VI EDITION

In its sixth edition, the Elche International Fantastic Film Festival – FANTAELX celebrated the bicentennial of Frankenstein. The illustrator Joan Martín Giménez designed the poster inspired by the figure of Mary Shelley, pioneer of modern science fiction and author of the famous novel, which in 2018 celebrates 200 years since its publication. In commemoration, the festival featured several conferences related to this topic, in addition to the screening of the film Frankenstein (1931), by James Whale.

The festival was held from November 22nd to 24th, 2018, and among its activities took place the International Congress on Fantastic Genre, Audiovisuals and New Technologies, with the assistance of speakers of national and international character, in addition to short film screenings, in which assitants could watch recognized works of fantasy, horror and science fiction, many of them screened for the first time in the province.

The sixth edition of the festival was organized by the Black Unicorn Association and the Research Group Massiva UMH, with the support of organizations such as the Department of Culture of the City of Elche, Visit Elche, the Congress Center “Ciutat d’Elx”, Miguel Hernández University, the Vicerectorate of Culture and University Extension, the Odeon Cinemas, or the Aljub Shopping Center.

All activities were free access until full capacity.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2018 – MORNING – AUDITORIUM OF THE CONGRESS CENTER “CIUTAT D’ELX” (see map)

9:30h-13:10h: FIRST SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF FANTASTIC GENDER, AUDIOVISUALS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

The objective of the congress is the diffusion of research studies within the different thematic lines of the Fantastic Genre, covering all its possible variants and platforms: cinema, television, theater, literature, comics, videogames, virtual reality, etc.

9:30h. Welcome and inauguration.
9:40h. Star Wars. A feminist saga? The gender roles in science fiction movies. Dr. Manuel Benítez Bolorinos (University of Alicante).
10:00h. Fantastic elements in multimodal constellations. Didactic proposal for the language and literature classroom. Dr. José Rovira-Collado (University of Alicante).
10:20h. UMH Film School. Guillermo López Aliaga (Miguel Hernández University of Elche).
10:40h. Fantasy manga as a reading motivation tool in primary education. Claudia Torres Pastor (University of Alicante).
11:00h. Break.
11:30h. Guest lecture: Fantastic chronicle of the Prometheus unchained. Ruth Cristina Hernández Ching (National University of Costa Rica).
11:50h. Fantastic video games and where to find them. The journey of the hero. Rocío Serna Rodrigo (University of Alicante).
12:10h. Transhumanism and Bioethics in ibero-american fantasy cinema. Dr. César Oliveros Aya (Catholic University of Colombia and New Granada Military University).
12:30h. Scary children. Pol Vegara Meirelles (University of Murcia).
12:50h. Stories, legends and yokai: The traditional japanese society seen through its fantastic stories. Kevin Díaz Alché (University of Alicante).
13:10h. Closing of the first day.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2018 – AFTERNOON – ODEON CINEMAS (ROOM B) (see map and Facebook event)

PASS 1: 18:00h / PASS 2: 20:30h: SCREENING IN 35 MILIMETERS OF THE FEATURE FILM “FRANKENSTEIN” (1931), BY JAMES WHALE.

The Universal Pictures classic, directed by James Whale and played by Boris Karloff and Colin Clive, is considered one of the most important works of the fantasy genre, and can be enjoyed again on the big screen and on celluloid as part of the festival. The film will be screened on Thursday, November 22, in room B of the Odeon Cinemas in two different stages, at 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., with free access until full capacity is reached.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2018 – MORNING – AUDITORIUM OF THE CONGRESS CENTER “CIUTAT D’ELX”

9:30h-13:10h: SECOND SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF FANTASTIC GENDER, AUDIOVISUALS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

9:30h. Welcome.
9:40h. Crime, politics and drugs in the literary universe of Sir Terry Pratchett. Dr. Damià Jordà Bou (Miguel Hernández University of Elche).
10:00h. The melancholic and fantastic universe of The Leftovers. Claudia Sofía Benito Temprano and Laro del Río Castañeda (University of Oviedo and Autonomous University of Madrid).
10:20h. The Fantastic and the suspense in video games Survival Horror. The case of Resident Evil 7 Biohazard. Dr. Lluís Anyó and Àngel Colom (Ramon Llull University).
10:40h. Fake It While You Make It: When Do Fantasy and Science Fiction Movie Trailers Become Deceptive Advertising?. Ryan Garcia and William Watson (University of Texas School of Law).
11:00h. Break.
11:30h. Guest lecture: The story of the monster in Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein. Dra. Natalia González de la Llana (Technical University of Aachen, Germany).
11:50h. Horror as affective estrangement. Jasper Vrancken (Luca School of Arts, Belgium).
12:10h. Representation of the superhero in the serial fiction produced by Netflix. The case of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Punisher. Laura Agüera Santiago (University of Murcia).
12:30h. Sex-affective relationships through the monstrous in The wild region and The shape of water. Violeta Alarcón Zayas (Complutense University of Madrid).
12:50h. Influences of the animator Ray Harryhausen in the design of fantastic creatures for video games. Dr. Manuel Ferri Gandía (Polytechnic University of Valencia).
13:10h. Closing of the second day.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2018 – AFTERNOON – AUDITORIUM OF THE CONGRESS CENTER “CIUTAT D’ELX”

