NIFFF EXTENDED, our free conference program supported by SRG SSR, includes conferences, roundtable discussions, and masterclasses dedicated to the fantasy genre. In 2025, festivalgoers were able to meet authors such as Jean-Baptiste Del Amo (La Nuit ravagée), Boulet (Sinumonstrus), and Emil Ferris (My Favorite Thing Is Monsters), with each of them detailing their creative process. These conferences can now be watched online. You can also discover the conference/tribute to David Lynch by Pacôme Thiellement, an exploration of the ways the horror genre has been used in video games (AHEAD OF THE GAME, DESIGNING EXISTENTIAL DREAD), and discussions about sustainability in digital creation (THE ART OF SUSTAINABILITY).
NIFFF 2025: THE YEAR OF DIVERSITY, AUDACITY AND SUCCESS
The 24th edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) just finished with a bang! 9 days of non-stop film screenings, impassionated talks, hypnotic performances, and imagination-expanding exhibitions. This 2025 edition offered an extensive cinematic overview including 127 works out of 42 countries from all around the world. Through this international selection, the NIFFF provided a better understanding of how genre cinema continually redefines the breadth of its diversity and commitment.
Director Lucile Hadžihalilovic won the H.R. Giger “Narcisse” award for best feature film (CHF 10,000 given by the City of Neuchâtel) with her movie THE ICE TOWER, a modern tale about control and desire starring the stunning Clara Pacini and Marion Cotillard.
The Silver Méliès was awarded to Emilie Blichfeldt for THE UGLY STEPSISTER, a queer, feminist take on the Cinderella tale.
According to our initial estimates, attendance numbers went up year-to-year with 66’000 festivalgoers including 43’000 attendees.
Of special importance this year was the grand opening of the festival’s new open air called HALLES OBSCURA. The brand-new layout was a resounding success, with multiple sold out screenings.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
H. R. GIGER “NARCISSE” AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM
CHF 10,000 given by the City of Neuchâtel
THE ICE TOWER – Lucile Hadžihalilović (FR/DE/IT)
World Sales: Goodfellas
Honorable mention: HER WILL BE DONE – Julia Kowalski (FR/PL)
World Sales: WTFilms
Awarded by the International Competition Jury:
Emil Ferris, Hélène Frappat, Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, John Hsu, Olivier Theyskens
IMAGING THE FUTURE AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
CHF 3,000 given by the NIFFF
THE ICE TOWER – Lucile Hadžihalilović (FR/DE/IT)
World Sales: Goodfellas
Awarded by the International Competition Jury:
Emil Ferris, Hélène Frappat, Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, John Hsu, Olivier Theyskens
NIFFF INTERNATIONAL CRITICS AWARD
Honorific
HONEY BUNCH – Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli (CA/UK)
World Sales: XYZ Films
Awarded by the International Critics Jury:
Ben Croll, Camille Regache, Margaux Baralon
YOUTH AWARD
Ba111od watch
U ARE THE UNIVERSE – Pavlo Ostrikov (UA/BE)
World Sales: True Colors Glorious Film Srl
Awarded by the Jury of the Denis-de-Rougemont & Blaise Cendrars Highschools
RTS AUDIENCE AWARD
Broadcasting support
U ARE THE UNIVERSE – Pavlo Ostrikov (UA/BE)
World Sales: True Colors Glorious Films Srl
Awarded by the audience
ASIAN COMPETITION
MÉLIÈS COMPETITION
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST FANTASTIC EUROPEAN FEATURE FILM
Nomination
THE UGLY STEPSISTER – Emilie Blichfeldt (NO/SE/PL/DK)
Distribution: Ascot Elite Entertainment Gmbh
Awarded by the Méliès Jury:
Diane Launier, Elise Otzenberger, Todd Brown
SILVER MÉLIÈS FOR BEST FANTASTIC EUROPEAN SHORT FILM
Nomination
STOMACH BUG – Matty Crawford (UK)
Producer: Karima Sammout Kanellopoulou
Awarded by the SSA/SUISSIMAGE Jury:
Alessandra Gavin-Müller, Davide Staffiero, Mathieu Avanzi
SHORTS COMPETITION
H. R. GIGER “NARCISSE” AWARD FOR BEST SWISS SHORT FILM
CHF 10,000 given by SSA and SUISSIMAGE
TV ODER DIE RUHESTÖRUNG AN DER WALDBERGSTRASSE – Frederic Siegel (CH)
Distribution: YK Animation Studio
Awarded by the SSA/SUISSIMAGE Jury:
Alessandra Gavin-Müller, Davide Staffiero, Mathieu Avanzi
YOUTH AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
Honorific
THE EGGREGORES’ THEORY – Andrea Gatopoulos (IT)
Distribution: Gargantua Film Distribution
Awarded by the Jury of the Denis-de-Rougemont & Blaise Cendrars Highschools
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
Honorific
PLAYING GOD – Matteo Burani (FR/IT)
World Sales: Autour de Minuit
Awarded by the audience
NIFFF 2026
The NIFFF’s 25th edition will take place from July 3rd to July 11th, 2026.
