As with every edition since 1968, Sitges Festival offers a premier gateway into the fantasy cinema universe. It reveals a landscape where terror, intrigue, science fiction, and suspense expose both outer realities and inner fears. This is a world not always easy to enter, because some may resist being scared, while others relish the challenge. The festival invites readers to pull back the curtains of fantastic cinema and wander through its many layers, guided by a concise A to Z glossary of genre terms, concepts, and iconic figures.
Foreign
The English term for alien beings; it also names the enduring space-horror saga that began with Ridley Scott’s Alien: The Eighth Passenger in 1979. The franchise has grown to include three sequels, two prequels, and two crossovers with the Predator universe, along with numerous comics, novels, and video games.
Bates, Norman
A defining figure in horror, Norman Bates represents the quintessential slasher antagonist of the era around 1960. The character, a seemingly friendly neighbor, revolutionized the genre with his chilling shower scene. Bates appears in three films and the television series Bates Motel, shaping generations of frightful storytelling.
Half robot
The fusion of human and machine, a concept dating to mid‑20th century imagination. It explores both the darkest and brightest aspects of technology. The idea appears in works and creators across cinema and comics, shaping memorable cybernetic characters in stories like Terminator and RoboCop, and echoing in broader pop culture.
Dracula
The most enduring vampire figure. Whether dignified, seductive, theatrical, or primal, Dracula embodies eternal night. From Bram Stoker’s original tale to performances by Bela Lugosi and later actors, the count’s allure persists, especially in mid‑century cinema where sexuality and doom mingle on screen.
Exorcism
A religious rite performed to confront possession by an evil entity. The procedure has been a fertile ground for cinema’s most shocking moments. The Exorcist, released in 1973, remains a benchmark—often copied, rarely matched—for its stark portrayal of spiritual battle and its lasting cultural impact.
Record Found
A narrative approach in horror and faux documentary where footage appears to be discovered rather than created. This technique blurs lines between reality and fiction, inviting audiences to question what they see. Notable examples include Cannibal Genocide, The Blair Witch Project, [REC], Monster, and Paranormal Activity.
Giallo
An Italian film movement that began with The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) and flourished in the 1970s with titles like Bird with Crystal Plumage and Four Flies on Grey Velvet. It blends suspense, mystery, and stylish gore into a sharp, efficient hybrid that influenced numerous directors and later genres.
Hammer
In the 1950s and 1960s, Hammer Films redefined classic horror for a modern audience, building on Universal’s earlier era. Terence Fisher directed several iconic works, with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing delivering memorable performances as formidable antagonists. Milestones include The Curse of Frankenstein, The Brides of Dracula, and The Mummy.
Ibanez Serrador
Film director and television producer Narciso Ibáñez Serrador contributed to cult horror through works like Un, dos, tres, and Who Can Kill a Child? His influence extends to acclaimed anthologies such as Stories That Never Sleep, which adapted horror, science fiction, and mystery from classic authors like Bradbury and Poe.
Jekyll, Doctor
Created by Robert Louis Stevenson in the 1886 novella, Doctor Jekyll is a scientist who conducts experiments that unleash his dangerous alter ego, Mr. Hyde. The character has inspired comic books, film adaptations, and modern superhero mythologies such as the Hulk meta-narratives.
King, Stephen
Portland’s own master of genre fiction, Stephen King has written horror, supernatural, science fiction, and fantasy masterpieces that have become major films and television works. From Carrie and The Shining to Misery, Cujo, The Green Mile, and The Dark Tower, his imprint on contemporary storytelling is undeniable.
Leather face
Alongside Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger, Leatherface stands as one of horror’s most recognizably brutal antagonists. Known for his chainsaw-driven violence, he anchors the landmark Texas Chainsaw Massacre series that began in 1974 and reshaped American horror.
Multiverse
The idea that multiple universes exist beyond our own has captivated science fiction and cinema. From Doctor Strange to Everything Everywhere All at Once, and in television like Man in the High Castle or Loki, the multiverse storyline continues to fascinate fans.
New meat
A provocative concept of body transformation and fusion with machine or object interfaces. It has appeared in cinema, literature, and visual arts as a provocative commentary on modernity. Notable examples include David Cronenberg’s Videodrome and Julia Ducournau’s Titane.
UFO
Short for unidentified flying object. The term is central to many science fiction and fantasy narratives, from benevolent visitors to truly malevolent aliens as depicted in a range of films and series.
Psycho killer
Also known as the serial killer, this subgenre surged in the 1970s with works like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Halloween. Contemporary series such as Dahmer and other crime dramas continue this archetype’s cultural resonance.
Weird fear
The sensation of uncanny dread appears across gothic tales and classic horror, including Carmilla and older Hammer productions. It also threads through queer coding and horror cinema, as seen in modern interviews and reimaginings where fear and identity intersect.
Robot
The term captures machines designed to mimic or surpass human action. From early cinema to modern epics, robots, cyborgs, androids, and mechas illuminate questions about autonomy, ethics, and humanity in science fiction.
Shyamalan, M. Night
Indo‑American filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan is celebrated for storytelling that blends mystery with emotionally grounded revelations. His work defines a distinctive style marked by careful pacing and surprising, often quiet, twists that land with impact.
Tetsuo
Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo: The Iron Man fuses cyberpunk, gore, and surreal imagery. The film’s metallic textures and experimental form helped propel a wave of Japanese horror and industrial aesthetics in cinema, influencing later works across genres.
Ultra objects
Stories about identity loss and the fear that others may not be what they appear. This theme appears across multiple adaptations, often weaving political subtext about power, surveillance, and social paranoia into the horror canvas.
VHS
Video Home System—an early analog format that enabled the widespread adoption of cult exploitation cinema in the 70s and 80s. Films like Blade Runner found renewed life in the 1990s thanks to VHS, long after their original releases.
Whale James
James Whale directed the original Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). His collaborations with Elsa Lanchester helped define the era’s atmospheric horror, while other classics such as The Invisible Man and The Mummy contributed to a groundbreaking visual legacy.
X Wing
The iconic starfighter from Star Wars, recognized by its X‑shaped wings and its role in the Rebel Alliance. It epitomizes swift, laser‑driven combat, with Luke Skywalker piloting one in the climactic assault on the Death Star.
Zombie
From early B-movie thrillers to Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, zombies became a defining figure in horror. They reappear across modern cinema and television, including [REC] and The Walking Dead, continuing to captivate audiences with apocalyptic, social‑commentary dread.