Rose Byrne, Joel Edgerton Win Acting Awards at 58th Sitges Film Fest

Rose Byrne, known for her roles in “Spy” and “Bridesmaids,” was honored with the Best Actress award at the 58th edition of the Sitges – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia for her performance in Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” The A24 film has been praised by Variety critic Peter Debruge as a “virtuosic portrait of mental unraveling” with Byrne delivering a “feverish, raw-nerve performance.”

The festival also recognized other outstanding films, with Norway’s Emilie Blichfeldt winning Best Feature Film for “The Ugly Stepsister,” a dark take on the Cinderella legend. South Korea’s Park Chan-wook took home the Best Director award for “No Other Choice,” a dark comedy thriller based on a novel by Donald E. Westlake.

In the acting category, the entire cast of “The Plague” shared the Best Actor award for their performances in the psychological drama. “The Furious,” directed by Tanigaki Kenji, was awarded the Special Jury Award along with “Obsession,” a horror film directed by Curry Barker which also won the People’s Choice Award.

The festival also saw the recognition of Latin American talent, with Emilio Portes from Mexico winning the Blood Window prize for his suspense drama “Don’t Leave the Kids Alone.” The film had its world premiere at Rotterdam before receiving accolades at Sitges. Portes expressed his joy at winning the award, stating that it was a “sweet nightmare come true.”

Other notable winners at the festival included Laura Casabé’s “The Virgin of the Quarry Lake,” which won Best Cinematography, and Gabriele Mainetti’s “The Forbidden City,” which received the Orbit award for Best Feature Film.

With a star-studded lineup including Benedict Cumberbatch, Luc Besson, Carmen Maura, and Gale Ann Hurd, the Sitges Film Festival continues to grow in stature as a platform for genre cinema. The festival showcased a diverse range of films, from horror to animation, and honored both established and emerging talent in the industry.

Overall, the 58th Sitges Film Festival was a celebration of creativity and innovation in genre filmmaking, highlighting the best works from around the world. The festival’s industry presence is on the rise, as it continues to attract attention from filmmakers, critics, and audiences alike.