Upiro

Lore & Background

Set in Spain in 1755, Upiro follows Ana, a young woman sent to an isolated monastery where several novices suffer from a mysterious blood disease. An unconventional Franciscan priest investigates the strange events and suspects an ancient supernatural force is responsible. As Ana becomes caught between religious faith, desire and fear, the monastery is threatened by a bloodthirsty vampire-like presence. The film explores the clash between superstition and the ideas of the Enlightenment.

Reader's Guide

Upiro represents a notable entry in contemporary horror cinema, drawing directly from a historical case recognized by the Catholic Church as vampirism. The project gained early industry traction by winning three awards at Ventana Sur's 2021 Blood Window, including invitations to the Sitges Pitchbox and the Network of Asian Fantastic Films, as well as a script analysis prize valued at $3,000. Subsequent development milestones included a Proof of Concept Presentation at the Frontières Platform during Cannes in April 2023 and selection for the 2023 Sanfic-Mórbido Lab. Production support came from Belgium's Wallimage fund in February 2025 and a €675,000 grant from Spain's Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts in December 2025. Shot in May 2025 over four weeks at old Catalan landmarks such as the Convent of Sant Francesc de Paula, Santa Maria in Manresa, and Sant Pere de Casserres, the film uses rich, detailed visuals to strengthen its gothic and supernatural setting. Its release strategy includes a world premiere at Fantastic Fest, a West Coast Premiere at Beyond Fest, competition at the 59th Sitges Film Festival, and a Spanish theatrical release by SelectaVisión on 19 February 2027.

Did You Know?

• The film is inspired by the first documented case of vampirism in the Iberian Peninsula as documented by the Catholic Church.
• Upiro won three awards at Ventana Sur's 2021 Blood Window, including a script analysis prize valued at $3,000.
• The film received €675,000 in selective support from the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts in December 2025.
• Principal photography took place in May 2025 over four weeks at old Catalan landmarks including the Convent of Sant Francesc de Paula.

Narrative & Thematic Core

Upiro, directed by Óscar Martín, positions itself at the intersection of historical thriller and supernatural horror, drawing its inspiration from what the Catholic Church recorded as the first confirmed case of vampirism on the Iberian Peninsula. The story unfolds in 1755 Spain, a period when the ideas of the Enlightenment were beginning to challenge centuries of religious superstition. At its center is Ana, a young woman dispatched to a remote, isolated monastery as penance for her sins. There she encounters a community of novices plagued by a baffling blood-related affliction, while an unconventional Franciscan priest grows increasingly convinced that something far older and more malevolent than any earthly illness is at work. As Ana finds herself torn between devotion, desire, and dread, the monastery becomes a battleground where faith collides with an ancient, bloodthirsty presence. The film uses this gothic setting to dramatize the broader cultural tension between institutional religion and the emerging spirit of reason, wrapping a deeply personal story of atonement inside a larger supernatural threat.

Development & Production Path

The journey from script to screen for Upiro has been marked by a string of industry recognitions spanning several years. The project first gained traction as a triple winner at Ventana Sur's 2021 Blood Window, earning invitations to both the Sitges Pitchbox and the BIFAN Industry Gathering at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, along with the Cine Qua Non Lab prize covering script analysis, consultancy, and a follow-up session worth three thousand dollars. In April 2023, it advanced to a Proof of Concept Presentation at the Frontières Platform in Cannes, a showcase co-organized by Marché du Film and the Fantasia International Film Festival. Eight months later, the Santiago International Film Festival included it in its 2023 Sanfic-Mórbido Lab lineup. Financial backing crystallized in early 2025 when Belgium's Wallimage fund committed support, with the project co-produced by Belgian company Okayss. In December 2025, Spain's Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts awarded a selective grant of 675,000 euros. Principal photography wrapped in May 2025 after four weeks of shooting across historic Catalan sites, including the Convent of Sant Francesc de Paula, Santa Maria in Manresa, and Sant Pere de Casserres, all chosen to amplify the film's gothic atmosphere.

Cast & Visual Language

Óscar Martín's Upiro assembles a substantial ensemble to bring its 18th-century monastery to life. Pauline Brisy takes on the lead role of Ana, the penitent young woman at the story's heart, while Victoria Cerrada appears as Remedios and Diego Anido portrays the unconventional Father Rubis, the Franciscan priest who senses a supernatural force behind the novices' afflictions. The supporting cast includes María Galiana, Javier Botet, Enrique Martínez, Teresa Del Omo, Tania Santana, Carlos Santos, Jaume Balaguero, Juanjo Puigcorbé, Ascen López, Elena Villalba, Lorea Intxausti, María Márnez, and Andrea López. Visually, the film leans heavily on richly detailed imagery to construct its gothic and supernatural world. The decision to shoot across genuine old Catalan landmarks—the Convent of Sant Francesc de Paula, the Santa Maria church in Manresa, and Sant Pere de Casserres—gives the production an architectural authenticity that reinforces the period setting. Rather than relying on artificial sets, the team let centuries-old stone walls and cloisters carry the weight of the story's religious and occult tensions, grounding the vampire-like threat in a tangible, historically resonant space.

Festival Debut & Theatrical Rollout

Upiro's path to audiences is carefully staged across major genre festivals before reaching Spanish cinemas. The film is set to make its world premiere at Fantastic Fest on 18 September 2026, a showcase long associated with bold horror and genre cinema. Just ten days later, on 28 September 2026, it will hold its West Coast Premiere at Beyond Fest. The following month, in October 2026, the picture enters the Official Fantastic In-Competition Selection at the 59th Sitges Film Festival, placing it in direct competition with other genre titles on a stage deeply connected to Spanish cinema. After this festival circuit, the film will arrive in Spanish theatres on 19 February 2027, distributed by SelectaVisión. This sequence—Fantastic Fest, Beyond Fest, Sitges, then the wider Spanish market—reflects a strategy that leverages the film's genre credentials and its Spanish historical setting to build momentum from international genre audiences before a domestic theatrical window.