Isla Calavera Film Fest Returns with Diverse Lineup, Besson's "Dracula" Highlights

The Isla Calavera Fantastic Film Festival in La Laguna, Canary Islands, is back for its ninth year from November 7th to 16th. This year's lineup is packed with exciting international films, with eight in the main competition, and half of them directed by women.

Some of the most anticipated movies of the year will be shown, including Luc Besson's "Dracula," "The Legend of Ochi," "Blood Shine," "Redux Redux," "Mother of Flies," "Mother's Baby," "Dog of God," and "The Black Hole," which will premiere in Spain at the festival. These films join the previously announced "Gatillero," "Disforia," "Singular," "Luger," and the local Canary Islands film, "La cosa en la niebla."

Besson's "Dracula" is a highlight, with Caleb Landry, who starred in Besson's "Dogman" (2023), playing the iconic Bram Stoker character. "The Legend of Ochi" is a fantasy film inspired by 80s youth movies, directed by Isaiah Saxon and starring Helena Zengel alongside Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, and Finn Wolfhard.

Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks, the team behind "Alone with You" (2021), are bringing "Blood Shine," a story about a religious fanatic who kidnaps a young filmmaker, promising that her rituals will turn him into a god. Kevin and Mathew McManus, writers and producers of "American Vandal" and "Cobra Kai," have created the sci-fi thriller "Redux Redux," which explores revenge through parallel universes.

The Adams family, consisting of Zelda Adams, Toby Poser, and John Adams, present "Mother of Flies," a dark fable about a woman who turns to black magic to cope with a terminal illness.

Austrian director Johanna Moder's "Mother's Baby" follows Julia, who undergoes an experimental procedure to become a mother. After a difficult birth, she begins to doubt if the baby she brings home is truly hers.

Adult animation is represented by "Dog of God," by Lauris and Raitis Abele, a disturbing tale set in a medieval village. Rounding out the selection from Estonia is the sci-fi comedy "The Black Hole," directed by Moonika Siimets.

Isla Calavera will also feature documentaries, including "That Last Shark," "Last Caress," "Making Megaforce," and "Life After the Navigator."

"That Last Shark," directed by Víctor Matellano and Ángel Sala, explores the history of the Italian film "L'ultimo squalo" (released in Spain as "Tiburón 3"), with the participation of its director, Enzo G. Castellari.

"Last Caress," by Marta Medina and Enrique López Lavigne, blends documentary and fantasy to uncover the secrets behind Iván Zulueta's iconic film. Forty-five years after its controversial premiere, Isla Calavera will remember the original film with a screening of "Arrebato" and the documentary, featuring key interviews with figures like Eusebio Poncela, who passed away in August.

This double feature serves as a tribute to Poncela, who was nominated for a Goya Award for his role in Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's "Intacto" (2001).