Veneciafrenia is a 2021 Spanish horror film about a group of tourists in Venice who find themselves fighting for their lives – it seems the locals are not too keen on foreigners. The movie is part of the film series ‘The Fear Collection’.
Directed by Álex de la Iglesia (The Bar; Witching and Bitching; The Last Circus; The Day of the Beast; Perdita Durango) from a screenplay co-written with Jorge Guerricaechevarría. Produced by Carolina Bang, Álex de la Iglesia and Giacomo Gagliardo (line producer).
The movie stars Caterina Murino, Cosimo Fusco, Silvia Alonso, Ingrid García Jonsson, Enrico Lo Verso, Nico Romero, Alberto Bang and Alessandro Bressanello.
Plot:
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 decades has sparked anger among Venetians.
To stop the invasion, some have organised, unleashing their survival instincts. Our protagonists, a simple group of Spanish tourists, travel to Venice with the intention of having fun, oblivious to the problems that surround them. There they will be forced to fight to save their own lives…
Rent or buy Veneciafrenia on Digital via Amazon Prime
Reviews:
“Veneciafrenia has a very striking credits sequence involving collage animations, makes great use of the city as a setting, and has great set-pieces. But often de la Iglesia veers into too-much-of-a-good-thing territory, and the editorial aspect about the effect of global tourism is muddled and weirdly beside the point…” The Kim Newman Web Site
“The premise, which is grounded in fact, is really interesting […] Ironically, Veneciafrenia itself might cause further damage as its target audience is seduced by Pablo Rosso’s striking, swooping renderings of the city’s sunlit canals, its lavishly appointed interiors and its misty alleyways. But the film’s element of homage to the city’s glories is diluted by its reliance on tired Venetian tropes.” Screen Daily
“Supposedly we should identify with Ingrid Garcia-Jonsson but she is not a character that conquers us or serves as a leader […] The film is watchable, but there is nothing special in my opinion. Even so, on a formal and aesthetic level, De La Iglesia never fails.” Terror Weekend [translated from Spanish]
” …fast-paced, in yer face and wildly colourful feature, that makes full use of the setting. The byways of Venice have rarely looked more beautiful, with light reflections from rippling water dappling the ancient buildings in a shimmering lattice of shadowplay. It’s completely over the top, campy as hell but with enough of a vicious edge to appease the gorehound in me…” Wraith Ape
Release date:
Veneciafrenia was released theatrically in Spain on April 22, 2022.
In the US, Veniciafrenia was suddenly and surprisingly released on VOD on September 12, 2023. Rent or buy Veneciafrenia on Digital via Amazon Prime
YouTube reviews:
Teaser:
Trailer:
Extended clip:
Production companies:
Amazon Studios
Pokeepsie Films
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
Technical details:
Aspect ratio: 2.35: 1
