy creature. A postmodern homage to classic horror films, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON from John Landis (UK/US, 1981, 97′) is a horror comedy that boasts striking special effects. The film will be introduced by Pierre-Yves Walder, the NIFFF General and Artistic Director.
8 HOURS OF HORROR, a Halloween marathon
Saturday, October 26th, 11 p.m., Zurich / Winterthur / Lucerne
It’s tradition: Never Watch Alone is organizing a horror film marathon on Saturday, October 26th from 11 p.m. in three German-speaking Swiss cities! One film from the NIFFF’s previous edition will be shown, but the program is to remain secret until the event.
MIDNIGHT MOVIES AT THE ABC
Saturday, November 30th, Centre de culture ABC (La Chaux-de-Fonds)
Two films from the EAT THE RICH retrospective will be shown at the ABC as part of a special MIDNIGHT MOVIES night. Don’t miss out!
More info coming soon.
NIFFF EXTENDED – CONFERENCES NOW ON REPLAY
Every year, our entirely free conferences program NIFFF EXTENDED (with support from SRG SSR) offers masterclasses and roundtables on the festival’s themes and from our guests. It is also designed as a forum for exploring new technologies in the fantasy genre (IMAGING THE FUTURE) and as an opportunity to meet some of the most important contemporary authors (NEW WORLDS OF FANTASY).
From July 5th to July 13th, 2024, our festivalgoers were able to learn more about the visual effects on THE LAST OF US and 3 BODY PROBLEM, discover the animation techniques of SCHIRKOA : IN LIES WE TRUST, meet model maker Simon Weisse, talk video games with subject matter experts, as well as explore the Internet’s backrooms with YouTuber Obscuria and the cofounders of Résidence Evil. And of course, they had the opportunity to meet science fiction authors Julien Blondel and Saul Pandelakis.
THE RICH GAZE IN GENRE CINEMA
© Claire Zombas / NIFFF 2024
SIMON WEISSE
© Sarah Adatte / NIFFF 2024
ONLINE STORE & TICKETING
NIFFF merchandising is again available in our online store!
If you really cannot wait, support passes and 4/10-film multipasses can already be purchased for the festival’s 24th edition (July 4–12, 2025).
Do take note that our Christmas offer (100 Festival Passes at the sweet price of CHF 160) will start on Thursday, November 28th, 2024, on NIFFF.CH.
NIFFF 2024: UNIQUE VISIONS WIN BIG
The 23rd edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) came to an end on Saturday evening after an emotional closing ceremony. Once again, 60,000 festivalgoers chose to explore the many dimensions of genre cinema in the presence of 120 guests. The International Jury granted the prestigious H.R. Giger “Narcisse” Award for best feature film (CHF 10,000 given by the City of Neuchâtel) to HANDLING THE UNDEAD, the first fiction feature film from Thea Hvistendahl, as part of a prize list that includes very engaged movies. An honorable mention was awarded to Tilman Singer’s CUCKOO, while Jane Schoenbrun’s I SAW THE TV GLOW won the Imaging The Future Award (CHF 3,000 given by Microcity) for best production design.
“For carefully crafting a meditation on grief and for tackling a popular genre in a subtle and original way, the Narcisse Award for Best Picture goes to HANDLING THE UNDEAD ” said the International Jury during the closing ceremony, about Thea Hvistendahl’s first feature film.
REMARKABLE ATTENDANCE NUMBERS
With the Théâtre du Passage, the Cinepel cinemas, and the Open Air on Place des Halles, the NIFFF 2024 offered 124 screenings amounting to 35,000 tickets sold – slightly more than last year’s record numbers. A testament to our audience’s loyalty and enthusiasm for a genre that is ever evolving. It cements the role of the NIFFF as a leading event on the Swiss film scene. The NIFFF EXTENDED conferences were also extremely successful, with more attendees than ever before, while La Villa put video game and immersive installations front and center. Festivalgoers were also able to enjoy the festive atmosphere at the Jardin anglais.
2024 PRIZE LIST
Two films directed by women from the official selection won awards: HANDLING THE UNDEAD from Thea Hvistendahl, and ENNENNUM from Shalini Ushadevi. Both offer singular perspectives on genre cinema and echo the program’s geographical, thematical, and artistic diversity. The winning short films were directed by rising filmmakers (Eros V, MEAT PUPPET), more established directors (Kantarama Gahigiri, TERRA MATER), or multidisciplinary artists (such as filmmaker and plastic artist Ali Cherri, THE WATCHMAN).
SOON IN THEATERS
In the coming weeks, the audience will be able to (re)discover some of the gems from our program in theaters, including the H.R. Giger “Narcisse” Award winner for best feature film. Upcoming films that are not to be missed include:
- HANDLING THE UNDEAD – Thea Hvistendahl, NO/SE/GR, 2024 (Filmcoopi Zurich AG)
- CUCKOO – Tilman Singer, DE/US, 2024 (Praesens-Film AG)
- LOVE LIES BLEEDING – Rose Glass, UK/US, 2024 (Ascot Elite Entertainment GMBH, Switzerland)
- IMMACULATE – Michael Mohan, US/IT, 2024 (Ascot Elite Entertainment GMBH, Switzerland)
- MAXXXINE – Ti West, US/UK, 2024 (Universal Pictures)
- MISÉRICORDE – Alain Guiraudie, FR/ES/PT, 2024 (Praesens-Film AG)
- EAT THE NIGHT – Caroline Poggi, Jonathan Vinel, FR, 2024 (Sister Distribution)
- LES PISTOLETS EN PLASTIQUE – Jean-Christophe Meurisse, FR, 2024 (Xenix Filmdistribution GmbH)
- L’EMPIRE – Bruno Dumont, FR, 2024 (Sister Distribution)
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
H. R. GIGER “NARCISSE” AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM
CHF 10,000 given by the City of Neuchâtel
HANDLING THE UNDEAD – Thea Hvistendahl (NO/SE/GR)
Distributor: Filmcoopi Zurich AG
Honorable mention: CUCKOO – Tilman Singer (DE/US)
Local Distributor: Praesens-film Ag
Awarded by the International Jury:
Saul Pandelakis, Ishan Shukla, Annick Mahnert, João Pedro Rodrigues, Kourtney Roy
IMAGING THE FUTURE AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
CHF 3,000 given by Microcity
I SAW THE TV GLOW – Jane Schoenbrun (US)
Local distributor: Filmbankmedia Ltd
Awarded by the International Jury:
Saul Pandelakis, Ishan Shukla, Annick Mahnert, João Pedro Rodrigues, Kourtney Roy
NIFFF INTERNATIONAL CRITICS AWARD
Honorary
ENNENNUM – Shalini Ushadevi (IN)
World Sales: Shalini Ushadevi
Awarded by the International Critics Jury:
Nora Bouazzouni, Léon Cattan, Ard Vijn
YOUTH AWARD
Ba111od watch
ETERNAL – Ulaa Salim (NO/IS/DK)
Local distributor: Plaion Pictures
Awarded by the Lycée Denis-de-Rougemont & Blaise Cendrars High school jury
RTS AUDIENCE AWARD
Broadcasting support
ODDITY – Damian Mc Carthy (IE)
World Sales: Blue Finch Film Releasing
Awarded by the audience
ASIAN COMPETITION
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST ASIAN FILM
Ba111od watch
TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN – Soi Cheang (HK/CN)
Local distributor: Plaion Pictures
Awarded by the audience
MÉLIÈS COMPETITION
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST FANTASTIC EUROPEAN FEATURE FILM
Nomination
HANDLING THE UNDEAD – Thea Hvistendahl (NO/SE/GR)
Distributor: Filmcoopi Zurich AG
Awarded by the Méliès Jury:
Anna Bogutskaya, Olga Lamontanara, Vincent Paul-Boncour
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST FANTASTIC EUROPEAN SHORT FILM
Nomination
THE WATCHMAN – Ali Cherri (IT/FR)
World Sales: Kinoelektron
Awarded by the SSA/SUISSIMAGE Jury:
Niccolò Castelli, Anne Delseth, Paolo Moretti
SHORTS COMPETITION
H. R. GIGER “NARCISSE” AWARD FOR BEST SWISS SHORT FILM
CHF 10,000 given by SSA and SUISSIMAGE
TERRA MATER – Kantarama Gahigiri (CH/RW)
World Sales: SUDU Connexion
Awarded by the SSA/SUISSIMAGE jury:
Niccolò Castelli, Anne Delseth, Paolo Moretti
YOUTH AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
Honorary
MEAT PUPPET – Eros V (UK)
World Sales: Puppet Master
Awarded by the Lycée Denis-de-Rougemont & Blaise Cendrars High school jury
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
Honorary
MEAT PUPPET – Eros V (UK)
World Sales: Puppet Master
Awarded by the audience
NIFFF 2025
The NIFFF’s 24th edition will take place from July 4th to July 12th, 2025.