NIFFF EXTENDED : programme 2018

NIFFF EXTENDED - The symposium on the major challenges of genre cinema

The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival is proud to unveil its NIFFF EXTENDED programme. This event works as a complement to the festival and is entirely free. Its focuses on the major challenges of visual productions in the fantasy genre, in Switzerland as well as everywhere else. Renowned guests will speak about the theoretical links between said genre and the new imaging technologies (IMAGING THE FUTURE), audiovisual screenwriting (STORYWORLDS), contemporary fantasy literature (NEW WORLD OF FANTASY), and the influence of video games on creation and research (GSGS’18, EPIC GAME JAM).

As part of the symposium, the NIFFF will notably welcome JAN HARLAN (Stanley Kubrick’s executive producer, DE), DAVID CRONENBERG (director and author, CA), TIMUR BEKMAMBETOV (director, producer, writer, RU), OLGA KHARINA (director, producer, writer, RU), LE FOSSOYEUR DE FILMS (Youtuber, FR), and companies that created the visual effects of the blockbuster AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (Anthony and Joe Russo, 2018).

GSGS'18 / 05.07.18 - 06.07.18 / Gamification & Serious Games

The GSGS’18 symposium bridges industry needs with innovative approaches by highlighting the playfulness of the training, ecological, management, and communication methods. This event involves over 70 national and international speakers in an attempt to close the gap between academia and the industry. On top of the 50 demos and presentations related to healthcare, engineering, and social matters, the audience will be encouraged to actively partake in the various debates and roundtables.

Detailed programme and times: www.gsgs.ch

IMAGING THE FUTURE / 09.07.18– 10.07.18 / Digital creation and new technologies

SWISS FILM INDUSTRY NEXT GENERATION: LE 5e CAVALIER (09.07, 14:45 – 16:00)
Winner of the Fantastic Web Contest set up by the RTS and the NIFFF in 2017, Le 5e CAVALIER (THE 5th HORSEMAN) is a supernatural web series that will bring an apocalyptic vision of Geneva to life. The artists behind this ambitious Swiss production will share their experience on the creation of its visual effects.
JD Schneider (director, Titan Films, CH), Julien Dumont (director, producer, Titan Films, CH) / Kennocha Baud (VFX supervisor, DBFX Workshop, CH)

FOCUS ON AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (10.07, 09:30 – 14:30)
Anthony and Joe Russo’s blockbuster will be discussed in details by its main VFX supervisors, who oversaw the creation of its universe and visual effects. A rare opportunity to learn more about the conception of such a gigantic production.
Cinesite (UK) / Double Negative (UK) / RiseFX (DE) / Rainer Duda (VFX Sup, DE)

VIDEO GAMES & CINEMA (10.07, 15:00 – 17:30)
Video game creators are extremely literate in contemporary storytelling techniques. At the crossroads between video game and cinema, the Imaging The Future symposium will welcome two artists among nowadays’ most creative storytellers.
Jean-Luc Cano (Writer and Director, FR) / Jehanne Rousseau (CEO, Spiders Games, FR)

METADRIVE (06.07 – 14.07)

A playful and interactive installation from Manuel Schmalstieg and Swann Thommen, with the participation of Anthony Fleury (HE-Arc Engineering student).

Exhibition at the Temple du Bas from July 6th to July 14th, 2018

STORYWORLDS / 11.07.18 / Audiovisual storytelling

BAZELEVS: FROM FILM TO SCREEN MOVIES (15:15 – 16:15)
Kazakh director Timur Bekmambetov made a name for himself with the blockbuster NIGHT WATCH (RU, 2004). Since then, he has been expanding his filmography through projects that are heavily marked with formal innovation. In 2015, he teamed up with Olga Kharina to develop a new “high concept” genre where storytelling exclusively occurs through screens.
/ Timur Bekmambetov (director, producer, screenwriter, CEO Bazelevs Production, RU/US)
/ Olga Kharina (director, producer, screenwriter, Bazelevs Production, RU/US)


FUTURE STORYWORLDS 2018 (16:30 – 17:15)
The NIFFF and his partners CineGlobe and THE Port at CERN are issuing a second call for projects with the intent of strengthening scientific accuracy in fiction. This informative session will detail the conditions of registration for the 2018 edition. The most promising immersive project from 2017 will also be presented: THE DAY WE BECAME ALIENS - RUMINATIONS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN (Salomé Guillemin, 2017).

NEW WORLDS OF FANTASY / 12.07.18 / Contemporary fantasy literature

JAN HARLAN - A TALK ABOUT FILM PRODUCTION AND OUR INNER FANTASY (14:30 – 15:45)
As a friend and right-hand man to Stanley Kubrick, Jan Harlan has notably worked as executive producer on several cinematic landmarks such as THE SHINING (1980), FULL METAL JACKET (1987), EYES WIDE SHUT (1999), and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A.I. (2001). He will come back on his fascinating career and share his vision of creativity.


HOW LITERATURE HAS CONSUMED THE WORK OF DAVID CRONENBERG
(16:00 – 17:00)

David Cronenberg will talk about his relationship with literature through the films he adapted from written material, and his own career as a writer. His first novel, CONSUMED (2014), which was lauded by Stephen King, has been translated into many languages.

The complete NIFFF EXTENDED programme is online

The complete programme for the 18th edition will be unveiled on June 21st, at the press conference (June 21st, 11 am, Théâtre du Passage).
The NIFFF EXTENDED will be presented at 2 pm.
Registration form 

Practical information:
Press accreditation requests open until June 27th
Online booking on www.starticket.ch