Comedy, body horror, and demonic motherhood dominate a Sitges Festival that's more terrifying than ever.

The Sitges Fantastic Film Festival is back, and it's back with a focus on the major trends in new genre cinema, such as body horror, unpleasant films with grotesque serial killers, and slasher humor. "It's clear that the success of 'The Substance' has set a precedent," acknowledged Ángel Sala, festival director.

The opening film will be 'Alpha,' the new film by Julia Ducournau , which premiered at the last Cannes Film Festival. The director of 'Titane,' only the third director to open the festival, will be present at an edition that will feature a strong presence of female directors and will be full of films dealing with the body, its transformation, and the ravages of motherhood. "Ducournau is a definitive director, having already been at Sitges with her first film. Here she presents a story with a strong female voice, family issues, and while it's not strictly a horror story, it still gives off a very creepy vibe," commented Sala.

Another central element of this edition will be the relationship between horror and science fiction and comedy. Joe Dante, director of 'Gremlins,' will be one of the star guests, and the book 'Laughter and Chills' will be presented, analyzing the union of these two elements in genre films since their inception. "You only have to think of pioneering films like 'Bride of Frankenstein' or 'The Invisible Man' to see how humor has permeated genre films. In the '80s, the gore films used humor to soften the imagery a bit. Then you have to think of classics like 'Fright Night' or Terry Gillian's films to see that there are true masterpieces within this hybridization," Sala stated.

As for tributes, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of two great 1985 classics. The first, "Back to the Future," the Robert Zemekis film whose lead duo, Doc and Marty McFly, have inspired three generations and created massive hits like the animated series "Rick and Morty." The second, "Re-Animator," Stuart Gordon's smash hit, will have members of the film at Sitges to discuss this revolutionary production in depth.

In addition, the 58th edition of the festival will award the Honorary Prize to filmmaker Peter Chan , who will also chair the jury. Producer Gale Anne Hurd will receive the WomanInFan Award for her contribution to phenomena such as 'The Walking Dead.' Finally, actors Dominique Pinon , famous for films such as 'Delicatessen' and 'City of Lost Children,' and Mexican Hugo Stiglitz will be honored.

Among the other titles announced , Dylan Southern's The Thing with Feathers stands out. Benedict Cumberbatch plays a man who loses his wife, and his grief comes in the form of a giant crow. Another key title will be Isaiah Saxon's The Legend of Ochi , a story that reconnects us with the best fantasy films for the whole family, starring William Dafoe and Emily Watson.

Among the festival's women's highlights is "The Ugly Stepsister" by Danish director Emilie Blichfeldt. It's a new adaptation of "Cinderella" that will leave no one indifferent. A retelling of folk tales will be another key feature of the program, with a new terrifying version of the myth of "The Little Mermaid." Finally, the festival will revive "Life as Chuck" by Mike Flanagan , which failed to arrive in time for the festival last year. It's an adaptation of Stephen King's novel. "We can't say yet, but King will be very present at this year's edition," Sala enigmatically acknowledged.

As for Spanish productions, the highlight is Eduardo Casanova's 'Silencio', which isn't actually a film, but rather a miniseries about vampires locked away during the pandemic. Also on show will be Paul Urkijo's 'Gaua', a stylized and spectacular take on rural witchcraft. Laura Casabé will also be bringing her 'La virge de la Tosquera' , an adaptation of two stories by Mariana Enríquez, the current writer who has brought horror back into fashion in literature. Finally, highlights include Alberto Vázquez's 'Decorado' and Bruno Martín's 'Luger'. There will also be revivals of classics such as Josefina Molina's 'Vera, un cuento cruel'.

The rest of the program highlights the revival of Japanese horror cinema, which enjoyed its golden age in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This includes Genki Kawamura's "Exit 8," Yuta Shimotsu's "New Group," and Kenichi Ugana's "The Curse ." Science fiction, though less prominent, will also have its own section, with films like Kevin and Matthew McManus's "Redux Redux" and Mike Wiluan's "Orang Ikan."

Finally, animation will also have a prominent place in the festival program. There will be a new adaptation of Joseph Conrad's classic in 'Heart of Darkness' by Rogério Nunes . Aria Covamonas, who passed away a few weeks ago, directed the extraordinary 'The Great History of Western Philosophy', which will be screened out of competition. And Kenichiro Akimoro will present 'All You Need Is Kill,' the version of the comic book of the same name that Tom Cruise adapted for the big screen in 'The Edge of Tomorrow.'