Rouen Fantastic Film Festival

The Rouen Fantastic Film Festival: two evenings dedicated to genre cinema

Since 2009, the Rouen Fantastic Film Festival has established itself as an unmissable event for fantasy cinema lovers in Normandy. Founded by director Alexandre Nicol, a fan of genre cinema since childhood, this festival is driven by the association Night Legends Pictures, created in 2011 to structure and sustain the event.

The festival's ambition is to promote fantastic short films in all their forms — horror, science fiction, fantasy, supernatural thriller, fantastic animation — by offering a showcase for independent filmmakers from around the world. Each year, a rigorous selection of 24 short films is screened in competition, offering a panorama of contemporary fantastic creation.

The Cinéma Omnia: a showcase for the fantastic

The festival takes place at the Cinéma Omnia République, an emblematic theater in the city center of Rouen, at 28 rue de la République. The intimate atmosphere of this historic venue is perfectly suited for screening fantastic films, creating a unique connection between filmmakers and the audience.

A competition and genre classics

The program for each edition is organized around two evenings. Each evening, a dozen short films in competition are screened, followed by the screening of a major classic of fantastic cinema in its original version with subtitles. The audience votes to elect the best short film, the best animated film, and the best special effects makeup.

The "Piranha Alien d'Or" trophies, awarded during the closing ceremony, recognize the winners chosen by the jury and the audience. This award has become a benchmark in the genre film festival circuit in France.

Beyond the festival: the Fantastic Convention

The festival weekend also features parallel events such as the Fantastic Convention and the famous Zombie and Fantastic Walk, a costume parade through the streets of Rouen that brings together hundreds of participants in fantastic creature makeup. These events help make the festival a festive and popular occasion that extends well beyond the film screenings.