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An older woman and a young girl stand inside a drained pool, they use many colors of chalk to draw on the walls of the pool, the girl focuses on her drawing as the older woman looks up, a set in her jaw.

Love is the monster Amor es el monstruo

  Neto Villalobos Brenes  |  Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Chile, Mexico

In the near future, a tropical dystopia is ruled by fear and rampant inequality. An ambiguous armed conflict is being fought elsewhere by the society’s men, and the wealthy live hyper-vigilant in gated enclaves protected by armed guards, fearing mysterious threats—and anyone less privileged—from outside their walls. A grandmother, determined to atone for her own failings as a mother, spends as much of the time she has left with her beloved six-year-old granddaughter, while struggling to abide by the community’s strict rules. When a series of missteps plunges them into a dangerous situation, love and fear compel her to make decisions with dire consequences.

Award-winning actress Paulina García shines in her morally complex portrayal of a grandmother whose love pushes her to the brink within Neto Villalobos Brenes’ chillingly familiar vision of a society fractured by inequality and violence. Set against a lush yet threatening dystopian landscape, a deeply human story unfolds: one of sacrifice and risk in the name of family.

 Spanish 

 95 minutes

Screenings & Events

There are currently no upcoming screenings of this film.

Media

Film Credits

  • Ana Lucía Arias, Jimena Hospina, Felipe Zuñiga Sánchez, Neto Villalobos Brenes
  • Neto Villalobos Brenes, Diego van der Laat Alfaro
  • Yibrán Asuad, Neto Villalobos Brenes
  • Nicolás Wong Díaz
  • Paulina García, Gloriana Vargas, Natalia Regidor, Ericka Reinkendorf
  • Pablo Rojas Carballo
  • Isabella Gálvez, Clara Larraín, Carlos Rossini, Sumie García, Carlos Paz
  • La Sucia Centroamericana Producciones, Cine Infinito, Expansiva Cine, Clara Films, Avalancha Studio, Liminal Estudio

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