The winner of this year’s Méliès d’argent European Short Film Competition was Dammen by French director Grégoire Graesslin. Congratulations! The film will now advance to the final round for the Méliès d’or at the Sitges Film Festival in October 2027. The jury, consisting of Astrid Thorvaldsen, Knut Nærum, and Jasper Sharpe, provided the following statement:

"We have now watched all the short films and it’s been a frightful joy. We have enjoyed all the different stories, subjects, styles and themes from different parts of Europe. So we want to thank all the filmmakers for sharing their films with us.

The winner of this year’s Méliès d’argent is a film that brims with mystery and tension. The minimalism in style is impressive; through one camera angle the film captures a sunny day that turns eerie and enigmatic. The soundscape pulls us into the story and conveys the rising gravity of the situation. We are unanimous in our praise for this film. The winner is Dammen directed by Grégoire Graesslin."

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