Grimmfest Interview with THE BARCELONA VAMPIRESS director Lluís Danés

Grimmfest’s first Easter Edition kicks off on the evening of Thur April 1st, 2021 with our preview night, and then continues across the evenings of 2-5 April, with a series of feature film premiere double bills with supporting shorts and Q&As with the cast & crew of each feature. In addition, there’ll be an exclusive pass holder double bill and an ARROW double bill both of which can be accessed any time across the weekend.

There’s so much to watch you won’t have time to get bored this Easter!

In early 20th century Barcelona, little Teresa goes missing shocking the country. When police start investigating Enriqueta Martí, the “Vampiress of Raval”, they cover a much more sinister affair.

What drew you to the project?

I guess the story was what caught my interest, because it mixes both legend and fiction with reality. It’s a very aesthetic story which allows us to talk about ethics and defend the truth from fake news.

How did you get into directing?

I have been directing for a long time documentaries, video clips, theatre plays…That’s the reason why I have always thought I’m a storyteller. I began with theatre a long time ago, especially with visual one, and little by little I have opted for audiovisual, because it allows me to combine all the disciplines that I have worked with: music, circus, theatre… All of them are mixed in cinema and I’m very enthusiastic about it.

How would you sell THE BARCELONA VAMPIRESS in one sentence?

“The Barcelona Vampiress” is a proof of how the power creates fairy tale monsters by hiding the real ones.

The film is visually beautiful. Were there any influences in how you approached it?

I have always been very attracted to Fellini’s, David Lynch’s and Tim Burton’s films. I also love the turn-of-the-century cinema, the beginnings of cinema, from Meliès to Segundo de Chomón. German expressionism also has a very clear influence on this film. What strikes me the most about cinema is its ability to make us imagine unreal worlds even though we know that what we are seeing is a set. This path between visual theater and cinema.

We can’t wait for cinemas to be open again, what film would you love to see the guys at Grimmfest screen to a packed audience?

The movie I’d love to see on the big screen, now that was filmed just forty years ago, is THE ELEPHANT MAN by David Lynch. A film where terror, tenderness, imagination, staging… are set in an absolutely wonderful way. I highly recommend it.

What’s the best horror film you’ve seen for the first time recently?

I really like horror movies, even though I’m not a compulsive consumer. But I remember one that terrified me a lot: Ari Aster’s MIDSOMMAR. I find it disturbing, terrifying, claustrophobic and very imaginative.

What have you got lined up next?

Right now I am starting to work on some projects for television and one movie. Which will revolve around fantasy, stories, imagination… Basically, the territory where I feel more comfortable.

Interview by Sean Luby. Find out more and book your tickets HERE and check out the trailer below: