"Since the advent of the rave in the late 1980s, filmmakers have attempted to incorporate underground dance festivals into their works with varying degrees of success. Oliver Laxe has now graced us with a hypnotic party for the ages in "Sirāt," Spain's 2026 Oscar submission for international feature - a rave that isn't just eye candy but a central plot point, where a middle-age father (Sergi López) searches for his missing daughter as the world descends into chaos."
"For Laxe, who has been embedded in the nomadic rave scene and free party movement for decades, authenticity was key. His team worked with production designer Laia Ateca and two different collectives, Trackers and Drop'in Caravan, to bring the party to life. After a deep dive into the peak rave scene of the 1990s and early 2000s, Ateca took a weekend research trip that opened her eyes to the culture."
Sirāt centers on a massive rave where a middle-aged father searches for his missing daughter as social order collapses. Oliver Laxe drew on decades within nomadic rave and free party culture to prioritize authenticity. Production designer Laia Ateca collaborated with collectives Trackers and Drop'in Caravan and researched 1990s–2000s rave scenes. The crew staged a three-day event run by the collectives, constrained by choices such as using their usual speakers and avoiding cinema lighting to preserve nighttime intimacy. The production sought a monumental wall of sound to match surrounding mountains, and the loud speakers produced visible waves in drinks, proving their power.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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