Párvulos – Fantasia 2024
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July 18 to August 4, 2024
Content Advisory: Death/harm to Child, Animal cruelty or animal death, Suicide, Excessive or gratuitous violence
FILM FESTIVAL
Fantasia 2024
Fantasia Film Festival
PROGRAMME
Cheval Noir
Three brothers fight to survive in a post-apocalyptic world in Párvulos. Salvador (Farid Escalante Correa), Oliver (Leonardo Cervantes), and Benjamin (Mateo Ortega Casillas) are three brothers living in an isolated house in the wilderness. A viral outbreak has resulted in much of the population turning into violent zombies and the three brothers have to fight to survive with what little resources they have. This includes caring for the “monster” locked up in the basement.
Párvulos Synopsis
Párvulos is a posy-apocalyptic coming-of-age horror film co-written and directed by Isaac Ezban (Evil Eye). The film takes place in a bleak post-apocalyptic world, visualized by the heavily desaturated cinematography, where three brothers have to fight to survive this world. In addition to the zombified infected, the bothers have to deal with fellow survivors seeking help and the group of religious zealots known as the Trumpets, the leader of which Enoc is played terrifyingly by Noé Hernández (We Are the Flesh).
My Thoughts on Párvulos
Within the first few minutes of Párvulos, the one-legged eldest brother Salvador drinks a protein smoothie made out of ground worms and helps his younger brothers kill a stray dog, used to feed the monster kept in the basement. This sets the dark and bleak tone of Párvulos, even though the film also has moments of levity and family bonding, particularly the mid-film Christmas celebration, which also introduces fellow survivor Valeria (Carla Adell), set up as a possible romantic interest of Salvador. However, ultimately Párvulos ends up being more bleak and intense than The Walking Dead, resulting in a difficult-to-watch, yet recommended, post-apocalyptic film.
