Celluloid Diaries: BIFFF 2013 wrap-up - Video nasties, giant spiders and possessed children

Monday, April 15, 2013

BIFFF 2013 wrap-up - Video nasties, giant spiders and possessed children

BIFFF Cine 1

April is my favorite month of the year thanks to the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival BIFFF. This year was the 19th time I attended the festival and I had a blast as usual. Here's a little overview and some photos of my twelve days at the festival.

Wednesday

After a decent opening with Neil Jordan's Byzantium (not bad, but overly long), the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival really took off on Wednesday with Hideo Nakata's new movie The Complex (slow and predictable) and Franck Khalfoun's remake of Maniac (nasty, beautiful, smart, original, stylish).

Thursday

On Thursday I reunited with someone I hadn't seen in a long time. We watched I Declare War (never really got into this movie about kids playing war games in the woods), Spiders 3D (I just love these giant spider movies from Nu Image even though they're zany in every possible way), and Found (compelling little curio with a love for vintage video nasties that will stick with you).

BIFFF
BIFFF village
Cuvée des trolls

Friday

In A Fantastic Fear of Everything Simon Pegg excels as a writer who is manically afraid to be murdered. The film was so hilarious I cried. It could have easily been half an hour shorter, though.

After the movie, I hosted a q&a with director Crispian Mills (also the frontman of Kula Shaker) and producer Geraldine Patten. A fun meeting where we talked about Crispian's horrible experiences on set, how Simon Pegg had always been the one to play the lead, and bizarre phobias such as fear of chopsticks, alcohol, and cats.

Saturday

The first movie I saw on Saturday was Here Comes The Devil, a Mexican film in which a couple of kids disappear during a trip and come back possessed by the devil. A fascinating idea, but not as creepy as I hoped it would be.

I ended the evening with A Haunting in Georgia (the follow up of The Haunting in Connecticut), which was entertaining but not groundbreaking.

Crispian Mills
Finotto
Jurgita Jutaite and Kristina Buozyte

Sunday

Everyone agreed that The Host, based on Stephenie Meyer's bestseller, was the worst movie of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. What is this woman's obsession with cheesy love triangles?

Monday

On Monday I took a day off from the festival and went to bed early to watch the evil clown movie Stitches that I missed the day before. Although it was fun to watch it in bed, it's definitely a festival movie that benefits from the cheering and laughter of the festival audience.

Stitches Brendan McCarty Conor McMahon John McDonnel

Tuesday

Oblivion premiered on Tuesday at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, a visually stunning film with several interesting story arches, but I wish they would have made it shorter and more original.

Next came Hellbenders 3D. If you're an actor or filmmaker, then Hellbenders is the perfect example of how NOT to do your job.

Wednesday

I hosted a q&a with director/screenwriter Alan Brennan for his movie Earthbound, a charming mix between K-Pax, Happy Accidents, and Safety Not Guaranteed.

I ended the evening with Texas Chainsaw 3D. Lots of fun, but Leatherface as the "good" guy? Really?

Thursday

On Thursday I watched three movies: Belenggu (an Indonesian thriller that copies the giant rabbit visions of Donnie Darko and mixes it with a predictable intrigue), Forgotten (a German ghost story in which nothing happens) and The Human Race (an entertaining film following the same plot as Battle Royale and The Hunger Games).

Texas Chainsaw 3D
John Hough Paul Hough

Friday

After Kim Ki-Duk's brilliant new movie Pieta , I presented the official premiere of Un Homme Bien (the short film based on my vampire story A Good Man for a full cinema. I discovered the movie at the same time as the audience and had no idea what to expect. You have to know that every scene you see in the film was meant to become a full-length feature, but because the production came (temporarily) to a halt director Steve de Roover used the existing images to turn them into a short. Unfortunately, there's no mistaken that Un Homme Bien was never destined to become a short film. The beginning is slow, it lacks transition scenes, and the film is overall not representative of my work. I do, however, say "bravo" to the director's ability to find logic and structure in the random images.

Saturday

The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival ended on Saturday with lots of champagne and a projection of Chan-Wook Park's first Hollywood movie Stoker (which was the perfect example of how a brilliant and inventive direction can turn an ordinary story into something special).

BIFFF
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
bifff

64 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great week! Minus The Host and Hellbenders 3D...

    As for Stoker, I can't wait till that comes out in theaters over here! I'm definitely looking forward to see it!

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  2. Strangely enough, your post about the brussels international fantastic film festival a few years ago was the first time I read you blog and got hooked!

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  3. Still super, super jealous of your life.

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  4. Hellbenders 3D - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

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  5. Stoker sounds great.. and you have a great post !

    uniquas at ymail dot com

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  6. Probably Oblivion.

    acm05atjuno.com

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  7. my husband and I sometimes watch movies together when we have time. School has been getting in the way of a normal movie ritual lately..

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  8. I strongly disagree about Hellbenders 3D. It deserves more credit. If you leave the theatre 1/3rd into the movie and come back some time later, then there's no way you can get invested in the story or characters anymore, Vanessa. ;-)
    Agreed, it wasn't anything mindblowing. But I like the idea behind it and it was continuously funny. :-)

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  9. What an exciting film festival! Since I enjoyed The Hunger Games, I think I would like to see The Human Race. Thanks for the great giveaway.

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  10. I haven't seen most of the movies you mention but "A Fantastic Fear Of Everything" sounds like one I would like to see! Thanks for this amazing giveaway! I would love to win this book!
    - tweeted: https://twitter.com/SuzReads/status/324960539690283008
    - follow on Twitter as @SuzReads
    - follow on Google + as Suz Suz
    - like you on Facebook as Suz Reads
    - follow all on Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/suzsuz28/

    susanw28 (at) mindspring (dot) com

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  11. Found sounds really good! Thanks for the giveaway!

