Morbido 2024: CDMX Genre Fest Announces Lineup, Local Hit PARVULOS Will Open

Mórbido celebrates its 17th edition and does so with a grand selection of feature length films and shorts from all over the world, along with 3 world premieres and 27 LATAM premieres which had their world releases at some of the most important festivals in the world such as Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Sundance, Annecy, Sitges, Tribeca and SXSW.

 

This year will host a series of special screenings celebrating the very best of genre film along with unique collaborations and the presence of filmmakers. 

 

On inauguration day, Párvulos (2024) by Isaac Ezban, an eagerly awaited Mexican production thanks to Corazón Films. Additionally in collaboration with Diamond Films, presenting the pre-release of Terrifier 3 (2024) by Damien Leone. As well as the Latin American release of Witchboard (2024) by Chuck Russell, who will be present to interact with fans of his preview’s films such as The Mask, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors y The Scorpion King.  Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of The End (2024) by Carles Torrens will have its American release, with the director and the novel's author Manuel Loureiro thanks to Prime Video. 

 

Finally, the restoration of The Savage Hunt of King Stakh (1980) by Valeri Rubinchik will be screened in collaboration with Belarusfilm, a jewel of a cult film. 

 

Additionally, the festival will hold a double feature of Chain Reactions by Alexandre O. Phillipe and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre by Tobe Hooper. 

 

Mexican Cinema will have a predominant spot, highlighting Edgar Nito’s A Fisherman’s Tale as well as the triumphant return of Rigoberto Castañeda with Night Shift thanks to Sony Pictures. 

 

Morbido Film Fest will have as guests, filmmakers: Isaac Ezban, Chuck Russell, Carles Torrens, Rigoberto Castañeda, Edgar Nito, Julio Hernandez Cordón, Federico Cecchetti, Alejandro G. Alegre y Chris Nunn.

 

Morbido’s official selection comprises 100 short films and 52 feature length films of which 6 of them are Mexican, 7 from different latin american countries and 27 from the rest of the world, 9 documentaries, 3 classic films that return to the big screen in this edition. 

 

Gaze upon this edition’s official poster based on the original work by José Manuel Schmill Ordonez titled: El Nene (The baby) inspired by a series of Mummies that Schmill acquired throughout the length of his career as an interpreter of human beauty. This work is inspired by the beauty of the human being as well as a reflection of the folklore of the departed in Mexico, signifying a new era for the festival. 

 

MEXICAN CINEMA

 

Párvulos 

 

(Mexico; dir. Isaac Ezban) 

 

Premiere CDMX Fantasia FF, Fantastic Fest, Sitges FF 

 

Three young brothers who live in a cabin in the middle of the forest hide a dark and disturbing secret in their basement.  

 

 

Night Shift 

 

(Mexico; dir. Rigoberto Castañeda) 

 

Premiere CDMX FICM 

 

A nurse with a troubled past begins a night shift at a hospital where a ghostly presence roams the wards after dark.

 

 

Jíkuri

 

(Mexico; dir. Federico Cecchetti) 

 

FICG, fic Monterrey, Transmutations 

 

The fate of Rayenari, a Tarahumara runner, will be altered by the encounter with the mysterious French poet Antonin Artaud.

 

 

The Day is Long and Dark 

 

(Mexico; dir. Julio Hernández Cordón) 

 

Málaga FF, Fantasmagoría Medellín FF, Transmutations FF, Bafici 

 

Vera, a teenager who cannot control her thirst for blood, is depressed, because she does not want to live and is afraid to attack her mother and the boy she likes. With the help of Cruz, his father, he tries to calm his deadly instincts.  

 

 

A Fisherman's Tale 

 

(Mexico; dir. Edgar Nito) 

 

Premiere CDMX Sitges FF, FICM 

 

On a fishing island in Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacán, an evil lake spirit haunts the inhabitants, casting a dark shadow over their lives.  

 

 

I Heart Willie: The Origin of Mickey 

 

(Mexico; dir. Alejandro G. Alegre) 

 

World Premiere

 

An obsessed psychopath leads his friends into a deadly mousetrap where pure evil seeks to harvest his skin and embody the very character he helped create, in this terrifying origin story of the most beloved cartoon character of modern times.

 

 

LATIN AMERICAN SECTION 

 

1978 

 

(Argentina; dir. Nicolás and Luciano Onetti) 

 

Premiere Mexico Sitges FF 

 

During the Argentine military dictatorship, a group kidnaps the wrong people, mistaking them for dissidents. As the interrogation progresses, a terrifying truth is revealed to captors and captives.

