Sydney Sweeney‘s second film of 2024 is finally here, let’s hope that it doesn’t turn into a disaster like the first one. Produced by Sweeney herself, Immaculate is a psychological horror film and it follows the story of a young nun who joins a convent in the Italian countryside. Her quiet life quickly turns into a nightmare because of the horrific secrets hidden in the convent. Directed by Michael Mohan, Immaculate also stars Simona Tabasco, Benedetta Porcaroli, and Álvaro Morte. So, if you loved Sweeney’s horror film here are some similar movies you should check out next.
The Convent
Co-written and directed by Paul Hyett, the 2018 film British horror film titled The Convent gives a similar atmosphere to Sweeney’s Immaculate. The Convent tells us the story of a group of young women seeking refuge from the turmoil of World War II in an isolated convent in the countryside.
The Convent
Co-written and directed by Paul Hyett, the 2018 film British horror film titled The Convent gives a similar atmosphere to Sweeney’s Immaculate. The Convent tells us the story of a group of young women seeking refuge from the turmoil of World War II in an isolated convent in the countryside.
- 3/24/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
2023 was a banner year for horror films from across the globe, which deserve just as much praise and attention as any domestic genre triumph.
In a year that’s had its share of ups and downs at the box office, horror continues to be a top performer and one of the most consistent sources of entertainment. Superhero fatigue continues to set in and the ballooning budgets of major studio blockbusters have started to seem more like a curse than a kindness. The film industry adapts accordingly and figures out what audiences want.
However, horror movies have never been more popular and 2023 has been a goldmine of blood, guts, and gore. This year alone has featured grandiose franchise sequels like Scream VI, Evil Dead Rise, Insidious: The Red Door, and Saw X. Even Hercule Poirot has gotten into the horror game with A Haunting in Venice. Additionally, weird and wild local horror releases like Skinamarink,...
In a year that’s had its share of ups and downs at the box office, horror continues to be a top performer and one of the most consistent sources of entertainment. Superhero fatigue continues to set in and the ballooning budgets of major studio blockbusters have started to seem more like a curse than a kindness. The film industry adapts accordingly and figures out what audiences want.
However, horror movies have never been more popular and 2023 has been a goldmine of blood, guts, and gore. This year alone has featured grandiose franchise sequels like Scream VI, Evil Dead Rise, Insidious: The Red Door, and Saw X. Even Hercule Poirot has gotten into the horror game with A Haunting in Venice. Additionally, weird and wild local horror releases like Skinamarink,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Daniel Kurland
- bloody-disgusting.com
On the first day of Creepmas, my true love gave to me…12 Killer Santa horror movies to herald in Bloody Disgusting’s 12 Days of Creepmas. This year, we’re reinterpreting the “Twelve Days of Christmas” to bring twelve days of holiday horror. ‘Tis the season to be naughty, after all.
It feels only right to kick things off with a look at one of holiday horror’s most prominent icons: the Killer Santa Claus. The niche subgenre of Killer Santa holiday horror movies is as robust as ever, offering ample murderous maniacs to spread holiday fear this season. Here are 12 of the most prominent and bloodthirsty of the bunch.
If your favorites are missing, don’t worry; there’s still plenty of holiday horror fun on the way.
Violent Night
Violent Night introduces Santa Claus (David Harbour) as a cynic drowning his frustrations in booze at a bar on Christmas Eve.
It feels only right to kick things off with a look at one of holiday horror’s most prominent icons: the Killer Santa Claus. The niche subgenre of Killer Santa holiday horror movies is as robust as ever, offering ample murderous maniacs to spread holiday fear this season. Here are 12 of the most prominent and bloodthirsty of the bunch.
If your favorites are missing, don’t worry; there’s still plenty of holiday horror fun on the way.
Violent Night
Violent Night introduces Santa Claus (David Harbour) as a cynic drowning his frustrations in booze at a bar on Christmas Eve.
- 12/14/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Netflix has irreversibly changed the landscape of how audiences consume media, and in recent years, has proven that its direct-to-streaming model isn't the only threat to the studio status quo. The streaming juggernaut's library of original programming has always thrived with binge-worthy series, but recent years have more than proved that Netflix is a certifiable source of original films. Multiple films that we named as some of the best of Netflix's original film releases in 2022 took home Oscar gold, and if this year's list is any indicator, history very well may strike twice. Animated treasures, acclaimed international projects, and buzzworthy Hollywood favorites are all featured below, as well as some hidden gems you may have missed (but definitely need to add to your watch list). Here are our top 12 Netflix original movies, ranked.
Read more: Movies That Were Canceled For Ridiculous Reasons
Khufiya
There's plenty to critique about Netflix, but...
Read more: Movies That Were Canceled For Ridiculous Reasons
Khufiya
There's plenty to critique about Netflix, but...
- 12/12/2023
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
Horror enthusiasts, gather ’round as we unveil the best horror movies of 2023! This year, the genre has outdone itself, pushing boundaries and redefining the meaning of fear. From haunting ghost stories to relentless slashers, and psychological mind-benders to creature features, every film on our list has made waves in the horror community. So, if you’re looking to update your must-watch list with the latest films that have been dominating the box office and stirring up a buzz online, prepare to arm yourself with these top picks.
Whether you’re a fan of jumpscares or slow-burn terror, these movies promise to deliver the thrills that horror movie fans crave. Let’s dive into the abyss of 2023’s top horror movies!
[Note: These are my (Kimmi’s) picks of the best horror movies of 2023. To listen to this list, check out our Podcast Episode counting down the top horror movies of 2023! You can also read Jon’s picks here.]
Hulu 10. No One Will Save You
Sliding into the number 10 spot is No One Will Save You, a film that blends the quiet unease of isolation with the heart-pounding tension of a home invasion.
Whether you’re a fan of jumpscares or slow-burn terror, these movies promise to deliver the thrills that horror movie fans crave. Let’s dive into the abyss of 2023’s top horror movies!
[Note: These are my (Kimmi’s) picks of the best horror movies of 2023. To listen to this list, check out our Podcast Episode counting down the top horror movies of 2023! You can also read Jon’s picks here.]
Hulu 10. No One Will Save You
Sliding into the number 10 spot is No One Will Save You, a film that blends the quiet unease of isolation with the heart-pounding tension of a home invasion.
- 12/10/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Buoyed with Paco Plaza’s “Sister Death” riding high in Netflix non-English film global rankings for a second week running, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Madrid-based El Estudio has named seasoned Spanish showrunner Tirso Calero, creator and script co-ordinator on “Servir y Proteger,” “Bandolera” and “L’Alqueria Blanca,” as TV contents director in Spain. He is based out of Madrid. His incorporation coincides with the creation of a TV division at El Estudio, which Calero will head up.
Taking effect from last week, the appointment makes large strategic sense. El Estudio founders and chiefs Enrique López Lavigne and Pablo Cruz are among the top and most cosmopolitan film producers in the Spanish-speaking world, Cruz ranking as Mexico’s best-known arthouse/crossover movie honcho and a driving force behind modern-day Mexican cinema when heading up Canana; and López Lavigne rating as one of Spain’s most innovative producers, seen most recently in...
