The 59th Sitges Film Festival will begin on Thursday 8 October, bringing Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Peter Jackson and Danny DeVito to the Catalan coastal town over 11 days of fantasy, horror and science-fiction cinema.

For Sitges residents, visitors and local businesses, the programme will place screenings, public appearances and activities across the town until Sunday 18 October, including a free cultural programme at Centre Cultural Miramar and the Zombie Walk on Saturday 10 October.

Honours for Bacon, Sedgwick and Jackson

Bacon and Sedgwick will receive the festival's Gran Premio Honorífico, its lifetime achievement award, and will present Family Movie, the horror comedy they co-directed and appear in with their children, Sosie and Travis Bacon.

The film follows a family of filmmakers making a low-budget slasher when a real body appears on set, according to the festival announcement.

Peter Jackson will also receive the Gran Premio Honorífico. The director will present an early version of the new 4K restoration of Braindead, which was previously shown at Sitges in 1992.

  • Danny DeVito will take part in a special public event.
  • Meiko Kaji and Adrienne Barbeau will be honoured, while Amy Irving and Bárbara Rey will also receive awards.
  • Alejandro Amenábar will receive the Méliès Career award, and Robert Eggers and Mark L. Lester are among the recipients of the Premi Màquina del Temps.

Zombie Walk and free exhibitions on the programme

The festival will screen Company, directed by and starring Casey Affleck, alongside Apocalipsis Z: Nuevo mundo, Carles Torrens's sequel to Apocalipsis Z: El principio del fin, and Javier Ruiz Caldera's horror comedy 5 minutos más.

Television programming will include the new adaptation of Carrie from Mike Flanagan, previews of The Terror: Devil in Silver and episodes based on Junji Ito's horror manga.

On Saturday 10 October, make-up tents will operate during the day before the Sitges Zombie Walk fills the streets in the afternoon. The King Kong Area will also return as a social space with live podcasts and fanzines, food trucks, merchandise, children's storytelling and screenings.

Centre Cultural Miramar will host free exhibitions including Només són nens, The Dark Side of Cinema and Música per malsons. Museu Maricel will host Viaje al universo de David Lynch.

Residents and visitors can check updates from the official Sitges Film Festival before travelling to individual events.

Reported by barcelonasecreta.com, Equipo de redacción, visitsitges.com, kinotico.es, Sitges Film Festival, elperiodico.com, playrevista.com, cineuropa.org, elpais.com, Barcelona Secreta.