Terele Pávez Nosferatu Award at Sitges 2016
Terele Pávez will receive the Nosferatu Award from this section, that will also pay tribute to Italian director Corrado Farina and Catalan actress Emma Cohen
“Brigadoon is also the name we’ve chosen to baptize a very special newborn, and we wish it a long life. A complex in the El Retiro gardens, with video rooms, a bookstore, a bar, exhibitions, etc.” That’s how the 1986 Sitges Film Festival catalogue described the new section inaugurated that year by José Antonio Atanes. At Sitges 2016, Brigadoon (in reference to the extraordinary 1954 film directed by Vincente Minnelli, which can also be recalled and seen this year as part of the lineup) is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Now an indoor theater with free admission located in the L’Escorxador complex where you can enjoy an alternative fantastic lineup. A venue that has been growing over the years and which has boasted names that are important for the Festival like Ángel Sala himself, Hernán Migoya, Juanma Pastor, or Diego López who has been in charge of Brigadoon since the year 2010.
This year actress Terele Pávez, born in Bilbao in 1939, will be receiving the Nosferatu Award from the Sitges Film Festival’s Brigadoon section, where some of the movies from her filmography will be screened, like Agustí Villaronga’s 99.9. A traditional family-oriented actress, with almost one hundred titles in her filmography between her roles for TV and cinema, she got her very first role in the movie Novio a la Vista (1954) directed by Luis García Berlanga, thanks to the mediation of Jesús Franco, a friend of the family. Terele Pávez participated in important films in Spanish cinema like Los Santos Inocentes (Mario Camus, 1984) or El Aire de un Crimen (Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi, 1988); fantastic genre fans will remember her for her connection to director Álex de la Iglesia in works like The Day of the Beast (1995), Common Wealth (2000), 800 Bullets (2002) or The Last Circus (2010), culminating in her extraordinary 2013 performance in Witching and Bitching.
Brigadoon will also be paying tribute to Italian filmmaker, novelist, documentarian, and publicist Corrado Farina, who passed away this past month of July, director of two cult films that are a part of genre cinema from 1970’s Italy. Baba Yaga (1973), Farina’s second film based on one of the most popular Italian adult comic series (Valentina), can be enjoyed at Brigadoon. And of course, the Sitges Film Festival couldn’t forget Catalan actress Emma Cohen, who also passed away during the month of July. Born in Barcelona in 1946, at Brigadoon you can see two of her most acclaimed films: Inside a Dark Mirror (Jesús Franco, 1973) and ¡Bruja más que Bruja! (Fernando Fernán Gómez, 1977). These two tributes have been added to the one previously announced in July at the press conference: the homage to filmmaker Joan Bosch, who passed away last November, with the screening of his films A Sangre Fría or La Muerte Llama a las Diez.
Among the premieres presented in Brigadoon’s lineup this year, we’d like to highlight Ibiza Undead from British director Andy Edwards, where a group of summer vacationers on the island of Ibiza will come across some of the most ‘interesting’ hosts ever: zombies. Humor and gore are guaranteed. Plus another outstanding premiere: the new film from Italian director Luigi Cozzi (2012 Nosferatu Award winner) who will be in Sitges to present Blood on Méliès’ Moon, a science fiction thriller featuring Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava playing themselves. Along with this film you can also see the documentary FantastiCozzi, directed by Felipe M. Guerra and revolving around this filmmaker. And continuing with the documentary genre, you will also be able to see two other films in Brigadoon: the documentary SPUTNIK!, directed by Asier Abio who, via different directors and festivals, analyzes the situation of independent, low budget fantastic cinema made in Catalonia; and The Unauthorized Hagiography of Vincent Price, a documentary directed by Michael Lane, an unauthorized biography of genre movie icon Vincent Price; a curious medium-length film narrated with the voice and characters of the so-called Master of the Macabre. Three more documentaries added to those already announced by the Festival: Joe D’Amato Totally Uncut: the Horror Experience, directed by Manlio Gomarasca and Davide Pulici; the documentary Me Me Lai Bites Back: Resurrection of the Cannibal Queen, directed by Naomi Holwill; and Satan’s Blood. Memorias de Escalofrío, by Luis Esquinas, revolving around the film Don’t Panic (Carlos Puerto, 1978).
In addition to the fiction feature films already revealed for this year’s Brigadoon lineup like Peelers, by Sevé Schelenz, or Therapy, a found footage movie directed by Nathan Ambrosioni, another premiere in this section will be the Catalan living dead fiction film, Infección Zombi, the debut film from director Jacint Espuny produced by Kutrefacto Films: a post-apocalyptic zombie story with action and gore until you get your fill.
And finally, as is customary, the traditional Sitges Zombie Walk will be taking place the first Saturday of the Festival, which will be October 8th and will once again be packing the town with zombies arriving from far and wide.