Taking effect from last week, the appointment makes large strategic sense. El Estudio founders and chiefs Enrique López Lavigne and Pablo Cruz are among the top and most cosmopolitan film producers in the Spanish-speaking world, Cruz ranking as Mexico’s best-known arthouse/crossover movie honcho and a driving force behind modern-day Mexican cinema when heading up Canana; and López Lavigne rating as one of Spain’s most innovative producers, seen most recently in...
- 11/13/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Sandra Escacena, Bruna González, Claudia Placer, Iván Chavero, Ana Torrent, Consuelo Trujillo, Ángela Fabián, Carla Campra, Chema Adeva | Written by Paco Plaza, Fernando Navarro, Coral Cruz | Directed by Paco Plaza
Opening the film on 15th June 1991, [Rec] co-director Paco Plaza sets the scene with a distressing phone call where a panicked girl tells the police that someone is inside her home. As officers pass a crying family outside, they enter the house to find it in disarray. The story then cuts to 3-days-earlier, as 15-year-old Verónica (Sandra Escacena) helps to look after her younger siblings while their mother works long shifts.
Using a Ouija board to try speaking with the dead during an eclipse, Verónica becomes possessed during the séance. As strange occurrences unfold around the schoolgirl, she is harassed by dangerous supernatural presences which threatens her family.
Plaza and co-writer Fernando Navarro loosely based this story on a...
Opening the film on 15th June 1991, [Rec] co-director Paco Plaza sets the scene with a distressing phone call where a panicked girl tells the police that someone is inside her home. As officers pass a crying family outside, they enter the house to find it in disarray. The story then cuts to 3-days-earlier, as 15-year-old Verónica (Sandra Escacena) helps to look after her younger siblings while their mother works long shifts.
Using a Ouija board to try speaking with the dead during an eclipse, Verónica becomes possessed during the séance. As strange occurrences unfold around the schoolgirl, she is harassed by dangerous supernatural presences which threatens her family.
Plaza and co-writer Fernando Navarro loosely based this story on a...
- 11/1/2023
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
This article contains spoilers for Sister Death and Veronica.
You probably remember those hyperbolic headlines about 2017’s Veronica, the so-called scariest movie on Netflix, the horror film so frightening users turned it off midway through. Six years on, the internet has had plenty of time to reevaluate this Spanish-language chiller. Was it really that scary? This writer would say no, but art is subjective.
But even if it didn’t live up to all those internet headlines and tweets you read about it, director Paco Plaza’s possession film, which stars Sandra Escacena, is still a fun time, with a few genuinely unsettling moments throughout: the Ouija seance, the nightmare where Veronica’s siblings chomp down on her arms, the scene where Veronica chases the camera down a dark hallway, the demon itself. The movie, which is very loosely based on the unexplained death of a teen girl in 1991, is also dripping with style,...
You probably remember those hyperbolic headlines about 2017’s Veronica, the so-called scariest movie on Netflix, the horror film so frightening users turned it off midway through. Six years on, the internet has had plenty of time to reevaluate this Spanish-language chiller. Was it really that scary? This writer would say no, but art is subjective.
But even if it didn’t live up to all those internet headlines and tweets you read about it, director Paco Plaza’s possession film, which stars Sandra Escacena, is still a fun time, with a few genuinely unsettling moments throughout: the Ouija seance, the nightmare where Veronica’s siblings chomp down on her arms, the scene where Veronica chases the camera down a dark hallway, the demon itself. The movie, which is very loosely based on the unexplained death of a teen girl in 1991, is also dripping with style,...
- 10/31/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Sister Death is a horror movie directed by Paco Plaza starring Aria Bedmar and Almudena Amor.
It’s not uncommon for convents, churches, and the like to have terrified us throughout the centuries. Just take a look at the baroque paintings of Caravaggio and others to realize that this “chiaroscuro” thing has a lot of potential, and the film industry couldn’t resist it.
If Hollywood brought us “The Nun,” which was more successful with the audience than with critics, now comes “Sister Death” to Netflix. It’s a calm horror movie that serves as a prequel to “Veronica.” It knows how to build up suspense and maintain it before the (expected and necessary) final explosion.
It’s also commendable in its cinematography, directing, and screenplay.
Sister Death Review of “Sister Death”
Calm and composed, it takes its time for the terror to have its true effect. It’s not...
It’s not uncommon for convents, churches, and the like to have terrified us throughout the centuries. Just take a look at the baroque paintings of Caravaggio and others to realize that this “chiaroscuro” thing has a lot of potential, and the film industry couldn’t resist it.
If Hollywood brought us “The Nun,” which was more successful with the audience than with critics, now comes “Sister Death” to Netflix. It’s a calm horror movie that serves as a prequel to “Veronica.” It knows how to build up suspense and maintain it before the (expected and necessary) final explosion.
It’s also commendable in its cinematography, directing, and screenplay.
Sister Death Review of “Sister Death”
Calm and composed, it takes its time for the terror to have its true effect. It’s not...
- 10/27/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
It’s the spooky season, and Netflix has returned with a film that is surprisingly linked to 2017’s successful Spanish-language film Veronica. Veronica was a one-off film based on a true story, which didn’t seem to have the potential for something more, but here we have a prequel (take it with a grain of salt) about an interesting character from the film. Sister Death goes back about 60 years before the events of Veronica, where we learn about Sister Narcisa and how she became the infamous blind nun named Sister Death. Brought to us by director Paco Plaza, who also made the 2017 film, Sister Death is set up as a more slow-burn film that will leave you haunted, just like Veronica. It’s become common practice to pick semi-important or interesting characters from horror franchises that are decently successful to expand films into universes. The Conjuring is the biggest example of this.
- 10/27/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
Few things are as scary as nuns, draped in their signature black garb, dishing out vengeance and striking terror into the hearts of all. We’ve seen this eerie trope in films like The Nun, The Crucifixion, and The Blackcoat’s Daughter, among others. Yet, Sister Death sets itself apart from its contemporaries by delivering a narrative that doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares.
In this movie, it’s not the typical ghosts, spirits, or statues crying blood that are the primary sources of your fear. Instead, it’s the backstory that connects them all, leaving you with goosebumps. Sister Death, Paco Plaza’s latest film, is a feast for the eyes, especially for those who appreciate a horror film that strikes a perfect balance between a gripping narrative and spine-tingling scares. He understands that true horror lies not in the fleeting shocks but in the lingering sense of unease...
In this movie, it’s not the typical ghosts, spirits, or statues crying blood that are the primary sources of your fear. Instead, it’s the backstory that connects them all, leaving you with goosebumps. Sister Death, Paco Plaza’s latest film, is a feast for the eyes, especially for those who appreciate a horror film that strikes a perfect balance between a gripping narrative and spine-tingling scares. He understands that true horror lies not in the fleeting shocks but in the lingering sense of unease...
- 10/27/2023
- by Rishabh Shandilya
- Film Fugitives
Six years after the success of the Spanish-language horror film Veronica on Netflix, Rec director Paco Plaza returns with a similarly spine-chilling prequel. Set in post-civil-war Spain, Sister Death follows the tale of a young novice named Narcisa who has just joined a new convent. She has some supernatural gifts and is something of a miracle girl in those parts. Now, she finds herself questioning her piety and her “vision” in this new school for young girls. Sister Death is definitely eerie and has its visually arresting moments, with some stunning cinematography. Sister Death definitely takes the cake when it comes to the best Nun of the year, though. In 2017, Veronica was a beast of a film, becoming overhyped with the title “scariest movie ever”. Personally, I didn’t watch it back then because it felt like it would be disappointing. On the contrary, I quite enjoyed the film, if...
