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Barcelona — Projects “Deus Irae,” “The Occupant,” “9 Steps’ and ‘Fiesta” won prizes at the 4th Sitges Pitchbox, hosted by Spain’s Sitges Fantastic Film Festival in partnership with online platform Filmarket Hub and godfathered this year by Ron Perlman. Awards were announced Friday Oct. 5.

“Deus Irae” aims to be the feature debut of Argentine Pedro Cristiani, a co-writer of the acclaimed sci-fi short “Moebius.” A supernatural thriller and a follow-up to Cristiani’s short of the same name, “Deus Irae” follows Father Javier whose mandate is to examine and explain alleged miracles and Satanic events.

According to Cristiani, “the horror elements are explicit, but the visual treatment enhances its monstrous beauty.” Creature design is inspired by the creations of Dante Alighieri, Hieronymus Bosch and Francis Bacon.

The first 26 minutes are already produced and the film expected to be completed in Argentina. It is backed by Cristiani, Simon Ratziel and Guido Volpi,...

Animals

Directed by Marcal Fores

Written by Enric Pardo and Marcal Fores

2012, Spain

Is that thing real, or is that kid just crazy? Thats what you’ll be asking yourself during the first half of this movie. We follow Pol, a handsome young high school student in Spain. Pol carries on a friendship in private with a small living (and apparently breathing) teddy bear named Deerhoof. The two play in a rock band together and discuss conflicts with each other. When Pol meets and falls for Ikari, the new mysterious boy in school, things start to take a dark turn as Pol has to either embrace or reject the influence of his new lover.

The scenes with Pol and Deerhoof are really quite effective and polarizing. On the one hand Deerhoof acts as a coping mechanism for Pol, keeping him company and showing him affection when he needs it. On...

British star Martin Freeman ("Sherlock," "The Office," "Love Actually") has officially signed onto the fantasy-tinged coming-of-age story "Animals" for Escandalo Films reports Variety.

Freeman will play a secondary school teacher in the film, the feature debut of Catalan director Marcal Fores. The actor was in Barcelona this week for rehearsals and will return for six to seven days of the eight-week shoot.

Augustus Prew and Dimitri Leonidas have also joined the project which commences filming next Monday around Barcelona and the Pyrenees. Fores, Aintza Serra and Enric Pardo penned the screenplay.

Freeman has been the hot tip to play a young Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming "The Hobbit" films but there's been scheduling concerns as the actor will soon kick off filming on a second season of "Sherlock" for the BBC.

Freeeman tells Empire that he did say no to the project due to his "Sherlock" commitments, but "if something could be worked out,...