La Llorona (2019 film)
La Llorona, also known as The Weeping Woman, is a 2019 Guatemalan supernatural horror drama film directed by Jayro Bustamante.[1] It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. It was selected as the Guatemalan entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.[2]
| La Llorona | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Jayro Bustamante |
| Starring | María Mercedes Coroy |
Release date |
|
Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | Guatemala |
| Language | Spanish Mayan-Caqchickel Mayan-Ixil |
Plot
In the 1980s, Guatemalan dictator Enrique Monteverde (based on Efraín Ríos Montt) orchestrated the brutal genocide of native Mayans. Decades later, after being tried and convicted, the guilty verdict is overturned because of a technicality, allowing him to return to his home. The decision is met with disgust and unrest by the public, who hold protests outside the Monteverde home. Despite this, the family lives in relative peace until Enrique's increasingly erratic and senile behavior forces most of his staff to quit. Shortly afterward, a young woman named Alma arrives as a new worker, and supernatural activity ensues.
Cast
- María Mercedes Coroy as Alma
- Sabrina De La Hoz as Natalia
- Margarita Kenéfic as Carmen
- Julio Diaz as Enrique Monteverde
- María Telón as Valeriana
- Juan Pablo Olyslager as Letona
- Ayla-Elea Hurtado as Sara
Release
La Llorona had its world premiere on 30 August 2019 at the Venice Film Festival (Giornate degli Autori) and later screened at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.[3][4] On 6 August 2020, the film premiered on the horror streaming service Shudder.[5]
Reception
Critical reception for La Llorona has been positive and the film received praise from the A.V. Club and New York Times.[6][7] RogerEbert.com rated it at three stars, stating that "“La Llorona” is filled with bewitching imagery and tension, even if it’s less full of surprises and jump scares than other horror movies. Bustamante uses the old haunted tale not to scare us, but to force his audience to reflect on the ways they are complicit in oppression."[8] Horror website Bloody Disgusting 2 1/2 out of 5 skulls, writing "Bustamante delivers a sobering evocation for justice, and in the case of La Llorona, it’s by the hands of a folkloric vengeance seeker. Certain aspects of the story are emotionally powerful, while other threads feel underdeveloped. The predictability of the overarching direction means the slow-burn pacing can drag, and the horror elements are very minimal. If you go in expecting something more historically relevant and genre adjacent, it’s easier to find an in to a narrative that's not always easily accessible."[9]
See also
References
- "The Weeping Woman". Cineuropa. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- Hipes, Patrick (6 November 2020). "Guatemala Submits Horror Pic 'La Llorona' For International Oscar Race". Deadline. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- "Toronto Adds The Aeronauts, Mosul, Seberg, & More To Festival Slate". Deadline. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- "LA LLORONA". giornatedegliautori.com (in Italian). Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- Martinez, Kiko. "Did a Guatemalan Filmmaker Just Make the Best La Llorona Movie Ever?". San Antonio Current. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- Dargis, Manohla (5 August 2020). "'La Llorona' Review: The General in His Horrific Labyrinth". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- "La Llorona offers a more intelligent take on the spooky myth". AV Club. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- Castillo, Monica. "La Llorona movie review & film summary (2020)". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- Navarro, Meagan (5 August 2020). "[Review] Shudder's 'La Llorona' is a Slow-Burn Haunting of the Political Variety". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
External links
- La Llorona at IMDb