“John Lithgow, Geoffrey Rush, and Kristine Froseth Honored with Acting Awards at 57th Sitges Film Festival”
John Lithgow, Geoffrey Rush, and Kristine Froseth took home top acting honors at the 57th Sitges Fantasy Film Festival, which concluded on October 13 in Spain.
Austrian film “The Devil’s Bath,” directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, dominated the festival, winning three awards. Based on historical events, the film has been described by Variety critic Jessica Kiang as a “story so pitilessly bleak you may want to look away; the filmmaking craft is so compelling that you can’t.” This historical horror drama follows Agnes, a depressed newlywed who, rather than choosing suicide—an act considered taboo by her Christian community—commits a crime that ultimately leads to her execution. The practice of “suicide by proxy” was reportedly common in 17th and 18th century German-speaking Central Europe and Scandinavia.
In another highlight, Hong Kong director Soi Cheang received the Best Director award for “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In,” a martial arts crime drama adapted from the novel “City of Darkness.” The film was showcased in the Cannes Midnight Screening section, garnering critical acclaim.
Lithgow and Rush shared the Best Actor award for their performances in “The Rule of Jenny Penn,” where they portray two men in a nursing home embroiled in a violent rivalry.
Kristine Froseth won the Best Actress award for her role in the time travel thriller “Desert Road,” marking the directorial debut of Shannon Triplett. In the film, Froseth plays Claire Devoir, a young photographer whose journey through the desert becomes increasingly sinister and disorienting.