 

 

Abraço de Mae (Brazil; dir. Cristian Ponce) 

 

Premiere Mexico Sitges FF, Rio de Janeiro FF 

 

During a massive storm in Rio in 1996, Ana's fire crew evacuates a dilapidated asylum where mysterious residents have sinister plans.  

 

 

The Devil's Tear 

 

(Peru; dir. Gonzalo Otero) 

 

World Premiere 

 

A group of young Americans make an ecological documentary in an enigmatic Peruvian forest. When they arrive, the locals warn them of the presence of the Supay, a mythical Andean being capable of taking different forms. Without considering these warnings, the group will enter the forbidden territory only to face its altered fate.  

 

 

The Hyperboreans 

 

(Chile; dir. Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León) 

 

Premiere Mexico Cannes, Shanghai FF, Sitges FF 

 

The narration and the illusions of a woman bring to life the controversial figure of Miguel Serrano, a Chilean writer who propagated neo-Nazi esoteric philosophies, provoking reflection on his place in history.  

 

 

Deus Irae 

 

(Argentina; dir. Pedro Cristiani) 

 

Premiere Mexico Mar del Plata FF, Brussels FF, Night Visions. 

 

Javier stares at a crucifix and his expressions and hands suggest that nerves are consuming him. A flashback reveals that a priest dedicates his life to visiting families and cleansing their homes of the demons who try to possess them.   

 

 

Portraits of the Apocalypse 

 

(Argentina; dir. Fabian Forte) 

 

Premiere Mexico Fantasia FF, Rio de Janeiro FF, Screamfest Horror FF 

 

Four interconnected stories develop the beginning and evolution of a zombie apocalypse in Buenos Aires.  

 

 

Perkings 

 

(Chile; dir. Patricio Valladares) 

 

World Premiere 

 

Marc is a small-time thug in his 50s who sells drugs to a brutal drug dealer named Camila Camion in a small town in Chile. After falling victim to a rival cartel during a delivery gone wrong, Marc is forced to embark on a bank robbery with his best friend Jose and an inexperienced young petty thief to pay off the debt he owed to Camila before she eliminates him.

 

 

GLOBAL SECTION

 

Terrifier 3 

 

(USA; dir. Damien Leone) 

 

Premiere LATAM Fantastic Fest, Sitges FF Courtesy of Diamond Films 

 

Art the clown sets out to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Miles County as they sleep peacefully on Christmas Eve. 

 

 

Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End 

 

(Spain; dir. Carles Torrens) American Premiere 

 

with the presence of the director Sitges FF Manel protects himself from a rabies-like disease that spreads across the planet, until he is forced to leave and meet unlikely but indispensable fellow travelers.

 

 

Witchboard 

 

(USA; dir. Chuck Russell) 

 

LATAM Premiere

 

With the presence of the director Fantasia FF Remake of the 1986 classic. Emily, a drug addict in rehab, and her fiancé open a café in New Orleans. They find an ancient pendulum board that unleashes dark events. They seek help in the occult, revealing sinister connections to "Witchboard".

 

 

Scared Shitless 

 

(Canada; dir. Vivieno Caldinelli) 

 

Premiere LATAM  Fantasia FF, Frightfest 

 

A plumber and his germ-phobic son are forced to get their hands dirty to save the residents of an apartment building, when a genetically modified, bloodthirsty creature escapes through the plumbing system.

 

 

Frankie Freako 

 

(Canada; dir. Steven Kostanski) 

 

Premiere LATAM Fantasia FF, Splat! 

 

An ode to practical effects and 90's American cinema the monotonous life of workaholic Conor is shaken when he stumbles upon the advertisement for Frankie Freako's party line with a strange dancing leprechaun.

 

 

Spermageddon 

 

(Norway; dir. Rasmus Sivertsen, Tommy Wirkola) 

 

Premiere LATAM Annecy 

 

A mix between The Saugage Party and Pixar. Clumsy teenagers Jens and Lisa experience their first sexual intercourse, while sperm Simon and friends embark on an adventurous search for the Egg.

 

 

It doesn't get any better than this 

 

(USA; dir. Rachel Kempf, Nick Toti) 

 

Premiere LATAM Toronto FF, Sitges FF 

 

Found-footage. It can only be seen in theaters. Two horror fans buy a creepy duplex to shoot a movie. Outside, they discover a sect in a trance. As they investigate the phenomenon, their obsession grows, pursuing a real horror experience.

 

 

Straight on till Morning 

 

(USA; dir. Craig Oueliette) 

 

Premiere LATAM Dances with Films, Silicon Beach FF 

 

Lesbian horror romance. Two dreamers, Dani, a village singer, and Kaitlin, a waitress, begin to fall in love with each other on a spontaneous road trip. The future is bright, until they cross paths with a twisted family with something much darker in mind.

