We are happy to announce the following guests attending the 2025 festival. More guests are added as they are confirmed, so check back soon!
Born in Gävle in March 1993, Emil Broo has been passionate about storytelling since childhood.
At the age of 10 he discovered Windows Movie Maker and began editing his own short films, later honing his craft at the Media program at Borgarskolan in Gävle.
He went on to study Film and TV Production at Dalarna University and trained as a Professional Video Editor at Medieinstitutet in Stockholm.
Over the years, Emil has created short films with friends, colleagues, and professional actors, screening them at both Swedish and international festivals. Se upp för Zombies! (Watch Out For Zombies!) is his debut feature, financed through a mix of local film funds, crowdfunding, and personal investment — a true passion project that brings his lifelong love of filmmaking to the big screen. It is nominated for the Méliès d'Argent.
Emil Broo will be attending the screening of Watch Out For Zombies on October 26.
Sergio Pereda is a Spanish director and screenwriter whose work spans theatre and film. A graduate in Stage Direction and Playwriting from ESADCYL and holder of a diploma in Directing from ECAM, he combines his creative projects with teaching.
His stage work includes productions such as Lalibelá at the National Theatre of Budapest and Contra el progreso at the Accademia dei Filodrammatici in Milan. In film, he has directed shorts including Tarantos (2019) and Sombra do mar (2020), the latter earning him the Special Jury Prize for Best Direction at the Curtas Festival.
Pereda now brings his vision to feature filmmaking with Stream, a Spanish horror film that merges atmospheric storytelling with his distinctive eye for performance and staging. It is nominated for the Méliès d'Argent.
Sergio Pereda will be attending the screening of Stream on October 27.
Cris Gallego is a Spanish actress and producer with a background in theatre and audiovisual arts.
She studied acting at the Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático de Castilla y León and graduated from RESAD in Madrid, later continuing her training with renowned professionals such as Kristin Linklater and Andrés Lima.
She has developed collective creation projects at the Laboratorio Rivas Cherif of the Centro Dramático Nacional and performed with the Joven Compañía in productions including PLAY OFF!, Punk Rock and Proyecto Homero. These productions toured across Spain and marked her debut at the Teatro Calderón in Valladolid.
Gallego now extends her creative practice into producing, most recently with the Spanish horror feature Stream, which is nominated for the Méliès d'Argent.
Cris Gallego will be attending the screening of Stream on October 27.
Born outside Örebro, Sweden, Malin Dahl is a director, screenwriter, and producer whose work delves into the rawness and discomfort hidden beneath everyday life.
After graduating from art school, she established herself as a filmmaker and founded Backa Studios AB in 2009. Through the company, she has produced and directed feature films, short films, documentaries, and animated projects that have reached audiences worldwide.
Her latest feature, May You Live, premiered at Göteborg Film Festival and will be released in Swedish cinemas in October 2025. With a body of work that consistently travels across international festivals, Dahl has become a distinct voice in Swedish independent cinema.
Malin Dahl will be attending the screening of May You Live on October 26.
Latvian brothers Raitis and Lauris Ābele are directors, screenwriters, and producers whose work spans feature films, animation, and documentaries.
Both trained in the arts as well as medicine, which gives their storytelling a distinctive blend of visual experimentation, philosophical depth, and fascination with the human condition.
Their films often explore the borderlands between folklore, surrealism, and contemporary culture.
A to B Rollerski (2013) and the historical documentary Baltu Ciltis (Baltic Tribes) (2018) established them as unique voices in Baltic cinema, gaining international recognition on the festival circuit. Their debut feature, the dark comedy Troubled Minds (2021), premiered at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and won the FIPRESCI Prize.
With their latest film Dog of God (2024), the Ābele brothers once again challenge audiences with a visually daring and thematically provocative work that solidifies their reputation as two of the most original filmmakers in contemporary European genre cinema.
Lauris Ābele will be attending the screening of Dog of God on October 28.
Harijs Grundmanis is a Latvian designer, illustrator, and screenwriter based in Riga. His creative practice bridges graphic design, alternative film posters, and visual storytelling, often defined by what he calls a comic-realism style—a vivid blend of illustrative energy and cinematic detail.
From an early age he was dedicated to drawing and design, a passion that gradually grew into a professional career. Alongside commissioned design work and collaborations, he has built a reputation through Harry Movie Art, where he reimagines film culture through bold and distinctive visuals.
His projects extend beyond poster art into animation and filmmaking. As a co-writer and visual artist, Grundmanis is currently working on a science fiction animation feature while also contributing to projects such as Dog of God (2024), which showcases his flair for surreal, genre-bending imagery.
What drives his work is not only the chance to shape striking images, but also the opportunity to connect with new people, new ideas, and new stories—and, as he says, “to make something permanent.”
