THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA
There’s a terrifying legend on the prowl
Director Michael Chaves
Starring Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, Patricia Velásquez, Marisol Ramirez
“The trick with La Llorona is that it’s an oral tradition, and there’s a ton of variations,” says Michael Chaves of the tales that inspired his horror film. “But the essence is always the same: This is a ghost who hunts children.” As far as chilling sells go, that’s a doozy.
The Curse Of La Llorona is the latest film from producer James Wan’s Atomic Monster Productions (home of the Conjuring universe), and ‘La Llorona’ is a ‘weeping woman’ from Mexican folklore. “I wanted to honour the essence of what makes her legend so enduring,” Chaves tells TF. “My hope is the movie will feel authentic to people who grew up hearing the stories, but that those who didn’t will feel that same sense of terror when they encounter this amazing figure.”
Linda Cardellini leads the cast as a social worker and mother drawn into a supernatural mystery. To up the scare factor, this is a period piece set in 1973. “No internet. No cell phones… With a period movie, you get a sense of mystery that you can’t have in the Google age,” Chaves explains. “We wanted to create a sense of discovery as to who La Llorona is.” Consider us intrigued. MM The curse of la llorona opens on 19 april.