The past haunts the present in Guatemalan auteur Jayro Bustamante's chilling fusion of folk horror and political thriller, inspired by the real-life indictment of Guatemalan dictator Efraín Ríos Montt for crimes against humanity. In La Llorona, Enrique Monteverde (Julio Díaz), an infamous, aging military dictator, stands trial for atrocities committed against Guatemala's Maya communities. Amidst his legal troubles and the public's cry for justice, Enrique and his family become trapped in their palatial mansion. The arrival of an enigmatic Kaqchikel housekeeper Alma (María Mercedes Coroy) triggers a series of disturbing supernatural occurrences that forces Enrique to wonder if he will face extrajudicial punishment.
This screening will be followed by a community conversation led by the Cambio Center, exploring topics such as Indigenous identity, political movements, and folklore in Latin America.