Best of Frightfest: As the twentieth anniversary of Arrow Video Frightfest approaches, we at team THN take a look back at some of the best and brightest films that have screened over the last two decades. Today’s pick is Tigers are not Afraid.
Tigers are not Afraid originally screened as part of Frightfest’s Glasgow selection in 2018. Unfortunately Glasgow 2018 was the year that the beast from the east hit the UK. The result was that many devoted Frightfesters, including some of the organisers themselves, had to turn back halfway to Glasgow. Thankfully though, Frightfest brought this film to London as part of its summer event so that fans would not miss out on this absolute diamond of a movie.
Estrella (Paola Lara), a ten-year-old girl living in Mexico finds herself the owner of three wishes soon after her mother disappears. After her wish first – the ‘bring her mother back’ wish – has some unexpectedly frightening repercussions, she finds herself on the streets. Before too long, Estrella partners with a young boy, El Shine (Juan Ramón López), and his band of orphaned friends. The newly formed group find themselves at war with the local cartel, witnessing and enduring things that no child should ever have to.
Every once in a while a film comes along that defies words. One that is simply sheer perfection, and Tigers Are Not Afraid (Vuelven in its original language) is definitely one of these films. It’s a beautiful blend of innocence and brutality that embraces the dark fantasy ethos superbly. Issa López has crafted a sublime mix of darkness and light. Visually the film flits between sun-soaked, almost documentary-style, shots of daytime Mexican slums, to dark and magical night-time scenes. They compliment each other spectacularly and help to balance the fantastical with the real. Equally as good as what is onscreen, is the score. It highlights the more ethereal elements of the film and cements the connection to our emotions.
Watching Tigers Are Not Afraid is like stepping into a enchanting nightmare. There’s an uncomfortable darkness wrapped-up in a charming package. In contrast to the darkness is there is a true fairy-tale slant to the whole affair, and the addition of whimsical animations and creatures just reinforces this. Letting our child heroes still be children is a brilliant decision. Despite the bleak things that they go through, they always have time to play games. It’s a perfect display of the resilience of youth and one that will make your soul soar.
Weaving intricately and evocatively through the uplifting scenes, this film goes to some very dark and disturbing places. Just as there are moments of heart-swelling joy, there too are instances of gut-wrenching heartache. With characters so intricately brought to life, it’s painful at times to watch their journey, but that’s what makes this film all the more special. The instances of true horror are handled deftly, López clearly knows how to tease the viewer, never giving too much away until it’s really needed.
Tigers Are Not Afraidensnares the viewer from its opening story of the ‘Prince who forgot how to be a tiger’, and doesn’t let go until the credits have finished rolling. A beautiful blend of Pan’s Labyrinth, City of God and Hook, Tigers Are Not Afraid has everything you could want from a film; darkness, light, pathos and hope. To get all of this into just eighty-five minutes beggars belief and proves that Issa López is definitely one to watch. If there is any justice in the world, she has a bright and shining future ahead of her. A truly emotional movie; put simply, you will struggle to find a more perfect film than this.
Arrow Video Frightfest returns for its twentieth year on 22nd August 2019. Full details about the event can be found on the Frightfest website.
Kat Hughes is a UK born film critic and interviewer who has a passion for horror films. An editor for THN, Kat is also a Rotten Tomatoes Approved Critic. She has bylines with Ghouls Magazine, Arrow Video, Film Stories, Certified Forgotten and FILMHOUNDS and has had essays published in home entertainment releases by Vinegar Syndrome and Second Sight. When not writing about horror, Kat hosts micro podcast Movies with Mummy along with her five-year-old daughter.