Harijs Grundmanis will be attending the screening of Dog of God on October 28.
Andreas Granér (b. 1986) is an artist and animator from Stockholm. With a background in drawing and music, he developed a playful DIY approach to storytelling at Animationsakademien, blending hand-drawn animation with his own compositions.
His short Siri Wonder (2025) is in competition for the Finn Fantastic Films Award.
Henry Moore Selder (b. 1973) is a Swedish director known for his visually striking storytelling across music videos, commercials, and short films. With roots in Stockholm’s alternative scene, his work blends cinematic flair with bold visual impact for clients and audiences worldwide.
His short The Musical Spider (2024) won the Mélies d'Argent at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and is now in competition for the Finn Fantastic Films Award.
Alejandro Alberola is a Spanish-born filmmaker and assistant director working in film and television. Making films since the age of 16, he develops his own projects alongside industry work, with a focus on little-known real characters and underrepresented stories.
His recent shorts include For Queen and Country (2023) and Black Hole Barry (2024), both screened at international festivals.
His film Black Hole Barry will screen as a part of the Unholy Glamour Short Film Package.
Ashley Butcher is an Australian-born, Belgium-based filmmaker, musician, and multidisciplinary artist whose work spans film, theatre, and radio.
Their latest short film Terminus (2025), a psychological thriller blending AI and human vulnerability, is nominated for the Méliès d’Argent, marking them as a bold new voice in European fantastic cinema.
Andreas Thörn (b. 1992) is a Swedish experimental filmmaker and video artist based in Malmö, whose work often weaves found imagery, voiceover, and collage aesthetic into poetic visual essays.
With a background in cultural studies and explorations in video and media theory, his films explore perception, memory, and the boundary between image and voice.
His latest film, Sebastian & the Voice (2024), is competing in this year’s Finn Fantastic Films competition, marking another step in his pursuit of formally inventive, emotionally resonant storytelling.
Jonas Eriksson is a short filmmaker from Skåne whose work combines sharp visual storytelling with playful genre elements.
His film Eyes On The Screen (Ett öga för film) won Best Fantastic Film at Pixel Skånes Kortfilmsfestival 2025, and now has the honor of closing this years' Lund Fantastic Film Festival.
Thomas Costa Freté is a filmmaker and screenwriter based in Sweden whose work blends the absurd with the poetic, exploring the strange logic of dreams and the hidden corners of everyday life.
His short film Thoughts During Meditation is nominated for the Finn Fantastic Films Award at Lund Fantastic 2025 — a surreal and darkly humorous glimpse into the restless mind of someone trying (and failing) to find inner peace.
Swedish director Mats Udd is known for his distinctive visual style and long career in music videos, having directed more than 120 productions.
His short horror film Don’t Be Afraid won the Méliès d'Or at Sitges Film Festival and is now nominated for the Finn Fantastic Films Award.
Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Lindton is a director and visual storyteller whose work spans short film, advertising, and visual effects.
His latest short film Freya is competing in the Finn Fantastic Films Award category at Lund Fantastic 2025.
Swedish director, writer, and producer Lukas Sjögren (born 1995) runs the Stockholm-based company Förbannade Myror and is this year’s recipient of Filmstaden Kultur’s Grant for Best Upcoming Filmmaker.
His short This Goddamned Noise is nominated for the Finn Fantastic Films Award, and he is currently distributing that film along with his horror short The Ant.
Swedish director and writer Birgitta Liljedahl has directed the award-winning short Autonomous (2022) and co-directed Throughout Time (2023).
Her latest short film Potato is nominated for the Finn Fantastic Films Award at Lund Fantastic 2025.
Liljedahl also leads Aspö Writing Lab, a creative platform for over 100 writers, actors, and directors, and has two feature films in development in Los Angeles.
Scottish-Irish filmmaker Ciaran Lyons explores the darker sides of human behaviour through visually striking, psychological storytelling.
His debut feature Tummy Monster (2025) blends tension, power dynamics, and isolation into a chilling character study.
Lyons will attend the screening of Tummy Monster on October 25.
Cultural writer, short story author, and founder of the literary society FörOrd and Pålstorp’s Plockskog. She prefers reading absurd facts and weird fiction.
Katarina is part of the Feature Film Jury.
Orest Lastow is a physicist, inventor, entrepreneur, and author. After many years in the pharmaceutical industry, including serving as CEO of a publicly listed company he founded himself, he is now a full-time writer.
He is best known for the PetaHertz trilogy, which has been translated into several languages. His books are examples of hard science fiction, grounded in real physics and set in the present day.
Orest is part of the Feature Film Jury.
