Set against a lakefront untouched by time, the Neuchâtel Intl. Fantastic Film Festival offers an annual snapshot of a genre landscape in motion. Holding its 24th edition from July 4 – 12, the Swiss showcase for fantastical film, Asian cinema and digital creation has evolved in tow, growing from upstart to institution as outré fare and auteurs seized ever-greater opportunities.
“We’ve heard the claim that ‘genre is leaving its ghetto’ for nearly as long as we’ve been around,” says NIFFF artistic director Pierre-Yves Walder. “Of course, it was never entirely marginalized, but there simply weren’t as many high-profile films openly embracing the fantastic. That’s changing, and we have to evolve along with it.”
This year’s program shows as much. Opening with the international premiere of the sci-fi thriller “Dalloway” – with star Cécile de France on-site to kick off the festivities – this NIFFF selection boasts an uncommonly high star-wattage, showcasing titles like “The Ice Tower” with Marion Cotillard and the Benedict Cumberbatch-led “The Thing With Feathers,” alongside the respective international and Swiss premieres of recent Cannes heavyweights like Julia Ducournau’s “Alpha,” Ari Aster’s “Eddington” and Oliver Laxe’s prizewinning “Sirât.”
If those titles make up but a fraction of the 87 films selected and spread across five feature sections – with the festival spotlighting another 40 shorts, with several as world premieres – Neuchâtel’s international competition nevertheless showcases many recent standouts from Sundance, Berlin and Cannes, among them Addison Heimann’s “Touch Me,” Bruno Forzani and Hélène Cattet’s “Reflections in a Dead Diamond,” Johanna Moder’s “Mother’s Baby,” and Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s Critics’ Week winner “A Useful Ghost.”
“We’ve seen a clear shift,” says Walder, who worked as a NIFFF programer before taking over in 2021. “Where we once scoured the markets for genre films, now the major festival lineups are equally bountiful. Production values have risen, storytelling has matured, and genre codes blend more naturally into arthouse language. The very definition of fantastic cinema is shifting, and we’re trying to find our place in this constantly evolving ecosystem.”
To wit, when Walder and his team came across the Aussie horror flick “Dangerous Animals” at the European Film Market earlier this year, they immediately pegged the sharks-and-serial-killer thriller as a perfect fit for their festival’s Ultra Movies showcase – a section devoted to gonzo midnight fare that trades auteurist elegance for visceral extremes. To their surprise (and delight), the gory mashup later washed up on the Croisette, adding some blood and guts to this year’s Directors’ Fortnight lineup.
‘Hot Spring Shark Attack’
The carnage continues in Neuchâtel, where “Dangerous Animals” will face off against Japanese horror-comedy “Hot Spring Shark Attack” in a selachian double-bill. Riding this rising tide, both films have already secured U.S. distribution, with the former now in release and the latter set to hit screens in July.
But for Helvetic gore-hounds and shark enthusiasts, that kind of access hasn’t always been guaranteed — a gap NIFFF has long worked to close by championing genre films that might otherwise struggle to find a foothold in the domestic market.
“From the beginning, our mission has been to connect these films with the audiences they deserve,” says Walder. “At NIFFF, people can experience them in the best possible conditions — often their only real chance to do so. Many films that never found commercial success have found their place here.”
As genre cinema reaches unprecedented levels of visibility, Walder and his team have doubled down on their curatorial mission, moving beyond simple discovery to foster deeper, more lasting connections with audiences.
“We want people to have fun, but we also want to spark curiosity and reflection,” Walder says. “Fantastic cinema isn’t just a niche or a playground for insiders, and it’s certainly not just about shock value. These films take risks, they defy convention, and they explore ideas that other genres often sidestep. That freedom is what allows them to resonate across cultures, generations, and perspectives.”
‘Reflection in a Dead Diamond’
The festival applies the same ethos to audience engagement, strengthening its ties with the local university – which has long provided a steady stream of ticket-buyers and volunteers – while also developing screening initiatives aimed at both children and seniors.
“Cultural life doesn’t stop at 50,” says the NIFFF chief.
With inclusivity in mind, Neuchâtel has also introduced a new label called “Frissons sans frousse” (“Thrills Without Chills”), offering even the most squeamish festival-goers a safe path through the selection, all while looking far beyond the film world when assembling an international jury that welcomes author Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, illustrator Emil Ferris, philosopher Hélène Frappat, fashion designer Olivier Theyskens and director John Hsu.
“The jury channels the same spirit as the selection,” Walder says. “It’s about exploring different facets of a shared imaginary. Every filmmaker, every jury member, contributes to that world. We’re working in the realm of the fantastic, and at its best, genre is a mosaic of fears, desires and dreams. Every part of this festival should reflect that.”
‘Alpha’
“Alpha” (Courtesy of Mandarin & Compagnie/Kallouche Cinema/Frakas Productions/France 3 Cinema)