- 10/27/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
2017’s Veronica was a phenomenon that took over the world. Based on a true story from 1991 about an urban legend in Madrid, the film, which was released worldwide on Netflix, was considered one of the scariest movies of all time. While it isn’t as scary as it was made out to be, the sinister nature of the film as a whole could easily get under your skin and keep you at the edge of your seats throughout its short 1-hour, 30-minute run time. It’s also mainly the performances of the young actors that make this film thrilling and amusing to watch. Not only do they carry the entire film, but they make us want to keep going even with a predictable story and a simple premise. Without knowing this film was based on a true story, it is still plenty ominous. Now, six years later, director Paco Plaza...
- 10/26/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
Following introspective shorts “Grietas” and “Solos,” Canarian director Alberto Gross Molo recalls his turbulent childhood in his upcoming debut feature “Catorce de Marzo,” a searing look at divorce through the lens of children placed unjustly in the middle.
Selected to participate at Madrid’s 5th Ecam Incubator, the narrative dives into the delicate minds of two siblings forced to determine their fate by choosing between parents, a fraught decision that could further divide their family.
Written by Gross alongside Tomàs Bayo Encontra, Laura Egidos Plaja and Albert Aynés Clapés of Contraria Media and David Aymerich of Ayhe Productions produce the project.
In 2021, “Catorce de Marzo” participated in My First Script at the Zagreb Film Festival and Ekran+, the team attending the Faberllull residency in 2022. It was also a finalist for last year’s Julio Alejandro Sgae Screenplay Award.
Egidos, co-founder of Contraria, spoke with Variety about the project’s allure and forward trajectory.
Selected to participate at Madrid’s 5th Ecam Incubator, the narrative dives into the delicate minds of two siblings forced to determine their fate by choosing between parents, a fraught decision that could further divide their family.
Written by Gross alongside Tomàs Bayo Encontra, Laura Egidos Plaja and Albert Aynés Clapés of Contraria Media and David Aymerich of Ayhe Productions produce the project.
In 2021, “Catorce de Marzo” participated in My First Script at the Zagreb Film Festival and Ekran+, the team attending the Faberllull residency in 2022. It was also a finalist for last year’s Julio Alejandro Sgae Screenplay Award.
Egidos, co-founder of Contraria, spoke with Variety about the project’s allure and forward trajectory.
- 9/28/2023
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
Three years ago, we heard that genre regular Álex de la Iglesia – whose credits include creating the HBO horror series 30 Coins – had signed a deal with Amazon Prime Video and Sony Pictures International Productions to produce a series of feature-length horror films under the banner of The Fear Collection. It was said that de la Iglesia would be directing part of the collection and the entries not directed by him would still be “made under his creative influence”. The collection has turned out to consist of de la Iglesia’s own Veneciafrenia, Jaume Balaguero’s Venus, and Paco Plaza’s La Abuela – and all three films are now available on VOD, including on Amazon’s Prime Video!
De la Iglesia, who made his feature directorial debut with Accion Mutante in 1993, directed Veneciafrenia (watch it Here) from a screenplay he wrote with Jorge Guerricaechevarría. This one explores the profound connection...
De la Iglesia, who made his feature directorial debut with Accion Mutante in 1993, directed Veneciafrenia (watch it Here) from a screenplay he wrote with Jorge Guerricaechevarría. This one explores the profound connection...
- 9/25/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Spanish sales, distribution, exhibition and production outfit has a line-up of 16 titles in different stages of production.
Barcelona-based Filmax, one of Spain’s leading entertainment companies, has lined up its next genre production, El Nido, the third fiction feature from Hugo Stuven following Solo and English-language Anomalous.
A psychological thriller feature, El Nido (which translates to ‘the nest’) tells the story of Marta, who is obsessed with protecting her family from the terrifying outside world and keeps her mother and her young son locked in their home. Everything seems peaceful until, one day, a man arrives, looking to destroy everything Marta has built.
Barcelona-based Filmax, one of Spain’s leading entertainment companies, has lined up its next genre production, El Nido, the third fiction feature from Hugo Stuven following Solo and English-language Anomalous.
A psychological thriller feature, El Nido (which translates to ‘the nest’) tells the story of Marta, who is obsessed with protecting her family from the terrifying outside world and keeps her mother and her young son locked in their home. Everything seems peaceful until, one day, a man arrives, looking to destroy everything Marta has built.
- 9/25/2023
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
The horror genre is absolutely bursting at the seams with brand new releases this week, with several at-home premieres that we didn’t expect until they suddenly fell into our laps.
So let’s just dive right in, shall we?
Here’s all the new horror releasing September 12 – September 17, 2023!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
A24’s low budget horror hit Talk to Me scared up $67 million at the box office, making the film one of A24’s top horror hits to date. And the film just hit at-home Digital yesterday.
You can purchase the film on Digital outlets now for $19.99.
Up next, Talk to Me hits 4K + Blu-ray + Digital on October 3, 2023.
The brutal terror of Talk to Me unfolds when “a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand; they become hooked on the new thrill until one of...
So let’s just dive right in, shall we?
Here’s all the new horror releasing September 12 – September 17, 2023!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
A24’s low budget horror hit Talk to Me scared up $67 million at the box office, making the film one of A24’s top horror hits to date. And the film just hit at-home Digital yesterday.
You can purchase the film on Digital outlets now for $19.99.
Up next, Talk to Me hits 4K + Blu-ray + Digital on October 3, 2023.
The brutal terror of Talk to Me unfolds when “a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand; they become hooked on the new thrill until one of...
- 9/13/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
From the co-director of [Rec], Paco Plaza‘s movie Veronica is getting a prequel with Sister Death (aka Hermana Muerte), and it’s coming to Netflix for Halloween.
Sister Death will premiere on Netflix on October 27, 2023.
While you wait, check out new images and poster art down below.
Prequel Sister Death will center on the character Hermana Muerte, played by Consuelo Trujillo in Veronica.
In Sister Death, “In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with supernatural powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher. As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead her to unravel the terrible skein of secrets that surround the convent and haunt its inhabitants.”
Almudena Amor, Luisa Merelas, Chelo Vivares, and Maru Valdivielso also star.
Netflix’s Veronica was about a young woman who must protect her...
Sister Death will premiere on Netflix on October 27, 2023.
While you wait, check out new images and poster art down below.
Prequel Sister Death will center on the character Hermana Muerte, played by Consuelo Trujillo in Veronica.
In Sister Death, “In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with supernatural powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher. As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead her to unravel the terrible skein of secrets that surround the convent and haunt its inhabitants.”
Almudena Amor, Luisa Merelas, Chelo Vivares, and Maru Valdivielso also star.
Netflix’s Veronica was about a young woman who must protect her...