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

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  12. +1 following you on Facebook
    (Darlene's Book Nook)

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. +1 following you on Twitter
    (@DarleneBookNook)

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. +1 following you on Pinterest
    (Darlene's Book Nook)

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. +1 following you on Google+
    (Darlenes Book Nook)

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. +1 for tweeting:

    https://twitter.com/DarleneBookNook/status/324965173335052289

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. would like to see Byzantium

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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  18. Simply amazing! It looks like it was amazing!

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  19. Loving the the new post! And what a fun film festival, girl!

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  20. A fantastic fear of everything. I'm a simon pegg fan. Jeanlawrencebrown@gmail.com

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  21. Our family would really like to see the Host.
    I follow you on emil. Twitter, Networked blogs, Google+ ,Liked you on Facebook

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  22. I havent seen any yet but i would like to see oblivion and the host.

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  23. I would loveee to see Belenggu :) jessicapeeling@yahoo.com

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  24. Following your blog via Facebook (Jessica P) jessicapeeling@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Following your blog via Twitter (the2ndthought) jessicapeeling@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Following your blog via Pinterest (the2ndthought) jessicapeeling@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Following your blog via Google + (Jessica Peeling) jessicapeeling@yahoo.com

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  28. I have not seen any but i am looking forward to seeing The Human Games.

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  29. I actually haven't heard of any of these movies except for The Host. I'm not into the Horror Films. But I am SO looking forward to watching The Host. I read the book right around the time the first Twilight movie came out. And I really enjoyed the story. So I am definitely looking forward to watching the movie. Thank you so much for your generous giveaway prize!! Thank you so much for a chance to win and for being a part of this fun and awesome blog hop!!

    livvie_v@yahoo.com

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  30. +Extra:
    Tweeted: https://twitter.com/lisavaz73/status/325499709387055104

    livvie_v@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. +Extra;
    Following you on Twitter: @lisavaz73

    livvie_v@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. +Extra:
    Shared on Facebook:
    https://www.facebook.com/lisa.vazquezanzua/posts/568817423139413

    livvie_v@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. +Extra:
    Following on Google+: Lisa Vazquezanzua

    livvie_v@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. +Extra:
    Following you on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lisavaz73/

    livvie_v@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Ok, that film festival looks A.MAZING! It looks like you had a wonderful week!

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  36. I would like to see Oblivion.
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

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  37. Google+ - Sherry Strode
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

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  38. Pinterest - Sherry Strode
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Pinned - http://pinterest.com/pin/66357794482164020/
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

    ReplyDelete
  40. Tweeted - https://twitter.com/SStrode/status/325587854061342720
    sstrode at scrtc dot com

    ReplyDelete
  41. How much fun ... that would be quite the event to attend!

    Thank you for linking to Raising Imperfection.
    Please come back Friday to see if you were featured. :)

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.•*´
    (¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
    www.raising-reagan.com

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  42. Sounds like you had a great time! I have no interest in watching The Host at all.

    Thank you for linking up to Raising Imperfection! We appreciate you taking the time to link up, make sure to check back on Friday when we feature out favorites.
    Leslie

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  43. What a brilliant find, and how lucky for you to be able to go! I think Stephanie Meyer is loved by the kids. I know my daughter loves her. :)

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  44. I would like to wath Belenggu.

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  45. I'm following you on twitter as @dien_da.

    dl(dot)love(dot)freedom(at)gmail(dot)com

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  46. I like to see the movie Human Race. Sounds interesting.

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  47. I'd like to see Earthbound. I really enjoyed the movie K-Pax!

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    Replies
    1. Following you via (all under same name)
      GFC
      Facebook
      Pinterest
      google+
      Stumbleupon
      Bloglovin

      Shared on:
      Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/526921225122556727/
      Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchwoomsMom/status/326193791696515072
      Stumbled: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/mssandling/likes
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandlingAllDay/posts/10200496488566472
      Google+: https://plus.google.com/113945909993229761304/posts/7hPxXkFdsfi

      Delete
  48. I think Oblivion and A Haunting in Georgia sound interesting. IT's fun to see the 3D movies as long as they are not overdone.
    savewish@yahoo.com

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  49. I'd love to see Un homme bien, I have a thing for books turned movies and love to see the filmmakers interpretation of book and whether it matches the reader/author's perspective

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  50. Shared on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/96405248245968461/

    ReplyDelete
  51. Shared on StumbleUpon: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2l6MAB/vanessa-morgan.blogspot.com/2013/04/brussels-international-fantastic-film.html/

    ReplyDelete
  52. Shared on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovefromelle/posts/143995565783142

    ReplyDelete
  53. Shared on Twitter:

    https://twitter.com/lovefrom_elle/status/326388330134642690

    ReplyDelete
  54. Shared on G+ https://plus.google.com/116320965259905828616/posts/EjXmCU5natW

    ReplyDelete
  55. My email contact is elle at lovefromelle dot com

    ReplyDelete
  56. I would love to see A Fantastic Fear Of Everything. I love Simon Pegg. Also Stitches because of my fear of clowns.

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  57. I want to see The Host! makeighleekyleigh at yahoo dot com

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  58. https://twitter.com/JosieHink/status/326454107009327104

    Follow gfc Josie Hink
    &Email josiehink122026(at)gmail(dot)com

    The Host

    ReplyDelete
  59. I would like to see Spiders 3D

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  60. Gotta see the host or a haunting in georgia. jmelter at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
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