Maligno (2016)

Maligno: Directed by Paco Bardales, Martin Casapía Casanova. With Sofía Rocha, Fiorella Pennano, Gino Pesaressi, Sylvia Majo. A bloodcurdling legend becomes reality when a mysterious hole opens in the main hospital of a city, and a dark presence is released.

“u0026quot;Malingou0026quot; (2016, Media Luna New Films) directed by Paco Bardales which was screened last year at this Latin American film festival. u0026quot;Malignou0026quot; was shown on the festivalu0026#39;s opening night, marking this film as its only u0026quot;horroru0026quot; genre. This is remarkable considering the recent growth of Latin American fantasy/ horror filmmakers and productions due to u0026quot;art houseu0026quot; pioneering directors like Mexicou0026#39;s Jorge Grau. Amongst the growth has been a churning out of original stories and breaking traditional genres, both horror and Latin American cultural motifs as seen Mexicou0026#39;s fantasy/ horror entries in past international film festivals.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThat being said, u0026quot;Malignou0026quot; is by far an original — a lot of film has notable influences from the Asian ghost-genre like Hideo Nakatau0026#39;s u0026quot;Ringuu0026quot; and maybe also influences from recent U.S.u0026#39;s horror films like the u0026quot;Insidiousu0026quot; series. The directors was not present during the screening were not there to ask if the latter was correct but its keeps grounded with Latin American cultural sources.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe story is about a possessed hospital wing and it has been taken over by a Amazonian indigenous evil spirit, called u0026quot;Malignou0026quot;. In 1986, this spirit was imprisoned and after 20 years desires to come out. The protagonist, helmed by Sofia Rocha as a doctor whose teen daugther (Fiorella Pennano) dressed thought out the film in complete u0026quot;Gothu0026quot; black clothing becomes the human host for the spirit.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt keeps suspense going within a conventional horror format (with obvious nods to Asian ghost films) with a soundtrack of plucked violins strings and loud brassy notes. The matured horror viewer maybe a little critical of this film — for a more general audience should be satisfied with its horrific imagery and sounds.”