Interview: Jayro Bustamante, Writer, Director, and Producer of La Llorona, New Guatemalan Horror Movie, Shudder

 

Watch or Pass Interview with Jayro Bustamante, the writer, director, and producer of the new Guatemalan horror film, La Llorona. We discuss the motivations for the film, Jayro's desire to spread important messages through film, and some of the push back he received making this film. Also find out what he is working on next! So give it a watch (review here) and if you haven't already seen the film, it is available to stream on Shudder. Directed by Jaryo Bustamante. Starring María Mercedes Coroy, Margarita Kénefic, Sabrina de la Hoz and Julio Díaz. Indignant retired general Enrique finally faces trial for the genocidal massacre of thousands of Mayans decades ago. As a horde of angry protestors threatens to invade their opulent home, the women of the house—his haughty wife, conflicted daughter, and precocious granddaughter—weigh their responsibility to shield the erratic, senile Enrique against the devastating truths being publicly revealed and the increasing sense that a wrathful supernatural force is targeting them for his crimes. Meanwhile, much of the family’s domestic staff flees, leaving only loyal housekeeper Valeriana until a mysterious young Indigenous maid arrives.

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What to Watch This Weekend: August 7, 2020

Emotional Korean Slice of Life Drama - House of Hummingbird (Physical and Digital)

House of Hummingbird is like life.  It is a complicated, layered film but at the same time a simple exploration of a family in the midst of cultural change.  Like life, there is so much going on but Kim's amazing shot choice lets you just stop and appreciate what is happening in the now.  It is like family: messy, rough, emotional, but also beautiful.  For more information, check out our review!

Beautiful Anime About Climate Change And Youth - Weathering With You (Digital)

Weathering With You is an absolutely stunning film with amazing animation, incredible weather effects, and moving music that combine to tell a beautiful, heartfelt story.  For more information, check out our review!

Relatable Story About Life and Success - I Used To Go Here (Digital)

I Used To Go Here is a wonderfully personal story, with an emotional performance by Gillian Jacobs, a quirky, funny cast, and a heartfelt message about life and success.  For more information, check out our review!

Creepy Horror Movie With Historical Context - La Llorona (Shudder)

La Llorona's strong cast, fantastic cinematography and sound design, and the important historical context of this film make it one that should not be missed.  For more information, check out our review!

Powerful Performance And Tense Drama - A Good Woman Is Hard To Find (Digital)

Sarah Bolger's great performance, the interesting story, and the pumping soundtrack make A Good Woman Is Hard To Find an easy movie to appreciate.  For more information, check out our review!

Beautiful Cinematography In This Period Drama - Carmilla (Digital)

Carmilla is a beautiful piece of cinema, with fantastic cinematography, a moving, weighty soundtrack, and interesting, conflicted characters.  For more information, check out our review!

Unfiltered Look At Money And Politics - The Swamp (HBO)

The Swamp gives an unfiltered, in depth look into some charismatic Congressmen and the inner workings of Congress during a pivotal time in politics.  For more information, check out our review!

Insightful Teen Comedy - Banana Split (Netflix)

The movie starring co-writer Hannah Marks serves up a sweet comedic dish in banana split.  It is certified fresh and receives praise for its casting, dialogue, and insightful look into female relationships. 

Intriguing Atmospheric Horror Movie - You Should Have Left (Netflix)
An all star cast of Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried and some intriguing elements make this a creepy set up that just doesn't come together.  However, if you are looking for a new horror experience, then this might be for you.  

La Llorona Review: A Historical Horror Movie With Great Atmosphere

Release date: August 6, 2020
Running time: 97 minutes
Starring:  María Mercedes Coroy, Sabrina De La Hoz, Margarita Kenéfic, Julio Diaz

An aging paranoid dictator, protected by an witchcrafting wife, is dealing with the weight of the acts that brought him to power.  However, when the people he has ruled over begin to rise up, strange things begin happening in the compound that he is forced to live in.  And some of those seem to be the result of his past sins.  

La Llorona has an interesting setup, a dictator going through strange occurrences potentially due to his past misdeeds. The overall setup is relatively small, limited to the dictator, his immediate family, and some of their guards and employees.  A setting like this demands good performances, and the ones in La Llorona are up to the challenge.  The main family have a certain disconnected aspect to them, similar to something out of Wes Anderson but much less whimsical.  It shows that they have been living this privileged lifestyle for a while, divorced from the consequences of the patriarch.  Sabrina De La Hoz as Natalia is particularly interesting as she has a dual role as the daughter of the dictator, but also as a mother and the strong head of the family.  Her character is reserved but when she needs to let loose, she can.  And the film also has some fantastic scenes and lighting, especially during the night.  There are scenes that are framed and lit perfectly, drawing your attention to what is happening on screen or to what is just off screen.  

The legend of La Llorona is that she is a cursed soul forced to wander the world weeping for her drowned children.  Many young people grow up fearing that they will hear that sound, the director included.  With that context, it makes sense that the sound in the film would have received such care.  From the sounds of crying, to the sound of running water, to the constant drumbeat of the people of Guatemala, this movie has some great ambient sound that really helps to fill the scenes.  It is a constant reminder of what is going on off the camera.  And in the scenes when this sound suddenly cuts out, it makes you notice it all the more.  And one of the unique aspects of this movie in the horror context is that it is based on a significant, historical event: the violence committed during Guatemala's civil war.  The movie hopes to raise awareness of this and to start a dialogue about the violence that occurred, through the context of an updated adaptation of a well known horror legend.  The La Llorona in this film is different from the one you see in other horror movies, but that makes this one all the more interesting.  And the way that this movie ties the civil war and the legend of La Llorona is creative and fresh.  

Unfortunately for horror fans, this movie does not have a lot of what I would call traditional horror.  The film has a lot of great setup for the movie, but the horror aspects don't start until late in the film, and aren't as scary or grand as other movies in the genre.  However, the strong cast, fantastic cinematography and sound design, and the important historical context of this film make it one that should not be missed.

Watch it.