- 9/13/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Sony Pictures International Productions and Amazon Prime Video recently joined forces with Álex de la Iglesia on the feature film series “The Fear Collection.” The collection includes Álex de la Iglesia‘s Veneciafrenia, Jaume Balagueró’s Venus, and Paco Plaza’s La Abuela, and the entire collection just surprise-released on VOD today!
You can Digitally buy or rent the three-film “Fear Collection” on VOD outlets including Vudu, where you’ll find the films either bundled together in one set or available individually.
Here’s everything you need to know about “The Fear Collection”…
Veneciafrenia
Directed by: Álex de la Iglesia
In Veneciafrenia, “In nature there is an indissoluble link between beauty and death. The human being, indebted to his environment, imitates what he observes. Like mosquitoes drawn to the brightest lighthouse, tourists are turning off the light in the most beautiful city on the planet. The agony of the past...
You can Digitally buy or rent the three-film “Fear Collection” on VOD outlets including Vudu, where you’ll find the films either bundled together in one set or available individually.
Here’s everything you need to know about “The Fear Collection”…
Veneciafrenia
Directed by: Álex de la Iglesia
In Veneciafrenia, “In nature there is an indissoluble link between beauty and death. The human being, indebted to his environment, imitates what he observes. Like mosquitoes drawn to the brightest lighthouse, tourists are turning off the light in the most beautiful city on the planet. The agony of the past...
- 9/12/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Five years ago, [Rec] franchise co-creator Paco Plaza‘s horror movie Veronica was released through the Netflix streaming service, and Netflix subscribers reportedly found the film to be so terrifying that they would have to stop the movie mid-stream because they couldn’t handle the scariness. With that sort of press, it’s no surprise that Plaza and Netflix have chosen to expand the concept into a franchise with a prequel called Sister Death, or Hermana Muerte. Now the streaming service’s Tudum site has revealed that Sister Death will be released this October! They haven’t revealed the specific release date yet, but it’s nice to know this movie will be a viewing option during Halloween season this year.
The screenplay for Sister Death was written by Jorge Guerricaechevarria, who frequently works with popular genre filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia. The story he crafted has the following synopsis: In post-war Spain,...
The screenplay for Sister Death was written by Jorge Guerricaechevarria, who frequently works with popular genre filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia. The story he crafted has the following synopsis: In post-war Spain,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
From the co-director of [Rec], Paco Plaza‘s movie Veronica is getting a prequel with Sister Death (aka Hermana Muerte), and Netflix teased today that we can expect it to arrive sometime in October.
No specific release date has been revealed as of yet, but look for it to arrive on the streaming platform after Sister Death makes its world premiere at Sitges Film Festival. Sitges is slated to commence on October 5 and run through October 15, 2023, with Sister Death set as the opening feature.
The festival notes that the film was “shot almost entirely in the Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo de Cotalba.”
In Sister Death, “In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with supernatural powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher. As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead...
No specific release date has been revealed as of yet, but look for it to arrive on the streaming platform after Sister Death makes its world premiere at Sitges Film Festival. Sitges is slated to commence on October 5 and run through October 15, 2023, with Sister Death set as the opening feature.
The festival notes that the film was “shot almost entirely in the Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo de Cotalba.”
In Sister Death, “In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with supernatural powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher. As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead...
- 8/30/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
One of this week’s most notable new releases is Lionsgate’s big screen horror movie Cobweb, a horror fairy tale of sorts from first time feature film director Samuel Bodin. Bodin’s no stranger to the realm of violent fairy tales for adults; the filmmaker’s direction on Netflix’s Marianne unleashed no shortage of visceral scares unleashed from a fairy tale realm.
This week’s streaming picks center around horror fairy tales, whether they’re direct adaptations or inspired by them. All blend horror and fantasy to deliver cautionary bedtime tales.
Here’s where you can stream these horror fairy tales this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
The Company of Wolves – AMC+, Kanopy, Shudder
In Neil Jordan’s film, young Rosaleen falls asleep at her home and dreams of menacing wolves, many of which disguise themselves as men. All of which makes for...
This week’s streaming picks center around horror fairy tales, whether they’re direct adaptations or inspired by them. All blend horror and fantasy to deliver cautionary bedtime tales.
Here’s where you can stream these horror fairy tales this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
The Company of Wolves – AMC+, Kanopy, Shudder
In Neil Jordan’s film, young Rosaleen falls asleep at her home and dreams of menacing wolves, many of which disguise themselves as men. All of which makes for...
- 7/17/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
When Paco Plaza's Spanish horror film "Verónica" was released in North America in 2017, it instantly received acclaim for its insidious sense of dread, and for some of its more terrifying images. There is a scene about halfway through "Verónica" where the title character (Sandra Escacena) is walking through her apartment, and a shadowy, ghostly figure is standing in the hallway behind her, merely watching. There's no musical sting, and nothing about the camera placement that suggests the photographer even sees the ghost. Verónica doesn't even seem to notice. And yet it is undoubtedly there.
Like many horror films of recent vintage, "Verónica" is a film about mourning, trauma, and domestic strife. The ghost glimpsed in the hallway may very well be the ghost of her father who passed away recently. Verónica, just 15, wasn't quite permitted to grieve, as she's had to become a more parental figure for her two...
Like many horror films of recent vintage, "Verónica" is a film about mourning, trauma, and domestic strife. The ghost glimpsed in the hallway may very well be the ghost of her father who passed away recently. Verónica, just 15, wasn't quite permitted to grieve, as she's had to become a more parental figure for her two...
- 5/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Founded in 1953, bought by Julio Fernández in 1987 and now run by his brother Carlos Fernandez and daughter Laura Fernández, Filmax is one of its biggest true-blue independent studios in Spain, involved in film and TV production, and movie distribution, international film and TV sales and exhibition.
How it got there is another question. “At Filmax, we’ve always bet on creative talent. In Spain, there’s always been creative talents that have revolutionized its sector: Architects, artists and designers,” says Laura Fernández, a Filmax executive producer. “Filmax has known how to find talent in all parts of film production: Composers, screenwriters, DPs, casting, VFX and directors.”
Jaume Balagueró’s “Nameless” gave Filmax its first experience of fulsome international pre-sales at 1999’s Mifed, helping to usher in a golden age of Spanish auteur genre that resonates to this day.
A director on “Polseres Vermelles,” the original Catalan version of “The Red Band Society...
How it got there is another question. “At Filmax, we’ve always bet on creative talent. In Spain, there’s always been creative talents that have revolutionized its sector: Architects, artists and designers,” says Laura Fernández, a Filmax executive producer. “Filmax has known how to find talent in all parts of film production: Composers, screenwriters, DPs, casting, VFX and directors.”
Jaume Balagueró’s “Nameless” gave Filmax its first experience of fulsome international pre-sales at 1999’s Mifed, helping to usher in a golden age of Spanish auteur genre that resonates to this day.
A director on “Polseres Vermelles,” the original Catalan version of “The Red Band Society...
- 5/18/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
From the co-director of [Rec], Paco Plaza‘s movie Veronica is getting a prequel with Sister Death (aka Hermana Muerte), and Netflix has debuted a teaser to coincide with the announcement that the horror film is slated to open this year’s Sitges Film Festival.
