Abertoir Horror Festival 2010 Film Prize Winners
After its busiest and scariest year ever, Wales’ National Horror Festival, Abertoir drew to a close last Sunday and announced its 2010 winning films. Selected by audience poll, this year’s winning feature was the Finnish film Rare Exports. Set deep in the Korvatunturi mountains, a team of experts are drilling. When a herd of reindeer is brutally ripped apart and children start to disappear, it appears the Christmas stories of Santa could not be more wrong.
Festival Director Gareth Bailey said: “This film turns the traditional santa-tale on its head and went down a storm at this year’s Abertoir Horror Festival. We were delighted to bring Rare Exports to our festival for a UK preview after first spotting it at the Sitges International Film Festival.”
Director Jalmari Helander was pleased with the response: “I am very happy to win this award! The audience award always feels very good. After all, films are meant for the audience – it is the most honest one!”
Released nationally on 3rd December, Rare Exports will return to Aberystwyth Arts Centre as part of the main cinema programme on Monday 13th December (8.15pm) and Wednesday 15th December (5.45pm).
The Abertoir Fantastic Short Film of 2010 went to Spanish film Manual Práctico del Amigo Imaginario. Fernando is a shy 27 year old man who receives a visit from an old classmate. This arouses jealousy in his imaginary friend, Captain Kilton, a superhero that has stood by his side since he was young.
In addition to awarding Abertoir’s own prize, as a part of the European Fantastic Film Festival Federation Abertoir is able to submit one eligible short film to be considered alongside other winning entries from festivals across Europe. The Melies d’Or Short Film Nomination for 2010 was awarded to Scottish director Robert Sproul-Cran’s The Elemental. The concept for The Elemental came from a book of Victorian ghost stories which Robert found in his Grandma’s house when he was ten. It described an Elemental as a creature of dire evil which lurked in dark corners. If you thought you saw one out of the corner of your eye you had to look away – because if you looked right at it you would die.
Robert Sproul-Cran said “Although it adopts the format of a classic supernatural horror, it works at other levels too. It is a study of the fears which are planted in our minds when we are young which continue to haunt us as adults. ‘The Elemental’ explores the breakdown of a young woman when she returns home after many years, and discovers she may have arrived too late to save her abandoned parents.”
Forming a part of the official selection of the Melies d’Or competition , Robert’s film will now be put forward to a jury at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival where the winner will be announced.
This year’s festival which ran between Wednesday 10 – Sunday 14 November at Aberystwyth Arts Centre exhibited more than twenty films, including UK premieres, cult screenings and classics from around the world, as well as a whole host of special guests, talks, masterclasses, live music and theatre events. Highlights included a live concert by The Damned, the world premiere of Siren and a storytelling of two M R James ghost stories in the theatre. Also, Robin Hardy, director of the original Wicker Man film presented a preview of his new film The Wicker Tree and took part in a Q&A.
Returning to the festival five years on from his appearance at the first, Robin Hardy said: “The way the festival has developed is splendid. I think they’ve shown great imagination and flair in growing it and I wish them every success in the future. Thank you for an extremely pleasant visit.”
This year there were over 3000 tickets purchased across the festival.
Audience Award for Abertoir 2010 Best Feature
Rare Exports
Jalmari Helander, Finland, 2010
Abertoir Fantastic Short Film of 2010
Manual Práctico del Amigo Imaginario
Ciro Altabas, Spain, 2009
Melies d’Or Short Film Nomination 2010
The Elemental
Robert Sproul-Cran, UK, 2009
Abertoir Horror Festival is Wales’ National Horror genre festival held annually at Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Started in 2006 this will be Abertoir’s fifth year. The festival receives funding from the Film Agency for Wales and Aberystwyth Arts Centre. To see the full line up, please visit www.abertoir.co.uk.
