Music · Film · Culture
Mondejar von Däniken Brings
the Blitz Story to SMAFF 2026
Rusty Egan, Blitzed! and the creative legacy of the New Romantic movement arrive in St. Moritz.
St. Moritz · 22 JULY 2026
Following the success of the Design Museum London exhibition Blitz: The Club That Shaped the 80s, Mondejar von Däniken is bringing Blitz co-founder Rusty Egan and the story of the legendary club to the fifth anniversary edition of the St. Moritz Art Film Festival.
Recognised and championed by SMAFF Managing Director Diana Segantini and her team, the project connects directly with the festival’s 2026 theme, “If Music”, exploring how music moves beyond sound to shape culture.
The Blitz Club lasted just 18 months, yet became the birthplace and creative engine of the New Romantic movement. From a small weekly gathering in Covent Garden, it went on to influence the music, fashion, imagery and attitude of the 1980s around the world.
At its centre were Rusty Egan and Steve Strange, who would also achieve international success with Visage and “Fade to Grey”. The club brought together a generation determined to invent itself, including Boy George, John Galliano, Stephen Jones and Spandau Ballet, while David Bowie recruited faces from the Blitz scene for his landmark “Ashes to Ashes” video.
On Saturday, 22 August, SMAFF will screen the acclaimed documentary Blitzed! at the Scala Cinema in St. Moritz. Following the film, Rusty Egan will join British journalist Martin Deeson for a live conversation exploring the people, music and creative freedom that made the Blitz one of the most consequential cultural spaces of its time.
In keeping with the spirit of the original club, Rusty will close the SMAFF Awards Night with an exclusive DJ set at the legendary Dracula Club.
The project was initiated and brought together by Minerva Mondejar and Darryl von Däniken under Mondejar von Däniken, as part of its continuing work connecting cultural protagonists, institutions and audiences across art, design, film and music.
A further highlight of SMAFF’s fifth anniversary edition is acclaimed British filmmaker Peter Greenaway, who joins the festival as Guest of Honour.
St. Moritz Art Film Festival
20–23 August 2026
Blitzed!: Saturday, 22 August, 20.00
Scala Cinema, St. Moritz
