LATEST BALAGUERO’S TO OPEN SITGES FILM FEST
‘Venus’, Directed by Jaume Balagueró and Starring Ester Expósito, to Open Sitges 2022
Alex de la Iglesia presents the second film from The Fear Collection, a label specializing in Spanish horror created by Sony Pictures International Productions and Pokeepsie Films in association with Prime Video
Jaume Balagueró’s latest and eagerly awaited film, Venus, will be opening the 55th edition of the Sitges Film Festival on October 6th. The Catalan director has crafted a terrifying story co-written together with Fernando Navarro, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and starring Ester Expósito. Following its screening at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival, Sitges will be hosting the film’s European premiere.
Venus is the second project from The Fear Collection, the Spanish film label specializing in the horror and suspense film genre, created by Sony Pictures International Productions and Pokeepsie Films (Álex de la Iglesia and Carolina Bang’s production company), in association with Prime Video. Its official presentation took place at last year’s Festival edition. Venus participated in the past Fantastic 7 held at Cannes 2022, as the project presented by the Sitges Film Festival. Veneciafrenia, a film directed by Álex de la Iglesia, is the first feature film from The Fear Collection and it also premiered at Sitges 2021
The terrifying Venus stars Ester Expósito (When Angels Sleep, Your Son, Elite, Rainbow), Ángela Cremonte (Cable Girls, Liar), Magüi Mira (Reflejos, A Normal World), Fernando Valdivieso (Cross the Line, Sky High) and Federico Aguado (Plastic Sea, Los renglones torcidos de Dios), among others. In Venus, Balagueró, who also co-wrote the screenplay together with Fernando Navarro (‘Verónica’, ‘Unknown Origins’), conjures up cosmic terror inside a building in the suburbs of Madrid.
Jaume Balagueró has opened Sitges at past editions with Darkness, [REC 2] -together with Paco Plaza- and [REC 4]. He has also been part of the Festival’s Official Selection on numerous occasions, with films like The Nameless (which garnered three awards), [REC] (together with Paco Plaza, which also picked up three awards), Fragile, Sleep Tight, and Muse. In addition to having participated in his first short films and winning awards for Alicia.
The film will be arriving exclusively in theaters across Spain on December 2nd courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Following its theatrical run, `VENUS’ will be available on Prime Video.
