The Rambling Wheels - Interstellar Riot © Laetitia Gessler, NIFFF 2017

 
During the first weekend of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival’s 17th edition, more than 9,500 tickets were sold, which is 10% higher than in 2016. With many sold out events, including the world premiere of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable (Miike Takashi, Japan), the Galactic Pop Opera Interstellar Riot (The Rambling Wheels, Switzerland), and the screening of El Bar (Álex de la Iglesia, Spain), the NIFFF organisers are extremely happy with these preliminary results. In spite of the weather, the NIFFF Open Air, located a few steps from the lake (Ostervald quay esplanade), welcomed many film-lovers thanks to its 400 covered seats. The diverse programme of the NIFFF 2017 will continue to explore the current trends of global fantastic productions until Saturday, July 8th. Baby Driver, from the absolutely brilliant British director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) will conclude this 17^th edition.

Weekend highlights
The top stars of the NIFFF’s 17^th edition, namely the enfant terrible of Japanese cinema Miike Takashi and the fabulous Yamazaki Kento - the main actor of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION) - made a huge splash in Neuchâtel. At the film’s world premiere on Sunday, July 2nd, they received a standing ovation that will go down in history. The first few days of this edition notably included the international premiere of The Endless (INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION), with the attendance of rising American indie filmmakers Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, and the return of the one-of-a-kind New Kids with the intoxicating Dutch comedy Ron Goossens, Low Budget Stuntman (FILMS OF THE THIRD KIND), introduced by director Steffen Haars and actor Tim Haars at the NIFFF Open Air. Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo delighted the audience with Colossal (FILMS OF THE THIRD KIND), which has Anne Hathaway portray a very unique character. He also set the festival off (Jardin anglais) ablaze during an exclusive DJ set.

The NIFFF EXTENDED, which endeavours to study the fantasy genre as a breeding-ground for multidisciplinary reflection and innovation, has been very successful with industry professionals, young artists, and the wider audience through the GSGS’17 - Gamification & Serious Games Symposium (in collaboration with HES-SO, HEP & HE-Arc), as well as the renowned Epic Game Jam.

As far as NIFFF INVASION, sponsored by the City of Neuchâtel, is concerned, the animated shorts programme KID-O-NIFFF (in collaboration with AnimaFilms RPN), directed by local pupils and attended by official representatives, sold out. The four virtual reality creations of the Ghost House VR (in collaboration with Geneva International Film Festival Tous Ecrans) keep attracting a high number of visitors. It will remain open until the end of the festival, every day from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Collège de la Promenade. Finally, the six Zombies Invasion – The Mansion sessions (in collaboration with Gus&Co) at the Natural History Museum benefited from huge presales, and the zombie-themed Escape Game was sold out a couple of hours after the official programme went online.

NOT TO BE MISSED FROM JULY 3RD TO JULY 8TH, 2017

MONDAY, JULY 3RD

TUESDAY, JULY 4TH

WEDNESDAY, JULY 5TH

THURSAY, JULY 6TH

FRIDAY, JULY 7TH

SAMEDI 8 JUILLET