The House with Laughing Windows

A young art restorer arrives in a small town in the province of Ferrara to restore a long-forgotten fresco in a rural church – a depiction of the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. Its author, who took his own life twenty years earlier, was said to be a strange and disturbing figure. The locals are reluctant to speak about him, growing uneasy whenever too many questions are asked. From his earliest grotesque films, balancing horror and comedy, Pupi Avati has been closely associated with the provincial landscapes of the Emilia-Romagna region (Ferrara being part of it). In his fourth feature film, he once again returns to these familiar settings and to their withdrawn yet eccentric inhabitants. The restoration of the fresco becomes a kind of excavation – into both the past and the collective mentality of the local community. The deeper the protagonist digs, the more closed and stubborn the town’s residents become, determined to conceal and erase a dark and troubling past they themselves cannot fully understand. The parish priest, the mayor, and the small rural community form a united front – an impenetrable wall. But why? Because this is true giallo! With patient precision, Avati gradually uncovers a repulsive secret, revealing a narrative structure that is remarkably intricate and carefully composed. Now regarded as a cult classic, The House… has recently been restored in 4K, making this theatrical screening a rare opportunity not to be missed.

Stanisław Bardadin

Pupi Avati (b. 1938) – Italian director, producer, and screenwriter working across a variety of genres. His films combine elements of horror, drama, and dark comedy, often exploring the complexity of human nature and the mysterious realm of the supernatural. Avati’s horror films do not rely on graphic brutality; their strength lies in unsettling atmosphere, suggestion, and an overwhelming sense of isolation that gradually intensifies alongside mounting tension and threat. Despite his advanced age, Avati remains remarkably active, continually expanding his filmography.

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