16:30h-18:30h: SCREENING OF SHORT FILMS

– Mensaje, by Sergio Marzano (Argentina). Dur: 12 min.
(Winner of 1000 Gritos Festival 2018, with direct access to FANTAELX)
– Hell West, by Fran Mateu (Alicante, out of competition). Dur: 14:33 min.
– A Estranha Casa na Bruma, by Guilherme Daniel (Portugal). Dur: 15:29 min.
– Facing it, by Sam Gainsborough (United Kingdom). Dur: 7:32 min.
– Aurore, by Mael Le Mée (France). Dur: 18:00 min.
– Muil, by Jasper Vrancken (Belgium). Dur: 19:54 min.
– Widdershins, by Simon P. Biggs (United Kingdom). Dur: 11:16 min.
– Basoan, by Aitzol Saratxaga (Spain). Dur: 8:24 min.
– Zombie Time, by Alfonso Fulgencio (Spain). Dur: 5:41 min.

Break from 18:30h to 19:00h.

19:00h-21:00h: SCREENING OF SHORT FILMS

– La Noche de las Sombras, by Aritz Et (Spain). Dur: 14:34 min.
– How It Feels to Be Hungover, by Viktor Hertz (Sweden). Dur: 10:00 min.
– Escalero, by Javier Gomis (Alicante). Dur: 11:26 min.
– Pura Energía, by Francisco García (Spain). Dur: 14:57 min.
– Shadow, by Lei Lei (China). Dur: 5:32 min.
– Nen amagat, by Pol Rodríguez (Spain). Dur: 17:13 min.
– Broccoli, by Iván Sáinz-Pardo (Germany). Dur: 3:31 min.
– The Blissful Accidental Death, by Sergiu Negulici (Romania). Dur: 15:10 min.
– La Benvinguda, by Carmen Puche (Spain). Dur: 6:37 min.
– Noctámbulos, by Romén Rivero (Spain). Dur: 8:41 min.
– Oscuro, by Fele Pastor (Alicante). Dur: 16:49 min.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2018 – AFTERNOON – AUDITORIUM OF THE CONGRESS CENTER “CIUTAT D’ELX”

16:30h-18:30h: SCREENING OF SHORT FILMS

– Revólver, by Óscar Llopis, Yael Godoy, María Cánovas and Laura Miró (Micro short film winner of the subject of Semiotics of Mass Communication, of the University of Alicante). Dur: 1:15 min.
– Ayúdame, by Sara Sáiz, Beatriz Cerdá, Rafael Díaz and Reyes Córcoles (Micro short finalist of the subject of Semiotics of Mass Communication, of the University of Alicante). Dur: 1:15 min.
– Ryoko, by the Gallego Bros (Alicante). Dur: 3:45 min.
– Ceux qui peuvent mourir, by Charlotte Cayeux (France). Dur: 18:36 min.
– Linaje, by Raul Sanchez Kingtai (Spain). Dur: 13:55 min.
– Freddo Dentro, by Valerio Burli (Italy). Dur: 8:09 min.
– Dark Night, by Ivan Plechev (Russia). Dur: 8:07 min.
– La Chambre Noire, by Morgane Segaert (France). Dur: 20:00 min.
– Black Dog, by Joshua Tuthill (United States). Dur: 15:00 min.
– Spoiler, by Evgeny Kolyadintsev (Russia). Dur: 5:23 min.
– Cariño, by Angel Gómez Hernández (Spain). Dur: 15:11 min.

Break from 18:30h to 19:00h.

19:00h-21:00h: SCREENING OF SHORT FILMS

– Marta no viene a cenar, by Macarena Astorga (Spain). Dur: 16:53 min.
– Mouras, by Olga Osorio (Spain). Dur: 12:47 min.
– El Fotoviaje de Carla, by Fran Gas (Alicante). Dur: 5:48 min.
– Le Blizzard, by Álvaro Rodríguez (Andorra). Dur: 12:46 min.
– Rabbid Jacob, by Donovan Alonso-Garcia (France). Dur: 19:19 min.
– Lobisome, by Juan De Dios Garduño (Spain). Dur: 10:29 min.
– Atomic Spot, by Stephanie Cabdevila (France). Dur: 14:00 min.
– 9 Pasos, by Marisa Crespo and Moisés Romera (Spain). Dur: 7:16 min.
– Belle à croquer, by Axel Courtière (France). Dur: 15:00 min.

21:00h-21:30h: CLOSING

Conducted by Silvia Conesa. Actress, director, screenwriter and Festival Jury.

Award ceremony for the three categories:

– Best Short Film from Alicante (Spain): gift + direct access to the festival Navidades Sangrientas – Weekend Horror Awards from Alicante.
– Best National Short Film (Spain): gift + direct access to Festival de Cortometrajes de Terror y Fantástico 1000 Gritos from Buenos Aires (Argentina).
– Best International Short Film (outside Spain): gift + direct access to Festival Internacional de Cine de Terror de Valparaíso (Chile).

* Short film screenings are not recommended for children under 18 years of age.

* All festival activities are free access until full capacity, without prior reservation of invitation.

You can download the hand program in PDF from this link (in Spanish).

You can access the photo gallery from this link.