The 59th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia will take place from 8 to 18 October 2026, with Brian De Palma's Carrie and Narciso Ibáñez Serrador's ¿Quién puede matar a un niño? at the centre of its theme.

For visitors planning an October trip to Sitges, the festival has confirmed that its leitmotif will examine the links between horror and adolescence or childhood, including prom nights, psychic powers, teenage trauma and evil associated with childhood. The event's official website is the channel to check for festival information.

Two 50th anniversaries shape the festival image

Festival organisers unveiled the official poster on 15 May at the Cannes Film Festival's Marché du Film, a film-industry market. Ángel Sala, the festival's artistic director, and Mònica García i Massagué, director of Fundació Sitges, led the presentation.

The poster shows a teenage female figure covered in red glittery strips, referring to the climactic blood-soaked image in Carrie. The film's 50th anniversary is one reason it was selected as a reference point for the 2026 edition.

The festival will also pay tribute to ¿Quién puede matar a un niño?, a Spanish horror film by Ibáñez Serrador which is also marking its 50th anniversary. According to the festival, the two films share themes of childhood and evil.

Festival confirms horror and youth as its 2026 focus

The official festival announcement describes proms, bullying and psychic powers as elements associated with the teen-horror tradition represented by Carrie. It says the 59th edition will explore thematic intersections between the two anniversary films.

The poster was created with CHINA, an agency that became part of the LLYC brand at the start of 2026. The festival also screened a preview of WomanInFan, a documentary directed by García i Massagué, during the Cannes presentation.

Readers can consult the Sitges Film Festival website for information issued by the organisers about the 8–18 October festival.

Reported by Source Text Link, sitgesfilmfestival.com, russpain.com, Agència de Promoció Turisme de Sitges, Arnau Ruiz, Clara Fernández, en.wikipedia.org, Anna Marie de la Fuente, John Hopewell,Emilio Mayorga, Nadia Somoza.

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