The Chapel – Fantasia 2024
James Cameron Teaches Filmmaking
July 18 to August 4, 2024
Content Advisory: Death/harm to Child
FILM FESTIVAL
Fantasia 2024
Fantasia Film Festival
PROGRAMME
Selection
A non-believing medium reluctantly helps a young girl develop her gift in The Chapel. Every Halloween, a Spanish village unseals its central chapel to commemorate a girl named Usoa taken by Plague Doctors in the middle of the Black Death. Emma (Maia Zaitegi) is a young girl, who has been working with local medium Ivana Peralta to develop Emma’s gift for communicating with the dead. However, Mrs. Peralta suddenly passes away and Emma is left trying to convince Ivana’s non-believing daughter Carol (Belén Rueda) to help instead.
The Chapel Synopsis
The Chapel is a Spanish supernatural drama directed by Carlota Pereda (Piggy). The film stars Belén Rueda (The Orphanage) as Carol Peralta, a cynical woman who blames her late mother for the fact that half her face is burned. However, Carol is approached by Emma, a young girl who wants to develop her ability to communicate with the dead, so she can communicate with her mother (Loreto Mauleón), currently dying of cancer. Emma has only a few days to make contact with the ghost of Usoa before the chapel is sealed for another year.
My Thoughts on The Chapel
While his name is not attached to the film, The Chapel is very in line directed and produced by Guillermo del Toro, particularly The Devil’s Backbone and The Orphanage, the latter of which also stars Belén Rueda. While The Chapel features plenty of ghosts, particularly the Plague Doctor spirits “The Birdmen,” the film is ultimately much more a family drama than a horror film. While this may turn off some viewers expecting a scary film, The Chapel is still worth watching for fans of the supernatural.
Trailer for The Chapel – Fantasia 2024
