31/01/2003

Gérardmer, a town in eastern France, is home to the 10th edition of the Fantastic’Arts Festival of 40 fantasy, horror and thrillers from 29 January to 2 February.
The jury, presided over by sectorial expert William The Exorcist Friedkin includes actors Tcheky Karyo, Catherine Jacob, Samuel Le Bihan and writer Jean-Christophe Grangé (author of Rivers of Purple).
Four of the nine films in competition are European: Darkness [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Spain’s Jaume Balaguero (winner of the special jury prize in 2000), Doctor Sleep by the UK’s Nick Willing and The Gathering by Brian Gilbert, as well as France’s Eric Valette with Maléfique.
The programme also includes a short film section, retrospectives of cult films and premieres of new titles like Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later and Vincenzo Natali’s Cypher. Audiences will remember Natali for having directed the legendary The Cube. Some 150,000 visitors are expected.
There will also be a round-table discussion on the subject of “fear at the cinema” moderated by classical historian and film expert, Paul-Georges Sansonetti.

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(Translated from French)