 

 

Arcadian 

 

(USA, Ireland, Canada; dir. Rachel Kempf, Nick Toti) 

 

Premiere LATAM SXSW, Sitges FF 

 

Starring Nicolas Cage. A father and his two teenage sons try to survive the ferocious creatures that attack their remote farm.

 

 

Deviant 

 

(Spain, dir. Daniel Caneiro) 

 

Premiere Mexico Fantasy A young man dismisses family plans on Christmas Eve when he is captivated by an online date. However, he ends up kidnapped by a sinister duo with dark purposes.

 

 

Oddity (Irlanda; dir. Damian McCarthy)

 

Premiere LATAM

 

SXSW, Sitges FF, Bifan, NIFF, Fantasia, MotelX, Splat!

 

A young woman discovers the truth behind her sister's death with the help of a wooden mannequin.

 

 

She Loved Blossoms More 

 

(Greece, France; dir. Yannis Veslemes) 

 

Premiere LATAM Tribeca FF 

 

Three brothers build an unusual time machine to resurrect their long-dead mother.

 

 

Else 

 

(France; dir. Thibault Emin) 

 

Premiere LATAM Toronto FF, Sitges FF, Screamfest, Splat! 

 

A shy man falls in love with an outgoing woman, but their romance is threatened by a strange pandemic that merges the victims with their surroundings, trapping the couple in a metamorphic ordeal.

 

 

Trizombie 

 

(Belgium; dir. Bob Colaers) 

 

Premiere LATAM Fantastic FF 

 

In a world full of zombies, a group of unlikely heroes embark on a perilous journey to rescue their missing friend.

 

 

Dead Mail 

 

(USA; dir. Joe DeBoer, Kyle McConaghy) 

 

Premiere LATAM SXSW, Toronto FF, Frightfest, Screamfest, Splat! 

 

An ominous note for help arrives at a post office in the '80s, connecting a dead letter researcher with a kidnapped keyboard technician.

 

 

Sayara 

 

(Turkey; dir. Can Evrenol) 

 

Premiere Americana MotelX, Splat!, Fantasy FF, Istanbul FF 

 

When her sister is murdered by a group of wealthy kids with political connections, Sayara, a quiet gym cleaner from Turkmenistan, begins to follow in her father's footsteps, seeking a path of revenge.

 

 

Sanatorium Under the Hourglass 

 

(UK, Germany, Poland; dir. Hermanos Quay) 

 

Premiere LATAM Venice FF, Sitges FF, BFI 

 

Based on the novel of the same name by Bruno Schultz. A man visits his dying father in a sanatorium. During his journey, a ghostly train transports him to the edge of a mythical forest.

 

 

The Devil's Bath 

 

(Austria, Germany; dir. Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz) 

 

Premiere LATAM Berlinale, Tribeca FF, Sitges FF, Neuchâtel FF 1750. 

 

Agnes does not feel comfortable in her husband's world. A scandalous act seems to be the only way out. A deep and disturbing psychogram of a woman, based on historical records.

 

 

MadS 

 

(France; dir. David Moreau) 

 

Premiere Mexico Sitges FF, Romania FF 

 

A teenager goes to see his dealer to try a new drug before going to party. On the way home, he picks up an injured woman and the night takes a surreal turn.

 

 

Vincent Must Die

 

(France, Belgium; dir. Stéphan Castang) 

 

Premiere LATAM Sitges FF, BFI, MOTELX 

 

Vincent is attacked for no apparent reason. When the phenomenon intensifies, he must flee and completely change his way of life.

 

 

Vampire Zombies... from Space! 

 

(Canada; dir. Michael Stasko) Premiere LATAM 

 

Fright Nights From the depths of space, Dracula has devised his most dastardly plan to date: to turn the inhabitants of a small American town into his personal army of vampire zombies! A motley crew of a hardened detective, a novice and skeptical cop, a heavy smoker and a determined young woman team up to save the world from the world.

 

 

In our Blood 

 

(USA; dir. Pedro Kos) 

 

Premiere Mexico Fantasia FF, Rio de Janeiro FF, Screamfest 

 

Horror FF Found-footage. Filmmaker Emily Wyland reunites with her mother for a documentary. When her mother goes missing, Emily and cinematographer Danny search for clues to her whereabouts among the traces of her past addictions.

 

 

El Instinto 

 

(Spain; dir. Juan Albarracín) 

 

Premiere Mexico Fantasia FF, Rio de Janeiro FF, Screamfest Horror FF 

 

An agoraphobic architect in desperate need of a cure, he undergoes experimental therapy from a hunting dog trainer.

