The Bone Woman

"Terror, at least in the eyes of this writer, is more powerful when it expresses contemporary anxieties, recurring social issues translated as supernatural entities or spirals of descent into madness. This description could apply to Huesera, Michelle Garza Cervera's feature film debut about Valeria (Natalia Solián), a young woman who becomes pregnant, a source of happiness for her and her partner. However, as her pregnancy progresses - and with it her anxieties and pressures - she begins to experience the appearances of a strange and violent entity, gradually questioning whether she is not losing her mind. Influenced by such varied sources as David Lynch and David Cronenberg (among others), Huesera balances themes ranging from motherhood and identity to sexuality, questioning them against the idealized mother figure upheld by Mexico's sexist and conservative Catholic society. It is one of the most powerful horror and Mexican cinema debuts in recent years, an instant classic of the genre and of national cinematography. Read more in our Huesera review."