First it was the slasher Veneciaphrenia (2021), with which Alex de la Iglesia It took us to the iconic Italian city together with a group of Spaniards who became victims of a plot related to tourismophobia. then came Venus (2022), with the signature of Jaume Balagueróset in Madrid and with Ester Exposito as the protagonist of a story inspired by Dreams in the witch’s house of H. P. Lovecraft. Both projects came from the hand of the specialized label The Fear Collection Created by Sony Pictures International Productions and Pokeepsie Films, in association with Amazon Prime Video.
Now it is the turn of the writer and screenwriter Ostrich Sabadúwho will make his directorial debut with the brand’s third title following one of the house’s objectives, to open the door to projects by new genre directors.
Thus, it is already filmed in locations in and around Madrid, as well as other enclaves in the Basque Country, Anathemawhich has an original script by Ostrich Sabadú and the canary Elio QuirogaSS Venture Award 2021 from the Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival Ciudad de La Laguna Isla Calavera, Award for Best Screenplay and Special Jury Award at the Sitges Festival 1996 for Photos and 2015 Minotauro Award for fantastic literature for his novel those who dream. Filming is scheduled to last 6 weeks.
ANATHEMA, something that for God is considered cursed, contrary or contaminated
Anathema talks about Juana, played by Leonor Watlingwho worked with Of the church in The Oxford Murders (2008), a nun with a strong character marked by a paranormal experience. A mysterious order from the Archbishopric will take her to an old church in old Madrid, built on a network of passageways of unknown origin. Juana will discover that in the bowels of the building there is something prior to the legends that are explained about that place. And the Evil that lives there has begun to infect the exterior. Not in vain, “anathema” is something considered cursed, contrary or contaminated for God.
They star in the story, along with Leonor Watling, Pablo Derqui (The crooked lines of God), Keren Hapuc (sky red), Jaime Ordonez (usual in the cinema of the person in charge of The Day of the Beast), Mauro Brussolo, Mariano Llorente, Manuel de Blas y Xoan Forneas.
In the words of the director, Ostrich Sabadú: «Anathema It is a story of gothic horror with its roots rooted in the most ancestral Madrid, that of the passageways and the lost architectures. And it is that as I drink, eat and breathe scary movies, it is a dream to be able to set my film in this underworld that is so disturbing, sinister and at the same time fascinating.”.
“In addition, having the confidence as a producer of the film director with whom I have enjoyed the most is an honor and, of course, a great responsibility”add about Alex de la Iglesiawho together with Carolina Bro runs the production company Pokemon Movieswith which they have given rise to other projects by new talents such as shrews (2014), by Esteban Roel y Juan Fernando Andres; The Heroes of Evil (2015), both from Zoe Berriatúa; skins (2017), debut feature as director of edward casanova; o Cage (2022), first feature of Ignatius Fatheramong other projects.
With no announced release date, everything indicates that it can be seen at the Sitges Festival, as happened with Veneciaphrenia y Venus, opening film of the last edition of the fantastic film competition. After passing through movie theaters, Anathema It will be available on Prime Video.