Fairy tales and horror films often share the same purpose: to provide thrills, scares, and fantasies for people living comfortable lives. But for people whose worlds aren’t already safe, they can take on a whole new meaning. They become a way to process the scariest, most unpredictable aspects of a world that’s impossible to control.
Pulling from the Latin American tradition of magical realism and influenced by Guillermo del Toro’s early work, in particular, Issa López’s Spanish-language film Tigers Are Not Afraid uses the lens of fantasy and horror to explore the lives of the children who are left behind by the Mexican drug war. It’s visceral in its grim realism, yet it’s also poignant and cathartic in its use of the fantastical. Above…