Sydney Sweeney's 'Immaculate' Thrills SXSW Audience With Jump Scares

After hosting ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Sydney Sweeney recently attended the world premiere of ‘Immaculate,’ a religious horror film, at SXSW in Austin. Screams and giggles filled the Paramount Theatre as dark humour and spine-tingling jump scares were unleashed upon the audience.

During a post-screening on-stage conversation, Sweeney stressed the film's careful balancing act between narrative depth and horror. Despite the scary parts, she conveyed her gratitude for the audience's interest in the characters and plot.

Also Read: Sydney Sweeney on Hosting SNL: ‘Scared’ Yet ‘So Much Fun’

‘Immaculate’ has the support of Neon, and Sweeney is the lead actress and producer. The movie, which was written and directed by Andrew Lobel and starred Sweeney as Cecilia, is about a young nun in an Italian convent who becomes entangled in sinister secrets.

When the movie was first conceived more than ten years ago, it underwent a major transformation before taking on its final form. Taking cues from vintage nunsploitation movies, Lobel emphasized the teamwork that moulded the story.

The panel discussion covered a wide range of topics related to the movie, such as its lavish Italian setting, costumes, and cinematography. For a large part of the movie, Sweeney played it funny as she described her experience wearing a pregnancy belly, complete with a pouch full of candy.

Sweeney and Mohan reunited on "Immaculate" after working together on the Netflix series "Everything Sucks!" Àlvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, and Simona Tabasco make up the ensemble cast.

Along with Jonathan Davino for Fifty-Fifty Films and David Bernad of Middle Child Pictures, Sweeney co-produced the movie. Black Bear provided funding for the project, while Neon handled worldwide sales.

In addition to the red-faced nuns from the movie, a choir performance preceded the screening and set the eerie mood for the evening.

– Farheen Ali