Latin American Horror Movies to Enjoy on Halloween
In the darkest month of the year, we recommend some Latin American horror movies that will not let you sleep once you see them.
The technical and artistic level of these films has evolved notably in recent years, to the point that each story shown there reflects part of our identity as a country. Photo: YT-Dynamo Cinema
LatinAmerican Post | Theoscar Mogollón González
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Leer en español: Películas de terror latinoamericanas para disfrutar en Halloween
Horror movies always occupy an important place in the tastes of moviegoers, since they usually show us a particular vision of our deepest fears such as death, spirits, darkness, etc. Particularly in Latin America, these films go a little further by acquiring peculiarities of each region that range from dictatorial states and enforced disappearances to femicide and civil wars.
The technical and artistic level of these films has evolved remarkably in recent years, to the point that each story shown there reflects part of our identity as a region and each one as a country. Because not everything is Hollywood, for this occasion we wanted to bring you seven recommendations of Latin American horror films that you should not miss this Halloween.
Llanto maldito (2021)
From Colombia we open this special with one of the horror films released this year. Director Andrés Beltrán was inspired by a Colombian legend named Tarumama to develop this film, which shows us a family that goes on vacation to a cabin. Óscar and Sara are a couple in crisis who seek to solve their marriage, but on this trip more problems will be added when a supernatural being appears.
La Llorona (2019)
While we have witnessed different films about the legend of La Llorona over the years, this modern version of Guatemala has garnered rave reviews from critics. Director Jayro Bustamante takes us to the history of his country and the genocide that occurred between 1981 and 1983. There, General Enrique Monteverde faces a trial for crimes against humanity in a rural area, but in the end the sentence is null and he returns home in the middle of protests. What no one expects is that the figure of La Llorona will appear to demand justice.
Aterrados (2018)
Demián Rugna is an Argentine director who is being considered by experts as a promise of horror cinema in Latin America. And it is that this film has everything: supernatural entities capable of killing people, things that move without explanation, voices that are heard everywhere, as well as the occasional gore scene. The protagonists of the plot will have to solve the enigmas of the mysterious death of a young woman and for that they will turn to a specialist in paranormal activities. The scenario? Haunted houses.
As boas maneiras (2017)
Brazilian cinema has made us used to good dramatic and action stories, but this time the terror and suspense make this film one of the best options to watch. Directors Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra brought an enigmatic and intense film to the big screen. Here we follow Clara, a nurse who is hired by Ana to take care of her and her baby during and after pregnancy. The plot will take unexpected turns when Clara witnesses Ana's mysterious sleepwalking episodes that will cause her to behave in strange and sinister ways.
Also read: Do you dare to get into these horror movie sets?
No estamos solos (2015)
Although this Peruvian film is developed with a fairly conventional story like those seen in Hollywood, the staging and other details made by director Daniel Rodríguez Risco and his team make it a good option to enjoy at this time of the year. Paranormal events, evil spirits that haunt a family, and the always effective exorcist, adorn this well-made film, with great touches of terror and a kind of tribute to several classics of this genre.
La casa del fin de los tiempos (2013)
From Venezuela comes this film that, at the time, became the most watched thanks to its plot full of suspense and terror. A piece of art made by the director Alejandro Hidalgo, the story takes us through the life of Dulce, a mother who lives with her two children and husband in an old house. There they will begin to live terrifying encounters with ghostly apparitions that will end with a tragedy. Thirty years after that fateful night, Dulce will return home to try to decipher the mystery that has plagued her all that time.
La casa muda (2010)
If there is something that increases terror in a movie, it is that it is based on real events, and so it is with this production directed by Gustavo Hernández who was inspired by what happened in a small town in Uruguay. Here we will meet Laura and her father, Wilson, who are hired to restore a country house that will be put up for sale. Everything goes smoothly until Laura hears a sound coming from outside and louder upstairs. Faced with fear and constant danger, the protagonist tries to get out alive from a house that hides a terrible secret.
