• The Dream Makers: Short Film Contest, launched by CUPRA, and brand ambassador J.A. Bayona and in collaboration with the ESCAC Film and Audiovisual School of Catalonia, aims to impulse the next generation of creative talent in cinema  
• The selected short films were “Homing”, by Hansel Rodrigues and Lizzie Atherton, and “Señuelo”, by Martha García Ayerbe
• The awarded young filmmakers will see their projects produced by CUPRA and have the opportunity to make a mark in the film industry
• The festival also served as a platform to announce all the participation details of the second competition: The Dream Makers: Film Studies Contest

CUPRA has announced the winners of The Dream Makers: Short Film Contest at a ceremony during the opening night of this year’s Sitges Film Festival. As official Automotive Partner of the 57^th Sitges Film Festival, CUPRA contributes to the growth and recognition of fantasy and horror cinema.

“Cinema constantly needs new voices who dare to tell extraordinary stories, and at CUPRA, we want to bring them to light. Our collaboration with the Sitges Film Festival, ESCAC, and CUPRA ambassadors J.A. Bayona and Daniel Brühl aims to promote young creative talent and recognise genre cinema. The quality of the projects made selecting a single winner incredibly difficult. Therefore, the jury has decided to help make the dreams of not one, but two winners come true”, said Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA.

After an intense deliberation and mentoring sessions, the jury, consisting of Wayne Griffiths; acclaimed film director J.A Bayona; renowned Hollywood actor Daniel Brühl; ESCAC Producer Aintza Serra; and Ángel Sala, Director of the Sitges Film Festival, decided to award the following two proposals:

• “Homing”, by Hansel Rodrigues (25) and Lizzie Atherton (27), from the UK.

When an unnamed visitor arrives at a house in the south of England, the members of a seemingly ordinary family are forced to confront questions that will change their assumptions, and even their own relationships. This is a story which explores attitudes to immigration and the limits of political correctness in a fresh and original way.

• “Señuelo”, by Martha García Ayerbe (24), from Spain.

The story of young boy’s initiation into the world of hunting and a complicated relationship between a father and a son is the backdrop to an original story that explores questions of masculinity and abuse using elements of fantasy cinema.

Commenting on the winning proposals, Director of the Sitges Film Festival, Ángel Sala said, “The Sitges Film Festival is the perfect showcase for these young and emerging filmmakers to present their work and connect with audiences and industry professionals. Who knows, we might see their short films in the next edition of the festival once produced”. 

The Dream Makers: Short Film Contest was presented in December 2023, alongside the announcement of J.A. Bayona as CUPRA's new ambassador at CASA SEAT. The competition invited aspiring film directors aged 21 to 30 to showcase their talent, offering winners the opportunity to have their short films produced and brought to the big screen.

In July, at an event also held at CASA SEAT, the competition jury revealed the six finalists from 400 submissions from 15 different countries. During the mentorship stage, the young filmmakers had the opportunity to work with the jury members to refine and improve their ideas before submitting the final entry.

“As an artist, one of the most rewarding things is helping young talent and take their ideas from the page to the screen. And it is also a chance to continue learning from new ideas. CUPRA and I share a rebellious spirit, which is something we sought among the finalists”, explained J.A. Bayona.

As a brand that challenges the status quo, CUPRA supports creativity that pushes the boundaries of narrative and explores new ways of telling stories; something that every one of the finalists managed to achieve: “The best performances begin with the best stories, and the best stories are those that create emotion and provoke us. These projects have truly moved and inspired us. I am very excited to have been part of this initiative and to be able to bring the winners’ projects to the big screen. From a dream to reality”, added Daniel Brühl.

Aintza Serra, jury member and ESCAC Producer, stated, “The Dream Makers is a unique opportunity to identify, detect, and promote new filmmakers. The two winners were chosen for their remarkable evolution from initial entry to final proposal. Competitions like this are crucial for helping new talent to emerge and we are delighted to be part of this initiative alongside CUPRA”.

The Dream Makers jury would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the other four finalists for their exceptional creativity, innovative storytelling and participation in the contest. These remarkable projects are “400 Gramos”, by John Esteban Araque, “El Ritual”, by Manuel Antonio Escalante, “Solon 2079”, by Alejandro Moreno, and “Volver y empezar”, by Daniel Omaña.

The 57^th Sitges Film Festival also served as a platform to announce the second stage of The Dream Makers initiative: the Film Studies Contest, aimed at future filmmakers aged between 17 and 21. Participants must submit their projects from October 14^th to November 15^th, 2024, and base their short films on three keywords chosen by CUPRA, J.A. Bayona, and ESCAC: “Barcelona”, “Cinema”, and “Eye”.

The winner of the contest, which will be announced by ESCAC in December 2024, will receive a full 4-year scholarship to develop their cinematographic talent at the ESCAC, along with a monthly grant covering basic living expenses throughout the duration of the studies.

All the information about participating in the Film Studies Contest is now available on the ESCAC website: https://escac.com/the-dream-makers-contest/.

As official Automotive Partner of the 57^th Sitges Film Festival, CUPRA reaffirms its commitment to cinema and creativity and reinforces its mission to be the impulse for a new generation of filmmakers from Barcelona and beyond.

The Sitges Film Festival is the world’s most important cinematic event dedicated to fantasy and horror cinema. It serves as a platform for emerging and established filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with audiences and industry professionals. The 57^th edition of the festival will take place from 3-13 October 2024.