The 2017 Spanish supernatural horror film , directed by Paco Plaza (co-creator of [REC] ), became a global sensation for its atmospheric dread and tragic ties to a real-life police case. Set in 1991 Madrid, the movie follows a teenage girl who inadvertently invites a malevolent force into her home after attempting to contact her deceased father via a Ouija board during a solar eclipse. The Infamous "True Story": The Vallecas Case

Director Paco Plaza clarified that while the police report was the starting point, the movie is a fictionalized "vision" rather than a documentary. Movie Highlights & Themes

The film is loosely based on Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro , who died mysteriously in 1991 after performing a séance at school.

The film's success eventually led to a prequel, ( Hermana Muerte ), which was released on Netflix in 2023.

Beyond the scares, critics highlight themes of adolescence and menstruation , with the supernatural terror serving as a metaphor for the frightening transition into womanhood.

Netflix's marketing claimed that only 1 in 100 viewers could finish the film, though critics often describe it more as a "slow-burn atmospheric dread" than a constant jump-scare fest. Cast and Production Details Sandra Escacena Ana (Mother) Ana Torrent Lucía (Sister) Bruna González Irene (Sister) Claudia Placer Antoñito (Brother) Iván Chavero Sister Death Consuelo Trujillo

A major driver of the film's "scariest movie" reputation is its connection to the Vallecas Case , the first instance in Spanish history where a police officer officially recorded unexplained paranormal activity in a report.

Sandra Escacena, in her film debut, earned critical praise for her portrayal of a girl burdened by grief and the heavy responsibility of caring for her younger siblings.