The Cairnes brothers' 100 Bloody Acres has been named best feature film in the Midnight X-Treme Category at Spain's Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia.
Australian director Josh Tanner’s short film The Landing took the prize for best short in the Official Fantastic Competition Shorts section.
Produced and written by Jade van der Lei, The Landing tells the story of Edward, a middle-aged man who returns to the farm of his childhood, desperate to uncover a horrifying secret.
Written and directed by Colin Cairnes and Cameron Cairnes and produced by Julie Ryan, 100 Bloody Acres is a comedy-horror about two brothers (Damon Herriman, Angus Sampson) who run a struggling organic blood and bone fertiliser business. The Midnight X-Treme section of the Sitges program showcases the best independent horror movies.
The film has been sold to the US, UK, Germany, Canada and Hong Kong. Hopscotch will release the title on DVD and iTunes on December 4.
There was a strong Australian presence at the festival. Greg Mclean’s Wolf Creek 2 screened in the Official Fantàstic Especials section. Mark Hartley’s Patrick had its European premiere in the Official Fantàstic Galas section.
The Australian short film Swallow, written and directed by Mia'kate Russell, also screened in competition in the Official Fantàstic Shorts section. Produced by Justin Dix, the film follows neighbours Macka and Patty, who are upset when their local priest departs and go looking for answers.
Alex van Warmerdam's Borgman was the named best feature in the competition. The award for best direction went to Navot Papushado and Aharon Keshales for Big Bad Wolves. Larry Smith took the cinematography award for Only God Forgives.
Best actress went to Juno Temple for Magic Magic and best actor to Andy Lau for Blind Detective. The award for best screenplay went to James Ward Byrkit for Coherence and distinguished special effects to Afflicted by Cliff Prowse and Derek Lee.
Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive received the special jury award and Jodorowsky’s Dune by Frank Pavich got a special mention.
The audience gave its award for best non-fiction film to Jodorowsky’s Dune and the critics gave theirs to The Congress by Ari Folman, and best new director ro Shane Carruth for Upstream Color.
Now in its 46th year, Sitges is the number one fantasy film festival in the world, attracting 110,000 visitors plus around 700 industry attendees.