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| Tigers Are Not Afraid, poster. ©2019 Shudder |
“Tigers Are Not Afraid/Vuelven” crosses the line between fiction and reality - timely, powerful, and provocative!
A decade of the ongoing “War on Drugs” has resulted in thousands of deaths and missing persons in Mexico. The acclaimed writer/director Issa López courageously addresses the increasing problem of the forgotten children of war. In her new genre film, street children bargain with drug dealers and corrupt politicians and face death.
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| Issa López Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo ©2019 Festival in LA. |
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| Tigers Are Not Afraid ©2019 Shudder. |
López started her career writing successful comedies like “Casi Divas/Road to Fame,” but she always dreamed of working in drama. She is a big fan of genre movies. As a disciplined writer for this project, López woke up an hour early to write one scene each day. For her, blending the elements of a fairy tale with the character archetype was very satisfying.
The idea behind making this “Tiger” movie came from López’s conversation with a journalist. They wondered what was happening with the child victims of the War on Drugs. These children live alone in ghost towns. López cleverly considers her film a reflection of Mexican reality.
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| Tigers Are Not Afraid ©2019 Shudder. |
The director explains that her biggest challenge was finding children who could perform authentically in front of the camera. The production auditioned 600 youngsters, narrowed it down to 200, and finally selected five. All of the children were first-time actors who did an outstanding job.
Handling children’s exposure to violence is challenging. Therefore, Issa López collaborated with the Brazilian casting director of the realistic film “City of God.” She told her, “You need to work with the emotions of those children.” López used techniques to capture and release the children’s reactions, encouraging their best performances.
López says, “In a movie, fear is the hardest emotion to portray.” Before filming, she discussed fantasies, misconceptions, and other realities with the children. “It was easy for them to empathize with the other children who have no parents,” she explains.
The story begins with the poetic narration of the fairy tale “The Prince and the Tiger.” Estrella (Paola Lara), a ten-year-old girl, subconsciously enters a fantasy that blends with her reality when bullets fly overhead. To ease the tension, the schoolteacher grants her three wishes. From that moment, a magical sense of blood follows the little girl.
A few days pass, and Estrella realizes her mom is not coming back to feed and hug her. When she wishes for her mother’s return, whispers in her ear seem to echo. Feeling hungry, she has no choice but to join the street children to survive.
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| Tigers Are Not Afraid ©2019 Shudder. |
El Shine (Juan Ramón López) is the clan’s leader. He refuses to accept a girl as a new member, but Estrella has what it takes to challenge him. El Shine has a cellphone with an incriminating video of one of the Narcos torturing Estrella’s mother and other women.
Technically, the script is detailed, and the short dialogues are unique and relevant to each character, ensuring the narrative flows smoothly.
Issa López’s style aligns with that of other great directors, such as Alejandro Amenábar’s “The Others,” J.A. Bayona’s “The Orphanage,” Guillermo del Toro’s “The Devil’s Backbone,” Jeff Nichols’ “Midnight Special,” and, more recently, “Brightburn” by David Yarovesky.
The timing of this film couldn’t be better for what children experience today around the world. The director compares children left alone in Mexico with those from Central America who escape violence, cross the US border, and are separated from their families, often being hauled in containers.
American children can’t escape the chaos caused by mass school shootings. Child soldiers in African countries, the Sicario kids in South America, and many children worldwide face terrifying times.
In Issa López’s world, believing in fairy tales to face these challenges is essential. Remember, you only have three wishes to fulfill your destiny.
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| José Alberto Hermosillo, Issa López. Photo: ©2019 Festival in LA. |
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