Running from Feburary 1st to 5th, The Final Girls Berlin Film Festival returns for the 8th edition, bringing their longest ever line-up of female and non-binary-focused features and shorts. You can view the whole program and get full passes here (individual and online tickets to follow).
The features lineup boasts a selection of firm festival favourites in Sissy, Watcher, Hatching and Huesera, all featuring excellent central performances by young women confronting their surroundings and in some cases, their own natures. There are plenty of new films with German premieres of Polaris and Nightmare and a Berlin premiere of Raquel 1:1, but also a chance to rediscover the lesser-known Australian film Celia.
That variety continues across 10 absolutely stacked short film blocks with intriguing block titles promising a range of films tackling important, all-too-relevant social horrors in addition to the otherworldly scares we all love to indulge in. Including films like Kelsey Bollig’s incredible Kickstart My Heart and Izzy Lee’s deranged Meat Friend there’s sure to be something for everyone. The block titles are outlined below.
FEMALE PACTS, BODY HORROR, MENACING PRESENCES, CLOSE TO HOME, CREATURES, BODILY AUTONOMY, QUEER HORROR, MIDNIGHT, YOUNG ‘N DEADLY, and HIGH TENSION.
Many of the shorts will be available via Vimeo On Demand throughout the festival and there is an online ticket option for those wanting to watch who can’t be there in person.
As ever, the festival is providing a platform to excellent speakers and some truly unique events, including a Tarot workshop, witchy choreography study and a zombie self defense session. In the talks, Mexican sexuality, hagsploitation and rape-revenge are all under the microscope in what are sure to be fascinating and insightful discussions.
For more information about the festival please go to the Final Girls Berlin webpage. You can also keep up with the festival on social media on Twitter (@finalgirlsfest), Instagram (@finalgirlsfilmfest), Facebook (Final Girls Berlin). For exclusives and updates you can also sign up to their Patreon.
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