4 Latin American Horror Films From 2022 You May Have Missed
Latin America is currently undergoing a horror boom within the film industry. Some countries are still developing their unique perspective through cinema while others have been perfecting their craft for decades. This is leading to a generous amount of Latin American horror films currently being released. Unfortunately, the majority of the Latin American horror films released this year have not reached American distributors. They solely appeared in the festival circuits or are only available through physical copies in their native language without subtitles. But fear not as the films appearing on this list are more easily accessible and available to stream.
The Curse of La Patasola (USA/Colombia)
Before jumping into horror films from Latin America, I want to cover two American films whose influences come from Central and Southern American folklore. Director AJ Jones grabs hold of a well-known Colombian folklore monster and brings it to the screens for the first time in The Curse of La Patasola.
The film follows two American couples as they venture into a deserted forest. Their issues of infidelity, trust, and loyalty surface. But, they only become part of the problem once La Patasola, a female monster who lures unfaithful men to be killed, is out for blood. Following suit of other low-budget creature features, La Patasola stays hidden for the majority of the film. But, she’s still an intimidating force as Jones utilizes other ways to create intimidation from the monster. Because of this, the monster is mainly hidden until the climax and the drama is placed at the forefront. Still, The Curse of La Patasola might scratch that itch creature feature fans like myself look for.
The Legend of La Llorona (USA/Mexico)
While The Curse of La Patasola brings a new folkloric monster into the horror genre, director Patricia Harris Seeley brings a familiar face. The Legend of La Llorona is the third entry featuring the world-famous La Llorona alongside Michael Chavez’s The Curse of La Llorona and Jayro Bustamante’s La Llorona within a four-year span. You’d think this folktale would be hitting repeating tropes and tired narratives. But Seeley brings a fresh cinematic perspective as her story takes place within Mexico. A vacationing American family of three come face to face with the local legend of La Llorona and attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding the origins of the ghostly figure with the help of a local named Jorge (Danny Trejo). Seeley decides to showcase this familiar legend by not taking itself too seriously which works to its advantage.
Virus:32 (Uruguay)
The plot of a virus infecting humans and turning them into beasts that act on their savage instincts isn’t new to the horror genre. This same premise was used just this year with Rob Jabbaz’ The Sadness. What sets Gustavo Hernández’s Virus: 32 apart is the additional twist on the virus. After an attack, the infected must take a 32-second rest period to regain their strength. Hernández takes advantage of this twist as he places his protagonist Iris (Paula Silva) in a claustrophobic setting of a gym. Her search for her missing daughter Tata (Pilar Garcia Ayala) within the building is filled with tension as she must navigate through the horde of the infected. But just like his past projects such as The Silent House, the relationship between a troubled mother and her daughter is Hernández’s focal point.
PussyCake (Argentina)
Out of all the films on this list, PussyCake was the one film I have been excitedly waiting for quite some time. The plot focuses on an all-girl rock band named PussyCake consisting of Elle Cake (Macarena Suárez), Sara Cake (Aldana Ruberto), Juli Cake (Sofia Rossi), and Sofi Cake (Anahí Politi) who get stuck on an island with interdimensional monsters.
With the attachment of director Pablo Parés, my excitement just couldn’t be contained. My love for his work grew after his directorial debut Plaga Zombie. Surprisingly enough, there were plenty of similarities between these two films. While PussyCake is not a perfect film, it certainly comes with a lot of charm and personality just like Plaga Zombie. Where Parés works best is combining a vibrant and unforgettable aesthetic with multiple gallons of practical effects such as blood, vomit, puss, and any other fluids that would make Sam Raimi proud. PussyCake definitely hits the mark when it comes to being a splatterpunk horror nightmare filled with good rock music, gooey goodness, and colorful characters.
To be able to witness the horror boom surrounding Latin American culture is truly a treasure. These narratives are slowly making it to the United States and the discourse about the themes presented has already surfaced online. It’s a joyous time and I’m excited to see what Latin American horror films emerge onward. And if you are too, feel free to connect with me @mileyperaltajr. We can undergo this Latin American horror journey together.
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