 

 

SUN 

 

(United States, dir. Dominic Lahiff) Premiere LATAM Splat! 

 

After the disappearance of his wife, a haunted dancer experiences a night of partying that descends into a dark and chaotic hell.

 

 

From the End of the World 

 

(Japan; dir. Kazuaki Kiriya) Premiere Mexico NIFF 

 

Hana is an ordinary high school girl. One day, he dreams of a girl who lived during the Sengoku era. When she wakes up, Hana is kidnapped by a mysterious government agency run by people convinced that her dreams can save the world.

 

 

Traumatika 

 

(United States, Pierre Tsigaridis) 

 

Premiere LATAM Sitges FF, Fright Fest 

 

A boy's night terrors come true when his mother begins to show signs of demonic possession. What you are about to experience will haunt you for the rest of your life and claim countless lives over generations.

 

 

Couples to Hell 

 

(Korea, dir. Anglee)  

 

Premiere Mexico PanicFest, Santiago Horror Film Festival 

 

Cruel stories of 4 couples who are unhappy to be together.

 

 

MORBIDOCS SECTION 

 

Chain Reactions 

 

(USA; dir. Alexander O. Philippe) 

 

Premiere LATAM Venice FF, Beyond Fest, BFI London, Imagine Fantastic Fest 

 

Explore how the horror classic "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" impacted the artistic vision and psyche of Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Stephen King through interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

 

 

Al Margen 

 

(Spain; dir. Eduardo Casanova) 

 

Premier LATAM Atlántida FF 

 

Documentary that tells the story of Moisés, a man who set himself on fire in the heart of Madrid in 2010, starring in headlines that barely outlined the reasons for his tragic decision.

 

 

Exorcism 

 

(Spain; dir. Alberto Sedano) 

 

Premiere LATAM Sitges FF Narrated by Iggy Pop.

 

 After the death of the dictator Franco and the consolidation of democracy, "Classified S" films – restricted to those over 18 years of age due to their provocative content – represented a stage in which sex went from being a sin to a cinematic expression of political freedom.

 

 

Realm of Satan 

 

(USA; dir. Scott Cummings) 

 

Premiere LATAM Sundance, Thessaloniki, CPH:DOX 

 

A ritualistic documentary that bewitches the viewer, drawing them into a mystical world of magic, mystery and misanthropy. A singular portrait that shows Satanists in both the everyday and the extraordinary.

 

 

Grand Theft Hamlet 

 

(UK; dir. Sam Crane, Pinny Grylls) 

 

Premiere Mexico SXSW, CPH:DOX, Sitges FF, Visions du reel, Hot Docs, BFI 

 

Sam and Mark, two financially struggling actors, find solace in pandemic confinement by staging Hamlet in Grand Theft Auto Online (2013), battling enemies as they connect through William Shakespeare.

 

 

Children of The Wicker Man 

 

(USA; dir. Justin Hardy, Dominic Hardy, Chris Nunn) 

 

Premiere LATAM Fright Fest 

 

50 years after the filming of The Wicker Man (1973), director Robin Hardy's lost correspondence reaches his filmmaker son Justin who, along with his brother Dominic, will travel to discover the complex nature of independent cinema and fatherhood.

 

 

Nobody Worried More 2.0 

 

(Argentina; dir. Gustavo Mendoza) Premiere Mexico Sitges FF 

 

Biographical documentary about the life of the successful Spanish theater, film and television actor, Narciso Ibáñez Menta, father of the also famous Narciso "Chicho" Ibáñez Serrador.

 

 

Otra Piel 

 

(Chile; dir. Patricia Correa) FICG, BAFICI 

 

Miguel, a 38-year-old hunter and taxidermist who takes advantage of his unusual vocation to create a museum that allows blind children to learn safely to live with and respect animals.

 

 

Call me Paul 

 

(Spain; dir. Victor Matellano) 

 

Premiere LATAM Sitges FF 

 

On the occasion of the ninetieth anniversary of the birth of actor and director Jacinto Molina, better known as Paul Naschy, this documentary collects the legacy of the legendary figure of fantastic horror.

 

 

MORBID CLASSICS 

 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 

 

(USA; 1974 dir. Tobe Hooper) 

 

Halloween function. Double Feature with Chain Reactions.

 

 

The Savage Hunt of King Stakh 

 

(Belarus; 1980 dir. Valeri Rubinchik) 

 

Restored version. Courtesy of Belarusfilm. Premiere LATAM Chicago International FF, Montréal World Film Festival The film is set in remote Belarusian forests at the end of the nineteenth century. A young ethnographer, Andrej Bielarecki, arrives there to investigate local folk legends.