The eerie teaser comes this morning via the the official account Netflix España. The teaser establishes a scary tone, more than reveal any plot details.
In Sister Death, “In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with supernatural powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher. As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead her to unravel the terrible skein of secrets that surround the convent and haunt its inhabitants.”
Netflix’s Veronica was about a young woman who must protect her younger brother and sister after...
The eerie teaser comes this morning via the the official account Netflix España. The teaser establishes a scary tone, more than reveal any plot details.
In Sister Death, “In post-war Spain, Narcisa (Aria Bedmar), a young novice with supernatural powers, arrives at a former convent, now a school for girls, to become a teacher. As the days go by, the strange events and increasingly disturbing situations that torment her will eventually lead her to unravel the terrible skein of secrets that surround the convent and haunt its inhabitants.”
Netflix’s Veronica was about a young woman who must protect her younger brother and sister after...
- 5/18/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Sitges–International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia has revealed the opening film for its 56th edition at Cannes’ Fantastic Pavilion: “Hermana Muerte” by Paco Plaza.
Produced by El Estudio for Netflix, it was written by Jorge Guerricaechevarría.
Shot almost entirely in the Valencian monastery of San Jerónimo de Cotalba, Plaza’s seventh feature is “a horror tale with a feminine touch,” it was stated, which will take its viewers all the way back to post-Civil War Spain, when a convent is shaken up by the arrival of Narcisa, a young novice with supernatural powers.
“I have been attending this festival for over 30 years now. Most of my films have been screened there, so it’s like coming home, and sharing it all with my family and my friends,” Plaza told Variety following the announcement.
“Hermana Muerte,” starring Aria Bedmar, Almudena Amor and Maru Valdivielso, is a prequel to his 2017 film “Verónica.
Produced by El Estudio for Netflix, it was written by Jorge Guerricaechevarría.
Shot almost entirely in the Valencian monastery of San Jerónimo de Cotalba, Plaza’s seventh feature is “a horror tale with a feminine touch,” it was stated, which will take its viewers all the way back to post-Civil War Spain, when a convent is shaken up by the arrival of Narcisa, a young novice with supernatural powers.
“I have been attending this festival for over 30 years now. Most of my films have been screened there, so it’s like coming home, and sharing it all with my family and my friends,” Plaza told Variety following the announcement.
“Hermana Muerte,” starring Aria Bedmar, Almudena Amor and Maru Valdivielso, is a prequel to his 2017 film “Verónica.
- 5/18/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
El Estudio and Morbido are launching The Latin House of Horror, a hugely ambitious feature film slate channelling the voices of a powerful new generation of genre directors – and indeed writers – emerging in Spain and, most especially, Latin America.
The slate is designed to supercharge genre production in Latin America, in ambition, profile and exports, just as Filmax’s Fantastic Factory did a generation ago in Spain, El Estudio producer Enrique López Lavigne told Variety.
Mexico’s Sula Films, headed by Mexican producer Alejandro Sugich (“Los Hermanos Salvador”), will also produce the series. Vicente Canales’ Film Factory Entertainment is handling world sales.
Announced at Cannes, the House’s first slate of six movies features established talent such as Adrián García Bogliano, a founding figure of modern Argentine scarefare, now based out of Mexico; and Isaac Ezban, who rapidly established a reputation for films wrapped in hauntingly surreal scenarios: Think “The Incident” and “The Similars.
The slate is designed to supercharge genre production in Latin America, in ambition, profile and exports, just as Filmax’s Fantastic Factory did a generation ago in Spain, El Estudio producer Enrique López Lavigne told Variety.
Mexico’s Sula Films, headed by Mexican producer Alejandro Sugich (“Los Hermanos Salvador”), will also produce the series. Vicente Canales’ Film Factory Entertainment is handling world sales.
Announced at Cannes, the House’s first slate of six movies features established talent such as Adrián García Bogliano, a founding figure of modern Argentine scarefare, now based out of Mexico; and Isaac Ezban, who rapidly established a reputation for films wrapped in hauntingly surreal scenarios: Think “The Incident” and “The Similars.
- 5/18/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Segundo Premio will tell the story of influential rock indie group Los Planetas.
Catalan director Isaki Lacuesta, a double Golden Shell winner at San Sebastian for Between Two Waters (2018) and The Double Steps (2011), is set to start shooting his new feature, musical Segundo Premio (English working title: Saturn Return).
The film is a co-production between La Terraza Films, Áralan Films, Ikiru Films and BTeam prods from Spain and France’s Capricci Films.
Although is not a biopic, Segundo Premio will tell the story of Los Planetas, an influential Spanish indie rock group. It will depict “a very special period of...
Catalan director Isaki Lacuesta, a double Golden Shell winner at San Sebastian for Between Two Waters (2018) and The Double Steps (2011), is set to start shooting his new feature, musical Segundo Premio (English working title: Saturn Return).
The film is a co-production between La Terraza Films, Áralan Films, Ikiru Films and BTeam prods from Spain and France’s Capricci Films.
Although is not a biopic, Segundo Premio will tell the story of Los Planetas, an influential Spanish indie rock group. It will depict “a very special period of...
- 3/10/2023
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
Segundo Premio will tell the story of influential rock indie group Los Planetas.
Catalan director Isaki Lacuesta, a double Golden Shell winner at San Sebastian for Between Two Waters (2018) and The Double Steps (2011), is set to start shooting his new feature, musical Segundo Premio (English working title: Saturn Return).
The film is a co-production between La Terraza Films, Áralan Films, Ikiru Films and BTeam prods from Spain and France’s Capricci Films.
Although is not a biopic, Segundo Premio will tell the story of Los Planetas, an influential Spanish indie rock group. It will depict “a very special period of...
Catalan director Isaki Lacuesta, a double Golden Shell winner at San Sebastian for Between Two Waters (2018) and The Double Steps (2011), is set to start shooting his new feature, musical Segundo Premio (English working title: Saturn Return).
The film is a co-production between La Terraza Films, Áralan Films, Ikiru Films and BTeam prods from Spain and France’s Capricci Films.
Although is not a biopic, Segundo Premio will tell the story of Los Planetas, an influential Spanish indie rock group. It will depict “a very special period of...
- 3/10/2023
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
Zdf Studios has signed a deal to distribute the second season of the remake of the iconic Spanish horror series “Stories to Stay Awake” (“Historias Para No Dormir”).
The series is a reboot of the classic series created by Spain’s Chicho Ibáñez Serrador in the 1960s which proved a milestone in Spanish horror, introducing Spain to classic tales from Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allen Poe,
The deal sees Zdf Studios taking distribution rights to “Stories” in all territories outside Spain, Portugal, Italy and Latin America, which will be handled by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Zdf operated in the same capacity for the first season.
The second season is produced by Paramount in association with Zdf Studios, along with Prointel and Isla Audiovisual. The first season of the series premiered on Prime Video and public broadcaster Rtve in Spain.
In Season 2, directors Salvador Calvo (“Adu), Nacho Vigalondo (“Colossal”), Alice Waddington (“Scarlet...
