IN PICTURES – A look back at the International Fantastic Film Festival in Gérardmer

Bruno Barde is director of the Festival. There are ten films in competition this year. A selection that reflects the concerns of the world, films with a distressing climate that raise questions. The genre is constantly evolving. Not too much hemoglobin, not too many zombies this year. Also on the program, four films directed by women and many female heroines, which is good news in a genre that was rather masculine, welcomes Jérôme Lasserre, programmer of the Festival.

But why does the public love the Gérardmer Festival? Some are addicted and come back every year like Benjamin and his dad, and will watch up to 30 films in 4 days.

Julie Gayet, Festival President

Julie Gayet is an actress, director and producer. She produced the film “Grave”, by Julia Ducournau which won the Grand Prize and the Critics’ Prize at the Gérardmer Festival in 2017. She is very proud to represent the directors and producers who love this genre.

I am very lucky. I have a very nice jury.

Melanie Doutey, actress

Mélanie Doutey is part of the feature film jury. She really likes horror movies. His references “Merlin the enchanter”, “The birds” by Hitchcock. She tells us about her news, the film “Inexorable” with Benoit Poelvoorde and the “Time of secrets” release scheduled for the end of March. This is not her first participation in the Gérardmer Festival, she was already there in 2003.

Grégory Montel, actor

A member of the feature film jury, Grégory Montel is best known for his participation in the “Ten percent” series. For him, fear is the ultimate emotion in cinema. He has vivid memories of films with delicious moments of anguish. His first thrill, the clip “Thriller” by Michael Jackson at 8 years old!

On the sidelines of the Festival with France Bleu

Le Grimoire, a literary salon dedicated to the fanstatic, welcomes you to the Espace Tilleul, Jean Grossier room.

Henri Loevenbruck is a writer, author of thrillers, adventure and fantasy novels (Ari Makenzie, La Moïra, Gallica series, etc.), he participates in the program “Circuit bleu- Côté flavors” with Jérôme Prod’Homme and Nathalie Milion, also alongside Thierry Longo, chef at the Grand Hôtel in Gérardmer.

The program “Circuit Bleu – Côté culture” also takes place near Gérardmer with Nathalie Milion and her guests. “Circuit Bleu – Côté experts” receives a psychiatrist, François Bourgognon, who talks to us about fear, understanding fear, why we like to scare ourselves by watching horror films….