"Nightmare Bugs" has been selected to be screened in the animation category at the 58th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (2025), the pinnacle of fantastic film festivals!

zelicofilm
Aug 14
5 min read

It has been announced that "Nightmare Bugs" (2025 / Voiced by Kana Hanazawa / Produced by zelicofilm,LLC / Release date in Japan yet to be determined) has been selected for the Anima't animation category at the 58th Sitges Catalonia International Fantastic Film Festival (held October 9-19, 2025 / Spain), where it will be officially screened. The general director of the film, which was also screened at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, commented, "We aimed to create the most terrifying animated horror film in the world." ■Festival website

https://sitgesfilmfestival.com/en/noticies/sitges-future-will-be-shaped-noves-visions-and-animat The Sitges Catalonia International Fantastic Film Festival is held every October in Sitges, a beach resort town south of Barcelona in northeastern Spain. Founded in 1968, it is one of the world's top three fantastic film festivals, specializing in horror, science fiction, and fantasy films, alongside the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and the Porto International Film Festival. "Nightmare Bugs," which was selected for the festival's animation category (Anima't), is a re-edited version of our previous animated feature films, " ARAGNE：Sign of Vermillion " (starring Kana Hanazawa, 2018) and " Feast of Amrita " (starring Maaya Uchida, 2023), with new scenes and interpretations added for an overseas audience. With improved visuals and sound, we aim to create "the world's most terrifying animated horror film."

Film director and horror creator Osamu Fukutani, who served as producer and supervisor on " ARAGNE：Sign of Vermillion " and " Feast of Amrita", is in charge of general direction for this film. Following on from the previous two films, animation artist Saku Sakamoto is also demonstrating his talents by taking on five roles: director, animator, original story, scriptwriter, and composer.

This film was also selected for the Midnight Special category at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2025, held in June this year. At the screening, the audience was so terrified that many left the theater, but the ones who stayed until the end received a standing ovation.

■Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2025 "Nightmare Bugs" introduction page https://www.annecyfestival.com/en/the-festival/official-selection/competition/2025/midnight-specials/nightmare-bugs

■IMDB　https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36639462/ 《Comment》 Osamu Fukutani (General Director/Producer) With "Nightmare Bugs," we aimed to create the world's most terrifying animated horror film.

The idea for this project came from talking to horror film fans at international film festivals, who told us, "I want to watch the terrifying scenes from ' ARAGNE：Sign of Vermillion ' and ' Feast of Amrita ' over and over again!"

Director Saku Sakamoto's original concept for the film included many even more terrifying, nightmarish images, and he had always wanted to create a version specifically for horror.

Not only has this dream come true, but it's now being screened at Sitges, the hall of fame for genre film festivals, following Annecy. It's unbelievable. I feel like I'm dreaming...or rather, I feel like I'm having a never-ending nightmare, in a good way. Saku Sakamoto (Director/Animator/Story/ Scriptwriter/ Composer) I am truly honored that "Nightmare Bugs" has been selected for the Sitges Catalonia International Film Festival 2025! All the trial and error I've put into this film with my producers has paid off!

I've continued to create films driven by my curiosity to see something new. I created this film with the aim of capturing a world beyond my own understanding, and I'm thrilled and energized to have the opportunity to share it with so many people in the beautiful city of Sitges! Thank you! 《Profile》 [Osamu Fukutani (General Director/Producer)] He has directed numerous horror films, including "The Last Supper", which won an award at the Scottish International Horror Film Festival, and "Scary Forklow".

Besides film, he directed the NintendoDS horror game ʻTwilight Syndrome The Forbidden Urban Legendsʼ , and is also known as the original author, such as "SHIBUYA GHOST STORY", which was also filmized, "Spirit Photograph Club".

In 2018, he produced and supervised the animated film " ARAGNE：Sign of Vermillion " directed by Saku Sakamoto. " ARAGNE：Sign of Vermillion " was officially screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and also it was the only Japanese film to be nominated for the feature-film competition at the Zagreb International Animation Film Festival.

In 2023, he produced " Feast of Amrita". He is also serving as General Director of the new film "Nightmare Bugs" (2025). [Saku Sakamoto (Director/Animator/Story/ Scriptwriter/ Composer)] Graduated from Tama Art University's Department of Graphic Design in 2000.

His short animated works such as Makafushigi ('00) and Fisherman ('02) were selected for the Hiroshima International Animation Festival and received the first place Kirin Art Award. Since then, he has received numerous awards and his work has been introduced internationally through more than 10 film festivals including the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

He began his career as a freelance animation creator in 2002 and has worked with short films, opening titles for TV shows, commercials, promotional videos, visual effects for movies, and as a director and art director. He soon mastered these techniques, thus earning him the nickname "transcendent painter".

Recent works include creating digital effects for GHOST IN THE SHELL2: Innocence directed by Mamoru Oshii and directing the original anime Mattsu, Yamma and Moburi: ?The mystery of the seven gems and the flying castle? and Mattsu, Yamma and Moburi 2: ?Navy's treasure and islands with mystery to be hunted? produced by Japanese animation studio ROBOT COMMUNICATIONS INC. (famous for the short movie La Maison en Petits Cubes that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the games series Onimusha for its CG)to promote Japan's Ehime prefecture.

Other works include, directing director Takashi Shimizu's, famously known for The Grudge, horror movie Alter Ego's VFX and music, creating the ending movie for the Play Station 3 game Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and creating the opening sequence for the T.V. show THE Sekai Issan.His first feature-length film, " ARAGNE：Sign of Vermillion " (2018), in which he took on five roles - director, animation, music, original story, and screenplay - garnered attention as a solo animated feature film, and was selected for the Midnight Special section of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. It was also nominated for the Grand Competition at the Zagreb International Animated Film Festival, one of the three major animated film festivals.

His second feature-length film, " Feast of Amrita" (2023), was officially selected for the Animated Film section of the Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia, won the Best Feature Film Award (Grand Prix) at the Florence Animu Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Tbilisi International Animated Film Festival, and the Best Animated Feature Award (Grand Prix) at the New York Philip K. Dick Film Festival.

His latest work is "Nightmare Bugs" (2025).

He is currently a full-time lecturer in the Faculty of Art and Information at Shobi University.

《Film Information》 ■Nightmare Bugs

■2025／JAPANESE／97min

■STAFF…

Director/Animator/Story/ Scriptwriter/ Composer: Saku Sakamoto

General Director/Producer ：Osamu Fukutani

■CAST…Kana Hanazawa,　Maaya Uchida

Ayana Shiramoto,　Mamiko Noto, Yosuke Ito,　MoeMi,　Shogo Batori

■English subtitle production : Adam Lensenmayer , Don Brown

■Production and copyright： zelicofilm,LLC