The series is a reboot of the classic series created by Spain’s Chicho Ibáñez Serrador in the 1960s which proved a milestone in Spanish horror, introducing Spain to classic tales from Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allen Poe,
The deal sees Zdf Studios taking distribution rights to “Stories” in all territories outside Spain, Portugal, Italy and Latin America, which will be handled by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Zdf operated in the same capacity for the first season.
The second season is produced by Paramount in association with Zdf Studios, along with Prointel and Isla Audiovisual. The first season of the series premiered on Prime Video and public broadcaster Rtve in Spain.
In Season 2, directors Salvador Calvo (“Adu), Nacho Vigalondo (“Colossal”), Alice Waddington (“Scarlet...
- 2/21/2023
- by Liza Foreman
- Variety Film + TV
While other horror franchises can be accused of rehashing themselves with each new entry, every part of the Rec series feels like a different movie. The original sets things into motion with staggering execution and results, and the follow-up expands on the lore. After the events of Rec 2, it made sense for Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza to explore the world they had created. So the duo split up for the remaining two movies in the zombie series, with Plaza taking on the third installment. While it would seem like Balagueró got the better end of the deal — his sequel Rec 4: Apocalypse ties directly into Ángela Vidal’s story — Plaza was handed a golden opportunity to do something outside the main plot.
When asked about the new changes of Rec 3: Genesis, Plaza said he and Balagueró “wanted to get some fresh air.” However, their decision didn’t sit well with everyone.
When asked about the new changes of Rec 3: Genesis, Plaza said he and Balagueró “wanted to get some fresh air.” However, their decision didn’t sit well with everyone.
- 11/18/2022
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
It’s time for a new episode of our video series Best Foreign Horror Movies, and with this one we’re looking back at a movie that is quite disturbing. The 1997 Austrian production Funny Games (get it Here). To find out what we had to say about Funny Games, check out the video embedded above.
Written and directed by Michael Haneke, Funny Games has the following synopsis:
An idyllic lakeside vacation home is terrorized by Paul and Peter, a pair of deeply disturbed young men. When the fearful Anna is home alone, the two men drop by for a visit that quickly turns violent and terrifying. Husband Georg comes to her rescue, but Paul and Peter take the family hostage and subject them to nightmarish abuse and humiliation. From time to time, Paul talks to the film’s audience, making it complicit in the horror.
The film stars Arno Frisch,...
Written and directed by Michael Haneke, Funny Games has the following synopsis:
An idyllic lakeside vacation home is terrorized by Paul and Peter, a pair of deeply disturbed young men. When the fearful Anna is home alone, the two men drop by for a visit that quickly turns violent and terrifying. Husband Georg comes to her rescue, but Paul and Peter take the family hostage and subject them to nightmarish abuse and humiliation. From time to time, Paul talks to the film’s audience, making it complicit in the horror.
The film stars Arno Frisch,...
- 11/1/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
La Pietà.Something strange is brewing in Spain. At this year’s Fantastic Fest, the biggest genre festival in the US, two Spanish horror films picked up major awards: Eduardo Casanova’s La Pietà won the top prize in the Main Competition, and Carlota Pereda’s Piggy won best picture in the Horror Features category. This year’s selection included not just one or two, but eight Spanish-made horror films (plus one co-production and a series): the sci-fi adjacent Amazing Elisa and The Antares Paradox; new work by established names like Carlos Vermut with Manticore, Jaume Balangueró with Venus, and Casanova with La Pietà; and the series Garcia! (In the interest of full disclosure: I’m a programmer at the festival.) Outside of the strong representation at this year’s showcase, over the last few years there has been a noticeable upsurge in genre pictures coming from mainland Spain:...
- 10/30/2022
- MUBI
Narciso Ibáñez Serrador's series Historias para no dormir remains one of the most important and influential in Spanish television history; part Twilight Zone, part horror anthology, it has been revived a few times, in the early 2000s with works by Alex de la Iglesia and Mateo Gil, and again recently in 2021 with a new series, with filmmakers such as Paco Plaza and Paula Ortiz. The second season continues the strength and creativity of the first, and the earlier series, as it revamps (figuratively and literally) stories from the earlier incarnation of the show. These four one-hour episodes explore stories old and new, monsters human and otherwise; three of the filmmakers are ones familiar to genre fans outside of Spain: Jaume Balagueró, Nacho...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/16/2022
- Screen Anarchy
Quentin Dupieux awarded screenplay prize ex-aequo with himself for Smoking Causes Coughing and Incredible But True.
Finnish production Sisu directed by Jalmari Helander took the main award at the 55th edition of Sitges, marking the director’s second time winning the prestigious Catalan genre event’s best feature award after his 2010 selection Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale.
Helander’s third feature also earned best actor at Europe’s biggest genre film festival for Jorma Tommila, cinematography for Kjell Lagerroos, and music for Juri Seppä and Tuomas Wäinölä. Handled by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (excluding Nordics), the Second World War survival...
Finnish production Sisu directed by Jalmari Helander took the main award at the 55th edition of Sitges, marking the director’s second time winning the prestigious Catalan genre event’s best feature award after his 2010 selection Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale.
Helander’s third feature also earned best actor at Europe’s biggest genre film festival for Jorma Tommila, cinematography for Kjell Lagerroos, and music for Juri Seppä and Tuomas Wäinölä. Handled by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (excluding Nordics), the Second World War survival...
- 10/16/2022
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
Fans of weird and eerie German movies, rejoice! Your Halloween spooky viewing has arrived, and it's carved out a steady spot in Netflix's Top 10 trending watches. "Old People" is German-Romanian filmmaker Andy Fetscher's horror thriller wherein the old eat the young, bludgeon them, and sometimes vomit on them. It's the sort of concept that M. Night Shyamalan would have a field day with, but Fetscher adds more chaos and a cadre of monsters at the door.
A title card at the opening reads:
In times of yore, an avenging spirit was thought to inhabit old people. A dark power that took possession of the frailest members of the clan and drive them into a seemingly blind rage.
That's right – this is functionally an elderly rage-zombie movie. What a time to be alive.
At its core, the story focuses on generational disconnect by observing lonely elders, excluded from local festivities,...
A title card at the opening reads:
In times of yore, an avenging spirit was thought to inhabit old people. A dark power that took possession of the frailest members of the clan and drive them into a seemingly blind rage.
That's right – this is functionally an elderly rage-zombie movie. What a time to be alive.
At its core, the story focuses on generational disconnect by observing lonely elders, excluded from local festivities,...
- 10/13/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
The Sitges Film Festival, the biggest genre film event in Europe, has unveiled its Sitges Fanpitch and WomanInFan winners as the Catalan fest, one hour’s drive south of Barcelona, rapidly ramps up its industry program.
Sitges Fanpitch feature film winners were “Bloody Mary,” “Rain Catcher” and “Krampusnacht.” “Super-Over” (“Superada”) scooped the Sitges Fanpitch Scripted Series award.
Spanish director Joseph Díaz “Bloody Mary” nabbed the Blood Window – Spanish Screamings plaudit for a tale of female empowerment as heroine Mary is beaten to death by a cult leader, only to be possessed by the vengeful spirit of ancestor Helena, burnt at the stake for witchcraft.
Ventana Sur’s genre platform Blood Window unspools Nov. 28-Dec. 2 in Buenos Aires.
