Written by Lisandro Sanchez and Jayro Bustamante
Directed by Jayro Bustamante
Starring Margarita Kenéfic, María Mercedes Coroy, Julio Diaz and Sabrina De La Hoz
Language: Spanish
Running time: 1 hour and 37 minutes
Not Rated - language, violence, thematic elements

by Audrey Callerstrom

It’s helpful to understand a few things going into Jayro Bustamante’s La Llorona. Although the top results of a Google search might mislead you, this is not the same as the English-language film The Curse of La Llorona, nor is it related to another film of the same title in post-production. Additionally, llorona (which loosely translates to “wailing woman”) is a Latin American legend about a woman who drowned her two children and then herself after finding her husband with another woman (there are other origin stories as well). Director Jayro Bustamante recalls being terrified of la llorona as a boy, and that he was told that hearing her cries was a sign that he deserved punishment. Lastly, Guatemala, where La Llorona is shot and takes place, is well-known for having some of the highest levels of violence, poverty and inequality in the region. There’s more history here, of course, than I can sum up in a film review, but it’s also worth noting that in 2012, former Guatemalan dictator Efraín Ríos Montt was found guilty of genocide, but the verdict was overturned years later due to his inability to serve his sentence (he died shortly thereafter).

Enrique (Julio Diaz), a dictator, is on trial for genocide. Bustamante directs a suspenseful trial scene, focusing on the victim statement of one woman, concealed in a veil, centered in frame. It gradually pulls out to reveal a packed courthouse. Enrique’s lawyer, in his defense, claims that Enrique never ordered to target a race, but only wanted to “create a national identity of this country.” Likewise, Enrique supposedly doesn’t even understand the charges against him - he has Alzheimer’s. Enrique is found guilty, much to whoops and hollers from a triumphant crowd, only for the verdict to be overturned shortly thereafter. The community is in uproar, and Enrique shelters at home with his wife Carmen (Margarita Kenéfic), daughter Nathalia (Sabrina De La Hoz), and Nathalia’s young daughter, Sara (Ayla-Elea Hurtado). Enrique’s staff of servants have all quit amid the uproar, which brings a young, peculiar maid, Alma (María Mercedes Coroy) to the family’s estate.

La Llorona evolves to an unintended drama about how tensions run high during a shelter in place. Protesters make it unsafe for anyone to leave. Carmen fully denies any wrongdoing on Enrique’s behalf, and claims the victims in the courtroom were “whores paid to lie.” Nathalia is more skeptical, particularly because she fears her father may have had something to do with the disappearance of her husband. We have a keen understanding of what living in this house is like. Servants are disregarded, important subjects are not discussed. Enrique’s behaviors are enabled, in part, by his complacent wife and their care team. The film is shot in color, but it’s nearly black and white - everyone dresses in white or beige, matching the flat, unfriendly interior of their home. Nathalia, a doctor, doesn’t treat the staff as nastily as her parents; deep down, she knows she’s the next generation that needs to do things right.

While La Llorona makes a clever use of the legend in its title as a metaphor for the victims of genocide, it comes up short as a horror film. Visuals are not very inspired, there are few moments of surprise, and the musical score is minimalist. It’s strongest as a political/family drama, and it could have played to those strengths by exploring the characters a bit more. Why isn’t the film told from the perspective of Nathalia? She seems to be the most complex and sympathetic character. Additionally, Bustamante isn’t sure how to exit the film, and the very last moments feel hastily put together. It’s an unsettling film with strong performances and unexplored potential.

La Llorona premiers on Shudder Thursday, August 6th.