A lifelong film fan ever since Star Wars lit up his childhood. With a background in amateur screenwriting and filmmaking, Marcus dives deep into the mechanics of movies — when he’s not listening to film podcasts or updating his Letterboxd, that is.
Marcus is part of the Feature Film Jury.
Clara Maria Bacher is a producer from Austria, currently completing her Master’s degree in Production at the Filmacademy Vienna.
She has worked across film and television in various production roles, including coordination and management, and produced several short films showcased internationally.
She is the producer of the short Ever After, nominated for the Méliès d’Argent Award at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
Felix Pochlatko is a cinematographer and gaffer based in Vienna.
A graduate of the Filmacademy Vienna, where he is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Cinematography, Felix has worked across numerous film and television productions.
He is the cinematographer of Ever After, nominated for the Méliès d’Argent Award at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
Scilla Kättström is a filmmaker from Malmö and a graduate of the film program at Fridhem’s Folkhögskola.
Her graduation film Näcken is nominated for both the Finn Fantastic Award and the Future of Fantastic Award at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
David Digman is a Swedish filmmaker whose work bridges storytelling and genre aesthetics.
He directed the short Bockstensmannen: Bock's Back!, which is part of Lund Fantastic’s Future of Fantastic competition.
From Malmö’s creative scene emerges the dynamic duo Lisa Rydberg and Lars Henrik Andersson, whose collaboration bridges illustration, music, and animation.
Lisa, an artist and storyteller with roots in illustration and children’s radio, discovered her passion for animation in 2019.
Lars, originally a musician and producer from Umeå, transitioned into film in the 2000s, creating acclaimed music videos and documentaries.
Together, they have crafted award-winning animated films including Så inget händer dig (Best Documentary, Pixel Skåne Film Festival 2020) and En lång utdragen olyckshändelse (Best Swedish Short Film, Uppsala Short Film Festival 2021).
Their latest work, Devil’s Parasite, is competing in the Finn Fantastic Award at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
Eric Norberg is a Swedish filmmaker who specializes in genre and subgenre films.
He is the director of Low Power Mode, nominated for the Finn Fantastic Award, and the producer of Watch Out For Zombies!, nominated for the Méliès d’Argent Award at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
Ted Kjellsson is a Swedish director whose career spans short films, features, television, and commercials.
He made his breakthrough with the short Tompta Gudh and went on to direct acclaimed works such as Kapten Sverige and Alla bara försvinner.
In 2012 he directed the children’s series Skrotarna for SVT Barnkanalen, and in 2018 he made his feature debut with the sci-fi adventure Alone in Space (Ensamma i rymden).
Alongside his film work, Kjellsson built a successful career as a commercial director, working with international stars including Wayne Gretzky, Zinedine Zidane, and the German national football team.
In 2023 he returned to family cinema with Håkan Bråkan, which became one of the most watched Swedish films of the year with over 300,000 admissions.
Today, Kjellsson is regarded as one of Sweden’s most versatile filmmakers, known for blending genre elements with stories that resonate with a wide audience.
Ted Kjellsson will be attending the Salmonfox retrospective on October 26.
Anna Krasztev-Kovács is a film programmer, producer, and lifelong film lover based in Copenhagen.
She began her career as a film operator at Husets Biograf, the city’s cult cinema, and has since worked across festivals and formats.
Anna is currently programmer and head of special events at Copenhagen Short Film Festival, and previously served as documentary programmer and Head of CPH:FORUM at CPH:DOX.
She also freelances as a producer and consultant for documentaries and shorts, developing new distribution strategies at Morph Film.
Anna joins the Short Film Jury at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
Carolina Sandvik is a Malmö-based stop motion animator whose work blends the fantastic with the familiar. Influenced by genre cinema—particularly horror from the 1970s and 80s—her short films explore the intersection of the surreal and the personal.
The Lovers won the Finn Fantastic Award at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2024, received the Jury’s Special Mention at Locarno Film Festival, and was nominated for a Guldbagge in 2023.
Her previous film The Expected won Startsladden at the Gothenburg Film Festival in 2021.
Educated at the Malmö Art Academy (2014–2019), Carolina’s work has also been shown in galleries and art institutions such as Färgfabriken in Stockholm, Galleri Format, and Malmö Konstmuseum.
She joins the Short Film Jury at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
…is a playwright, screenwriter, director and producer.
She has a long list of works in the theater both nationally and internationally. She has been a member of Swedish Author’s Funds/Playwrights council and The International Councils.
In recent years she has participated as screenwriter in a couple of film projects, and developed two of her own short film projects and is now working on her third short film project.
Cristina joins the Short Film Jury at Lund Fantastic Film Festival 2025.
Our secret guest will attend the Secret Screening!
Our secret guest will attend the Secret Screening!