U.K. director Michele Fiascaris scored the Bifan-Naff Award with “Rain Catcher,” produced by Filippo Polesel at Yellow Pill. In it, a voyeur ends up getting stalked himself, a modern social-stalker story.
Sitges Fanpitch feature film winners were “Bloody Mary,” “Rain Catcher” and “Krampusnacht.” “Super-Over” (“Superada”) scooped the Sitges Fanpitch Scripted Series award.
Spanish director Joseph Díaz “Bloody Mary” nabbed the Blood Window – Spanish Screamings plaudit for a tale of female empowerment as heroine Mary is beaten to death by a cult leader, only to be possessed by the vengeful spirit of ancestor Helena, burnt at the stake for witchcraft.
Ventana Sur’s genre platform Blood Window unspools Nov. 28-Dec. 2 in Buenos Aires.
U.K. director Michele Fiascaris scored the Bifan-Naff Award with “Rain Catcher,” produced by Filippo Polesel at Yellow Pill. In it, a voyeur ends up getting stalked himself, a modern social-stalker story.
- 10/11/2022
- by Pablo Sandoval
- Variety Film + TV
A new episode of our video series Best Foreign Horror Movies has just been released, and with this one we’re returning to the work of Dario Argento to take a look at his 1985 film Phenomena (watch it Here). This one doesn’t get mentioned as often as some of his other films, but how can you go wrong with a movie that has Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence, and a chimpanzee? Find out all about Phenomena by checking out the video embedded above.
Scripted by Argento and Franco Ferrini, Phenomena has the following synopsis:
A young girl with an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.
Connelly and Pleasence are joined in the cast by Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro, and Patrick Bauchau.
The Best Foreign Horror Movies series is
dedicated to...
Scripted by Argento and Franco Ferrini, Phenomena has the following synopsis:
A young girl with an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.
Connelly and Pleasence are joined in the cast by Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro, and Patrick Bauchau.
The Best Foreign Horror Movies series is
dedicated to...
- 10/4/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
It's high time that someone rewrote Andy Williams' hit single "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" to be about Halloween instead of the godforsaken hellscape known as Christmas. With October officially in bloom and everyone currently scrambling to figure out what to wear this All Hallow's Eve, there's no better time to curl up with a good scary movie. Fortunately, every streaming service understands the value of a good horror movie in October, and the options for one good scare are limitless. Whether it's ghosts, aliens, slashers, psychological nightmares, or even animals run amok, there's absolutely something for everyone.
The classic holiday favorites like "Halloween," "Trick 'r Treat," "Psycho," "The Exorcist," and "The Shining" have all been recommended time and time again, but there's a rich throng of horror movies ready and waiting for your viewing pleasure. To make things even sweeter, 2022 has been a banger year for horror,...
The classic holiday favorites like "Halloween," "Trick 'r Treat," "Psycho," "The Exorcist," and "The Shining" have all been recommended time and time again, but there's a rich throng of horror movies ready and waiting for your viewing pleasure. To make things even sweeter, 2022 has been a banger year for horror,...
- 10/4/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Don't you hate it when you're trying to pull off the perfect crime under the noses of a local drug lord and you end up having to confront supernatural forces bent on subjugating the earth instead, all the while trying to protect a niece that you hardly know because your sister has disappeared? Yeah, me too. Spanish filmmaker Jaume Balagueró has entertained and horrified us in many ways - from his zombie franchise [Rec] (with co-director Paco Plaza), to the haunted house in Darkness, to the psychological thriller in Sleep Tight. In his latest feature, he seamlessly combines two apparently disparate genres into a whole that is quite a wild and bloody ride. Venus starts with a bang and rarely lets us and takes its...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/16/2022
- Screen Anarchy
The impact that 2007's "Rec" has had on the found-footage subgenre can't be understated. While not obviously the first of its kind, it did help popularize it in the early 2000s thanks to its clever framing device of a late-night public access show. It also didn't hurt that the gross special effects, effective jump scares, and intriguing take on the "zombie" made it genuinely terrifying to watch at times.
Fast forward 15 years later, and "Rec" co-director Jaume Balagueró can't seemingly shake the shadow of the film he made with Paco Plaza. That's because his latest film, the Toronto International Film Festival entry "Venus," feels more like a loosely Lovecraftian version of "Rec" rather than its own thing. While "Venus" isn't a copy-and-paste of the 2007 film, there are far more blatant similarities than one might want to see, especially given how its premise promises so much more.
Lucía (Ester Expósito) is...
Fast forward 15 years later, and "Rec" co-director Jaume Balagueró can't seemingly shake the shadow of the film he made with Paco Plaza. That's because his latest film, the Toronto International Film Festival entry "Venus," feels more like a loosely Lovecraftian version of "Rec" rather than its own thing. While "Venus" isn't a copy-and-paste of the 2007 film, there are far more blatant similarities than one might want to see, especially given how its premise promises so much more.
Lucía (Ester Expósito) is...
- 9/15/2022
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
The Juan Galiñanes-directed title stars Spanish actor Luis Tosar.
London and Paris-based production, finance and sales company Film Constellation has boarded sales on upcoming Spanish thriller Fatum, directed by Juan Galiñanes, and currently in production.
It stars Spanish talent including Cell 211 and Sky High star Luis Tosar, Unknown Origins’ Álex García, The Skin I Live In’s Elena Anaya and Elite’s Arón Piper, and will shoot in Spain.
Universal Studios will release the film in Spain next year.
The thriller unfolds as a compulsive gambler and an elite sniper meet when a local betting house gets robbed.
London and Paris-based production, finance and sales company Film Constellation has boarded sales on upcoming Spanish thriller Fatum, directed by Juan Galiñanes, and currently in production.
It stars Spanish talent including Cell 211 and Sky High star Luis Tosar, Unknown Origins’ Álex García, The Skin I Live In’s Elena Anaya and Elite’s Arón Piper, and will shoot in Spain.
Universal Studios will release the film in Spain next year.
The thriller unfolds as a compulsive gambler and an elite sniper meet when a local betting house gets robbed.
- 8/31/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
It’s time for a new episode of our Best Foreign Horror Movies video series, and in this one we’re looking back at the 2007 Spanish production [Rec] (watch it Here), directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. To find out what we had to say about [Rec], check out the video embedded above!
Balagueró and Plaza wrote [Rec] with Luis A. Berdejo, crafting the following story:
A young TV reporter and her cameraman cover the night shift at the local fire station. Receiving a call from an old lady trapped in her house, they reach her building to hear horrifying screams – which begins a long nightmare and a uniquely dramatic TV report.
The film stars Manuela Velasco, Ferrán Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso, David Vert, Vicente Gil, Martha Carbonell, Carlos Vicente, Carlos Lasarte, María Lanau, Claudia Silva, Akemi Goto, Chen Min Kao, María Teresa Ortega, Manuel Bronchud, Ben Temple, Ana Velasquez, Daniel Trinh,...
Balagueró and Plaza wrote [Rec] with Luis A. Berdejo, crafting the following story:
A young TV reporter and her cameraman cover the night shift at the local fire station. Receiving a call from an old lady trapped in her house, they reach her building to hear horrifying screams – which begins a long nightmare and a uniquely dramatic TV report.
