The Fundación SGAE will once again play a prominent role in the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, which is celebrating its 59th edition. The organization will participate with two initiatives focused on emerging talent and the visibility of women in fantastic cinema: the II Josefina Molina Award and the SGAE New Authorship Awards, which reach their 26th edition this year.
Both proposals are part of the festival's official program and seek to reinforce the role of young and female audiovisual creation in a genre that has traditionally had less representation of female screenwriters and directors.
The II Josefina Molina Award, part of the WomanInFan program
On Friday, October 9, the winner of the II Josefina Molina Award for Fantastic Feature Film Screenplay by a Female Author will be announced. The award carries a prize of 10,000 euros and is aimed at original, unpublished scripts written by female members of the SGAE.
The announcement will take place at 12:30 PM in the Garbí room of the Hotel Meliá Sitges, as part of a roundtable discussion titled "What do women talk about when they write fantastic cinema?", which is open to the public with prior reservation.
Participants in the meeting will include Antonio Hens, Institutional Director of Audiovisuals at the Fundación SGAE; Mònica Garcia i Massagué, General Director of the Sitges Foundation and member of the award jury; director and screenwriter Carlota Pereda; and Anna Oset Vilanova, director, screenwriter, and editor representing Dones Visuals - Acció Terror. The discussion will be moderated by Rubén Gutiérrez del Castillo, General Director of the Fundación SGAE.
Official presentation and tribute to Josefina Molina
The official presentation of the award will be held that same evening at 8:20 PM in the Auditorium of the Hotel Meliá Sitges, with the presence of Antonio Hens and Mònica Garcia i Massagué. Following the ceremony, the film Adolescencia, sexo y muerte en el campamento Miasma, written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun, will be screened.
The award pays tribute to Josefina Molina, the first woman to obtain a degree in Directing from the Official Film School and author of the feature film Vera, un cuento cruel (1973), her first foray into the fantastic genre. Following her passing last May, this edition takes on a special character of recognition for her legacy. Days before the festival, the Fundación SGAE had already organized a tribute in her memory at the Sala Berlanga in Madrid.
SGAE New Authorship Awards: a window to university talent
Saturday, October 10, will be the turn of the SGAE New Authorship Awards, which celebrate their 26th edition under the guidance of the SGAE Territorial Council in Catalonia and with the support of the Sitges Festival. These awards, integrated into the Noves Visions section and the festival's official list of winners, recognize the work of students from Catalan film and audiovisual schools and universities.
The awards distinguish three categories: best original music, best screenplay, and best direction-realization.
33 works submitted by 14 educational centers
In this edition, 14 schools and universities have submitted a total of 33 works: 23 fiction, five animation, and five documentaries. Of these productions, 15 are made in the Catalan language and 25 incorporate original music.
The Festival's selection committee has chosen ten works from ten different centers, including six fiction, three animations, and one documentary.
Screenings and diploma presentation
The selected works will be screened at 2:45 PM at the Cine Prado in Sitges. Subsequently, at 5:00 PM, the jury's verdict will be announced and diplomas will be presented to the winners in the cinema's gardens, in the space known as Cañateca.
The jury for this edition is composed of director and screenwriter Mikel Gurrea, screenwriter and writer Laia Aguilar, and film composer Roque Baños. The presentation will also be attended by Aurora Carbonell, Mayor of Sitges; Ángel Sala, Director of the Festival; Luis Gómez, Director of SGAE in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands and Director of Members; and Nieves Maroto, Manager of the Audiovisual area of SGAE.
For the third consecutive year, the initiative has the collaboration of Catalan Films, which strengthens the link between Catalan audiovisual education and the professional industry.
Why these initiatives are relevant now
The coincidence of both awards in the same edition of the Sitges Festival underscores the commitment of the Fundación SGAE to two complementary fronts: gender equality in screenwriting within fantastic cinema and support for the first generations of Catalan audiovisual creators. In a context where genre festivals seek to expand the diversity of their voices, these initiatives function as a professional projection platform for authors and students who do not yet have a consolidated career in the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Josefina Molina Award?
It is an award from the Fundación SGAE, endowed with 10,000 euros, which recognizes original and unpublished fantastic feature film scripts written by female members of the SGAE. It is held within the framework of the Sitges Festival as part of the WomanInFan program.
Who was Josefina Molina?
Josefina Molina was the first woman to obtain a degree in Directing from the Official Film School. She ventured into fantastic cinema with her first feature film, Vera, un cuento cruel, released in 1973. She passed away in May of this year, which has given this edition of the award the character of a tribute to her career.
What do the SGAE New Authorship Awards consist of?
They are awards that celebrate their 26th edition and recognize the talent of students from Catalan film schools and universities, awarding the best original music, best screenplay, and best direction-realization. They are part of the Noves Visions section of the Sitges Festival.
How many works have been submitted this year to the SGAE New Authorship Awards?
In this edition, 33 works from 14 Catalan schools and universities have been submitted: 23 fiction, five animation, and five documentaries. The selection committee chose ten finalist works from ten different centers.
Where and when are the awards presented at the 2026 Sitges Festival?
The winner of the Josefina Molina Award will be announced on October 9 at 12:30 PM at the Hotel Meliá Sitges, with the official presentation at 8:20 PM at the same location. The SGAE New Authorship Awards will screen their works on October 10 at 2:45 PM at the Cine Prado, with the presentation of diplomas at 5:00 PM in the Cañateca space.
Who collaborates with the SGAE New Authorship Awards?
For the third consecutive year, the initiative has the collaboration of Catalan Films, in addition to the support of the SGAE Territorial Council in Catalonia and the Sitges Festival itself.
