Weird Worcester 2: Italian Horror Festival

Katherine (Catriona) MacColl

Catriona gained cinema popularity by playing the female leads in three gruesome and atmospheric Italian horror films directed by Lucio Fulci: City of the Living Dead (1980), The Beyond (1981), and The House by the Cemetery (1981).

The House by the Cemetery is a personal favourite, and her presence alone makes it even more worthwhile.

Francesca Ciardi

Francesca Ciardi is an Italian film actress. She was one of four actors whom the Italian police believed had been murdered in the making of the 1980s horror movie Cannibal Holocaust

Gabriel Yorke

Another of the four actors who the Italian police believed had been murdered in the making of the 1980 horror film, Cannibal Holocaust.

Sergio Stivaletti

Italian special effects maestro Stivaletti is perhaps best known for his work in several Dario Argento and Michele Soavi movies as well as his iconic make up and creature effects work for DEMONS 1 & 2.

Lamberto Bava

Lamberto Bava, son of legendary filmmaker Mario Bava, carved out his own legacy in the world of Italian horror. Bava brought a kinetic, almost rock-and-roll style to the genre — pairing over-the-top gore with a heavy soundtrack. Whilst different to his contemporaries like Argento or Fulci, Bava’s films are loved for their sheer entertainment value, striking visuals, and unapologetic embrace of horror’s outrageous side. He remains a cult favourite and a vital part of Italy’s horror film legacy.