Méliès International Festivals Federation

{{Infobox Film Festival

| name = Méliès International Festivals Federation

| logo = File:Méliès_International_Festivals_Federation_logo.png

| image =

| caption =

| number =

| established = 1987

| location = Brussels, Belgium

| language = International

| website = {{URL|melies.org}}

}}

Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF), formerly European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation (EFFFF), established in 1987, is a network of 22 genre film festivals from 16 countries based Brussels, Belgium, and dedicated to promoting and supporting European cinema, particularly films in the fantasy, horror and science fiction genres.{{Cite web|url=http://www.melies.org/the-federation|title=The Federation {{!}} European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation|last=Interactive|first=E-turundusagentuur ADM|website=www.melies.org|access-date=2016-11-21}}{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/screaming-room/5043456.article|title=Screaming Room|last=Sandwell|first=Ian|work=Screen Daily|date=2012-07-12|access-date=2014-02-08}}

Ernest Mathijs and Jamie Sexton describe it as "the biggest fan-based cult-network on the continent", comparable in scope to World Science Fiction Convention, San Diego Comic-Con, and Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors, though less commercial.{{cite book|last1=Mathijs|first1=Ernest|last2=Sexton|first2=Jamie|title=Cult Cinema|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|year=2012|isbn=9781444396430|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPtuaV7IAt0C&pg=PT59}}

The MIFF annually awards the Méliès d'Or (Golden Méliès) for the best European fantastic feature film and short film, and the Federation Award for Best Asian Film.

History

The MIFF was founded in 1987 on the initiative of five film festivals: the Fantafestival in Rome, Fantasporto in Porto, the Paris International Festival of Fantastic and Science-Fiction Film, the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and the Sitges Film Festival.

The MIFF created its first awards in 1995, the Méliès d'Argent (Silver Méliès) and the Méliès d'Or (Golden Méliès), named in honour of Georges Méliès, the great French pioneer of fantastic cinema and special effects. The awards were intended to highlight the creativity and quality of European fantastic films, stimulate production and promote them worldwide.

The first Méliès d'Or ceremony was held by the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival in 1996 and the prize was given to Álex de la Iglesia for The Day of the Beast (Spanish: El día de la Bestia).{{Cite book|title=The Cinema of Álex de la Iglesia|last=Willis|first=Andy|last2=Triana-Toribio|first2=Nuria|last3=Buse|first3=Peter|publisher=Manchester University Press|year=2012|isbn=978-0-7190-7137-9|location=Manchester|pages=55}} Variety has called the Melies d'Or "Europe's top plaudit for horror pictures".{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2010/biz/news/buried-wins-europe-s-melies-d-or-1118025788/|title=Buried wins Europe's Melies d'Or|last=Hopewell|first=John|work=Variety|date=2010-10-15|access-date=2014-02-08}}