The film stars Manuela Velasco, Ferrán Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso, David Vert, Vicente Gil, Martha Carbonell, Carlos Vicente, Carlos Lasarte, María Lanau, Claudia Silva, Akemi Goto, Chen Min Kao, María Teresa Ortega, Manuel Bronchud, Ben Temple, Ana Velasquez, Daniel Trinh,...
- 8/25/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Argentine production company Coruya Cine (“Nocturna: Side A”), led by Javier Díaz, has signed-on to co-produce “The Sugar Girl,” (“La Niña Del Azúcar”) alongside Peru’s Av Films (“Juego Siniestro”). The project, shooting in the remote and sprawling city of Iquitos, will utilize an Amazonian cine noir aesthetic to merge the suspenseful and metaphysical components of four parallel narratives.
“The space is being given to tell the stories of others. It’s not always the narco, it’s also the one who lives in the jungle, taking another look at Latin America and who we are. Before, it seemed that Europeans were the only ones who could talk about the human condition. Latin America also has stories to tell,” Díaz told Variety.
“The Sugar Girl” writer-director Javier Velásquez Varela will lead a mix of Peruvian and Argentine talents as they unravel the mysterious facts surrounding a missing woman amidst supernatural...
“The space is being given to tell the stories of others. It’s not always the narco, it’s also the one who lives in the jungle, taking another look at Latin America and who we are. Before, it seemed that Europeans were the only ones who could talk about the human condition. Latin America also has stories to tell,” Díaz told Variety.
“The Sugar Girl” writer-director Javier Velásquez Varela will lead a mix of Peruvian and Argentine talents as they unravel the mysterious facts surrounding a missing woman amidst supernatural...
- 7/18/2022
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
From the co-director of [Rec], Paco Plaza‘s movie Veronica is getting a prequel with Sister Death (aka Hermana Muerte), and Netflix has revealed that filming is complete. The official account Netflix España has also shared three first-look images this morning, one of which is a still from the movie (above) while the others are on-set photos (below). […]
The post ‘Sister Death’ – First Look at ‘[Rec]’ Director’s Upcoming Prequel to ‘Veronica’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post ‘Sister Death’ – First Look at ‘[Rec]’ Director’s Upcoming Prequel to ‘Veronica’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 6/2/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Things got personal at Cannes Market’s Fantastic 7 showcase this year, highlighting upcoming genre projects selected by seven festivals including Spain’s Sitges, Bucheon in South Korea, Cairo, Guadalajara in Mexico, SXSW and Toronto, as well as Whanau Marama New Zealand Intl. Film Festival.
“I think it’s my most personal film ever,” said director Jaume Balagueró, also behind “[Rec],” co-directed with Paco Plaza.
In his latest film “Venus,” presented by Sitges, he will combine elements of survival drama and modern witchery. Starring Ester Expósito, it’s produced by Álex de la Iglesia and Carolina Bang.
“Why? Because it combines many elements I am personally interested in,” he told Variety.
“It’s a horror, but it’s also a very moving film about love and revenge. It’s very special to me.”
In “La mala madre” (“The Bad Mother”), director Alicia Albares will also draw from her own experiences, moving along...
“I think it’s my most personal film ever,” said director Jaume Balagueró, also behind “[Rec],” co-directed with Paco Plaza.
In his latest film “Venus,” presented by Sitges, he will combine elements of survival drama and modern witchery. Starring Ester Expósito, it’s produced by Álex de la Iglesia and Carolina Bang.
“Why? Because it combines many elements I am personally interested in,” he told Variety.
“It’s a horror, but it’s also a very moving film about love and revenge. It’s very special to me.”
In “La mala madre” (“The Bad Mother”), director Alicia Albares will also draw from her own experiences, moving along...
- 5/23/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
From the co-director of [Rec], Paco Plaza‘s horror movie Veronica made headlines back in 2018 when many declared it one of the scariest movies of the year. All that buzz has now led to a prequel a few years later, with Sister Death being officially announced by Netflix today! Netflix’s Veronica was about a young […]
The post Paco Plaza’s Netflix Movie ‘Veronica’ Getting a Prequel With ‘Sister Death’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post Paco Plaza’s Netflix Movie ‘Veronica’ Getting a Prequel With ‘Sister Death’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 3/28/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Barcelona-based mini studio Filmax has acquired the international rights to Spanish-Portuguese co-production “The Open Body,” a horror story set in the early 20th century and plumbing Galician folk lore. The film marks the feature debut of Spanish director Ángeles Huerta.
Co-produced by Spain’s Ollovivo and Fasten Films, producer of Jorge Dorado’s “Pastor,” and Portugal’s Cinemate, behind Norberto López-Amado’s “3 Caminos,” the film is currently in post-production.
Buyers will have the opportunity to watch a first promo at this year’s Malaga Festival Spanish Screenings, which run March 21-24.
A new genre movie at Malaga, whatever its phase of production, is near bound to be on many buyers radar after Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s “The Platform” (“El Hoyo”) was presented at Málaga’s Work In Progress in 2019, where it was acquired by Latido Films.
Sold to Netflix, it became the most watched non English language film in the U.
Co-produced by Spain’s Ollovivo and Fasten Films, producer of Jorge Dorado’s “Pastor,” and Portugal’s Cinemate, behind Norberto López-Amado’s “3 Caminos,” the film is currently in post-production.
Buyers will have the opportunity to watch a first promo at this year’s Malaga Festival Spanish Screenings, which run March 21-24.
A new genre movie at Malaga, whatever its phase of production, is near bound to be on many buyers radar after Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s “The Platform” (“El Hoyo”) was presented at Málaga’s Work In Progress in 2019, where it was acquired by Latido Films.
Sold to Netflix, it became the most watched non English language film in the U.
- 3/8/2022
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Buzzy horror drama is the debut feature of Finnish filmmaker Hanna Bergholm
Paris-based Wild Bunch International (Wbi) has unveiled a raft of sales for Finnish director Hanna Bergholm’s horror drama Hatching, following its buzzy world premiere in Sundance’s Midnight section.
The debut feature stars newcomer Siiri Solalinna as a pressured, young gymnast who finds comfort in caring for a strange egg that then hatches into an unexpected nightmare.
Hatching has also just won the Grand Prize and youth jury prize at the Gérardmer International Fantastic Film Festival in France (January 26-30), where other winners included Kate Dolan’s...
Paris-based Wild Bunch International (Wbi) has unveiled a raft of sales for Finnish director Hanna Bergholm’s horror drama Hatching, following its buzzy world premiere in Sundance’s Midnight section.
The debut feature stars newcomer Siiri Solalinna as a pressured, young gymnast who finds comfort in caring for a strange egg that then hatches into an unexpected nightmare.
Hatching has also just won the Grand Prize and youth jury prize at the Gérardmer International Fantastic Film Festival in France (January 26-30), where other winners included Kate Dolan’s...
- 2/1/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Hailing out of Spain, Paco Plaza is back with his next horror offering, Grandmother (La Abuela), which seems to be yet another in a long line of elderly-themed horror alongside films like The Taking of Deborah Logan, Dementia, and the more recent Relic. In the film, “Susana (Almudena Amor) must leave her life working as a model in Paris and return […]...
- 10/29/2021
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
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