The artistic universe and career of Romulo Royo and Luis Royo come to the big screen with Fantasy Art. Luis Royo. Romulo Royo. Goya. Directed by Mirella R. Abrisqueta, this feature-length documentary will have its official premiere at the 59th edition of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in 2026.
Filmed over two years of intensive work, the documentary follows the development of a project shared by both artists, taking viewers into the intimacy of their studio to capture the genesis of their ambitious pictorial project: a creative encounter between the contemporary work of Romulo Royo and Luis Royo and the freer, darker and more unsettling imagination of Francisco de Goya. It is a creative journey connecting two eras separated by more than two centuries through a shared fascination with the fantastic and an exploration of the human psyche.
A Figurative Dialogue with Los Caprichos and the Black Paintings
The documentary explores the way Romulo Royo and Luis Royo reinterpret and engage with the legacy of Goya, particularly Los Caprichos, Los Disparates and the Black Paintings. In this world inhabited by witches, grotesque beings and dreamlike atmospheres, Romulo Royo’s work finds a natural resonance with the language of contemporary figurative art and Fantasy Art.
Going beyond the conventional documentary format, the film becomes a compelling “game of mirrors” in which Romulo Royo contrasts his own aesthetic codes, techniques and visual poetics with those of Goya. Viewers are given direct access to the creative process, witnessing the birth of the paintings, the evolution of colour and the technical resolution of the works from the heart of the artists’ studio.
Through this process shared with Luis Royo, the film also offers a profound reflection on the place of fantastic art within the international contemporary art world.
A Journey from Zaragoza to Lucca
The documentary not only records the technical development of the series devoted to Francisco de Goya, but also follows the artist’s physical and personal journey. The camera accompanies Romulo Royo from his hometown of Zaragoza to key locations in the history of art and in his own international career, including Barcelona, Brussels, Florence and Lucca.
The journey brings together origins and milestones: from the small church in Remolinos (Zaragoza), where a young Goya painted his first spandrels, to renowned institutions such as the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) in Barcelona and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
The climax of the journey takes place at the Palazzo Ducale in Lucca, Italy, where the work of Romulo Royo and Luis Royo was presented in a major monographic exhibition as part of Lucca Comics & Games, one of the world’s largest cultural events dedicated to fantastic art and pop culture.
Fantasy Art and Contemporary Art
A central theme running throughout the documentary is the consolidation of Fantasy Art as a major discipline within the international art scene and the contemporary art market.
Through the testimony of curators, art historians, gallery owners, collectors and international art professionals, the film examines the established careers of both artists. It also raises an open debate within the sector: the need for contemporary fantastic figurative art to occupy the place it deserves in major museums and public collections.
Among the personalities featured in the documentary are Raquel Gallego, curator of the temporary exhibition Goya. Traveller and Artist of the Grand Tour; Alain Huberty, director of Huberty & Breyne Gallery in Brussels; Emanuele Vietina, director of Lucca Comics & Games; Miguel Marcos, director of Galería Miguel Marcos in Barcelona; Rafael Martínez, director of Norma Editorial; Sergio Rincón, art agent; and Juan Royo, economist and collector, among others.
Mirella R. Abrisqueta, Director of the Documentary
The project is directed by filmmaker, screenwriter and producer Mirella R. Abrisqueta, whose work includes El olvido del mar, La mujer que soñaba con números and Cazando lo invisible. She has also received several awards, including the Simón Award from the Aragonese Film Academy.
Reflecting on the background of the film, Abrisqueta explains: this documentary was born from my knowledge and long-standing interest in the careers of Luis Royo and Romulo Royo: two artists with an enormous international impact who, paradoxically, do not enjoy the same level of recognition in their own country outside the worlds of comics and Fantasy Art. Their exhibition devoted to Goya, another artist from Aragon, seemed to me the perfect opportunity to bring their work to a wider audience”.
Premiere at Sitges Festival 2026
The screening of Fantasy Art. Luis Royo. Romulo Royo. Goya at Sitges represents a key moment in the film’s international presentation. The 59th edition of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia will take place from October 8 to 18, 2026, reaffirming its position as a leading international showcase for genre cinema.
Bringing Romulo Royo’s painting, his historical dialogue with Goya and the evolution of his artistic language to the screen at Sitges creates a connection between his artistic universe and an international audience passionate about imagery, visual storytelling and cinema.
We look forward to seeing you at Sitges Festival 2026!