The inhabitants of a Spanish village which was painted entirely blue for the filming of a Smurfs movie voted on Sunday on whether they want their houses to remain a vivid shade of azure or to return to traditional white.
Since filming the hillside village has become a huge tourist attraction
Juzcar, inland from Malaga, was transformed six months ago when it was chosen as the set for The Smurfs 3D, becoming the world's first official Smurf Village.
Sony, which made the film, had promised to return the village to its original state, with homes painted in dazzling white, as is typical of southern Spain.
But the 250 locals are expected to vote for the unusual look to be retained, because since filming the hillside village has become a huge tourist attraction, pulling in more than 80,000 visitors.
They embraced the makeover with such gusto that some dressed up as giant Smurfs and held a Smurf fair in the village square.
David Fernandez Tirado, the mayor, who has been nicknamed 'Papa Smurf', said there were "many benefits" to the village being blue. The makeover distinguishes Juzcar from all the other 'pueblo blanco' white villages that dot the landscape of southern Spain.
"It's given a boost to the local economy, it's increased our happiness, our dreams and our levels of employment," the mayor told the Spanish media.
"Thanks to being painted blue we are known throughout the world."
The transformation of the village involved more than a dozen painters and 1,000 gallons of bright blue paint.
Special permission had to be sought from the regional government of Andalusia as well as the local bishop – even the church was painted blue.
The film, which opened in the UK in August, revolved around a plot in which the Smurfs were chased out of their home village by an evil wizard and forced to flee to a new life in New York.
The movie starred the singer Katy Perry as Smurfette, while the wizard was played by Hank Azaria, who provides many of the voices in The Simpsons, including Moe the barman and police chief Wiggum.
Villagers voted in a referendum on Sunday, with the result expected to be announced on Friday.
The Smurfs were created as a comic strips by a Belgian cartoonist, Pierre Culliford, in 1958.
"Thanks to being painted blue we are known throughout the world."
The transformation of the village involved more than a dozen painters and 1,000 gallons of bright blue paint.
Special permission had to be sought from the regional government of Andalusia as well as the local bishop – even the church was painted blue.
The film, which opened in the UK in August, revolved around a plot in which the Smurfs were chased out of their home village by an evil wizard and forced to flee to a new life in New York.
The movie starred the singer Katy Perry as Smurfette, while the wizard was played by Hank Azaria, who provides many of the voices in The Simpsons, including Moe the barman and police chief Wiggum.
Villagers voted in a referendum on Sunday, with the result expected to be announced on Friday.
The Smurfs were created as a comic strips by a Belgian cartoonist, Pierre Culliford, in 1958.
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