Known for its daring and unconventional selection, the festival, now in its 10th year, showcases horrors, thrillers, dark comedies, science fiction and disturbing arthouse movies.
This year’s lineup includes 60 films, with screenings taking place at Warsaw’s Kinoteka and Wrocław’s Nowe Horyzonty Cinema.
Monika Stolat, the festival’s artistic director, said that horror is often misunderstood as mere entertainment.
"Horror is sometimes seen as not being serious enough," she told Polish state news agency PAP. "In reality, horror films often reflect current social anxieties."
Splat! FilmFest offers audiences a unique opportunity to experience fresh and innovative genre films, many of which are Polish premieres.
"Our mission is to present dark, wild, and beautiful cinema," Stolat said.
The festival's goal, she explained, is to challenge the stereotypical view of horror in Poland, which is often dismissed as trivial entertainment.
A highlight of this year’s festival is Bartosz M. Kowalski’s Cisza nocna (Night Silence), a poetic horror film about aging and loss, blending emotional depth with intense special effects.
Kowalski has already made his name with his 2020 supernatural horror Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight.
Stolat also recommends Sayara, a revenge film by Turkish director Can Evrenol, which explores themes of patriarchy and violence against women in Turkey.
This year's program also includes high-profile international films, such as The Second Act, directed by Quentin Dupieux, featuring French cinema stars Léa Seydoux and Vincent Lindon, and Surfer, directed by Lorcan Finnegan, starring Nicholas Cage.
The festival is divided into several thematic sections. For fans of extreme horror, the "Fear and Terror" section offers the most intense films.
"Hilariously Scary" presents black comedies, while the "WTF" section showcases the weirdest and most absurd films, leaving audiences both thrilled and puzzled.
There are also sections focusing on short films and cult classics, including a restored version of the 1984 post-nuclear holocaust sci-fi horror Rats: Night of Terror, which will have its world premiere during the festival.
Documentaries are also part of the program, with two films this year.
One focuses on Christopher Lee, the iconic horror actor known for his roles in Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula.
The other is about Indonesian horror star Suzzanna, who is virtually unknown in Poland but was celebrated as queen of black magic in Southeast Asia, having portrayed spirits, witches and other supernatural beings during her 50-year career.
Audience participation is a key feature of Splat! FilmFest. Viewers will vote for the winners of the Audience Awards in categories such as best film, best director, and most shocking film.
The festival is part of the Méliès International Festivals Federation and hosts the Méliès D’argent competition, featuring six European short films.
The winner will receive the prestigious Méliès d’Argent Award.
Splat! FilmFest runs until October 31.
The festival opened with Animale, directed by Emma Benestan, fresh from this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
For more details, visit splatfilmfest.com.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP