Tigers Are Not Afraid

I first heard the buzz around Issa Lopez’s Tigers Are Not Afraid (Vuelven) last year after a good number of people saw it at FrightFest. Ever since then it has been in the back of my mind, so when the announcement came that it was being released on the Shudder streaming service it was only natural to jump on it!

And it is so worth it. Issa Lopez’s story magnificently blends the innocence of children’s existence with the harsh realities of their life in this drug-war torn place and effortlessly integrates fantasy elements. The resulting film is at once heartwarming and heartbreaking, devastating and also hopeful.

When Estrella’s (Paola Lara) school is closed due to a nearby gunfight/killing, she returns home to find that her mother is missing. After a disturbing supernatural experience and the dawning realisation that her mother isn’t coming back, she links up with a local group of vagrant boys, led by the enigmatic Shine (Juan Ramón López), it starts them all on a journey to find the truth about Estrella’s mother and save themselves from a similar fate.

Tigers Are Not Afraid is an intoxicating mixture of fairy story and devastating real life, the boundaries of which are seamlessly blurred to the point you’re never quite sure what is real and what is part of the fantasy. Also unafraid to shy away from the incredibly harsh world that these kids inhabit, there are some truly shocking scenes/moments which more than elicit an emotional response. Whilst the supernatural horror isn’t quite at the same pitch as the horrors of reality, it is effective and punctuates this film with a bright spark that lifts you out of the realism.

The cast of child actors carry off this story impeccably, even if a bit slow to start with, they soon get into their stride and their characters are wholly embodied and it isn’t long before you are completely ingratiated into this little bunch of misfits and the family that they ultimately become. The film is beautifully shot, depicting the grey and dour life of the rundown city areas that the kids inhabit and contrasting that with the darkness of the night-time events and a stunning final shot. The effects throughout are also really well done and kept to a minimum, showing flashes here and there and managing to build mystery and atmosphere up to the finale where the truth is finally revealed.

Issa Lopez’s script and her direction are key in translating the story ever so effectively to this end point and bringing the emotional content right to the fore when it is required. Tigers Are Not Afraid is just simply a wonderful film.