The 2025 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival hit the ground running during its first weekend with nearly 18,000 tickets sold – a testament to the festivalgoers’ desire to explore the rich worlds of fantastic films despite the heat, and to the fact that the Neuchâtel magic will always happen not matter how warm it gets.
NIFFF EXTENDED, the festival’s multidisciplinary program, which puts cinema, science, literature, and technology in relation to push back the frontiers of the imaginary, is set to start in style as soon as this Monday, July 7th.
The festival is set to stay on a roll until July 12th with many screenings and public talks celebrating the possibilities of the fantasy genre.
EXPLORING NEW WORLDS WITH NIFFF EXTENDED
At the crossroads of cinema, innovation, science, literature, and video games, the NIFFF EXTENDED program includes many free conferences and roundtable discussions.
Starting today, the IMAGING THE FUTURE symposium is putting the spotlight on Jean de Meuron, Neuchâtel-based collaborator of Roland Emmerich, and on Aleksi Briclot, star artist at Marvel. On the FX side, the Important Looking Pirates studio will go behind the scenes of the Shogun TV series, while Framestore will talk about their collaboration with Bong Joon-Ho on Mickey 17. Fans of video game thrills should attend the AHEAD OF THE GAME roundtable discussion dedicated to the mechanics of fear with LUAL (CH) and Deconstructeam (ES).
As for the ART OF SUSTAINABILITY conference, it is set to open the discussion on how to make the future of the audiovisual industry greener.
As far as fantasy literature is concerned, NEW WORLDS OF FANTASY is going all out: Emil Ferris (MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS) will be giving an exclusive masterclass, and Boulet will deliver a never-seen-before performance-talk.
Prix Goncourt winner Jean-Baptiste Del Amo will discuss his love for the fantasy genre as well as his latest novel, La Nuit ravagée, which pays homage to both Stephen King and John Carpenter.
Last but not least, the conference/tribute to David Lynch from essayist Pacôme Thiellement, and the CRÉER POUR LA TERRE roundtable discussion about the healing powers of fantasy are not to be missed!
The Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) is a network of 29 genre film festivals from 21 countries. With a combined attendance of over 800,000 people, the MIFF is an essential cultural and economic player for fantastic films.
The NIFFF has been an affiliated member of the MIFF network since 2004. It is in charge of organising the Swiss segment of the Silver Méliès for shorts and features. These prestigious awards, granted by the special Méliès jury, are an ideal way to promote fantasy films in Switzerland and Europe. The Silver Méliès competition at NIFFF is cross-sectional.
VITEOS x NIFFF
The fantastic genre has been exploring the questions of durability and the impact of the human life on its environment since a long time.
Videos and NIFFF partner up to suggest you the following selection.
Recommendations for wary people
A selection of films from different sections of the festival, for all those who like a thrill without the tension!
Any questions ? Check the practical informations page !
Who’s at NIFFF ? Find our guests list here !