Doña Lupe
| Doña Lupe | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Guillermo del Toro |
| Written by | Guillermo del Toro |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Jose Antonio Ascensio |
| Edited by | Luis Kelly |
Release date |
|
Running time | 30 minutes |
| Country | Mexico |
| Language | Spanish |
Doña Lupe is a 1985 short horror film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. It is del Toro's ninth short film, though the first eight remain unreleased. Del Toro filmed Doña Lupe at 19 years of age; reviewers have noted that the film "feels like the work of an amateur artist getting to grips with his craft".[1]
In 2008, Doña Lupe saw its first commercial release as part of the Cinema 16: World Short Films DVD collection. In the audio commentary, del Toro apologizes for the film's poor quality and recounts anecdotes from its troubled production.[2]
Plot
[edit]Policemen Bienvenido and Chato rent rooms in a house owned by Doña Lupe, an elderly woman in financial trouble. Doña Lupe mistrusts the men, but allows them to stay, as she needs the money. When they change the locks and begin smuggling suspicious materials into the house, Doña Lupe decides to take drastic measures.[1][2]
Cast
[edit]- Josefina González de Silva as Doña Lupe[3]
- Jose Luis Vallejo as Bienvenido[3]
- Jaime Arturo Vargas as Chato[3]
- José Luis Vallejo as Bienvenido Almereida[3]
- Jaime Arturo Vargas as Javier "Chato" Cañedo[3]
- Hermilo Barba as Don Jesús[3]
- Javier Cañedo as Mongol[3]
Production
[edit]The film reflects the taste for crime stories and horror film expressed by del Toro in a later interview. The director also states having expressly wanted to set the story in a provincial ambient.[4]
It is del Toro's ninth short film[5] but the first to have been presented to the public.[6] This explains why the film is often presented as his directorial debut.[7]
Screenings
[edit]The film was screened at various festivals,[8] including the first Guadalajara Film Festival, in 1986.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ewins, Michael (May 3, 2012). "Cinema 16: #2. Sikumi (On The Ice) (Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, 2008) / Doña Lupe (Guillermo Del Toro, 1985)". e-filmblog.blogspot.com. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
- ^ a b Stewart, James A. (November 28, 2008). "DVD Verdict Review - Cinema 16: World Short Films". dvdverdict.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Doña Lupe". cinetecanacional.net. Archived from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
- ^ Tsao, Leonardo García (2021-06-18). Guillermo del Toro: Su cine, su vida y sus monstruos (in Spanish). GRIJALBO. ISBN 978-607-38-0176-8.
- ^ Hustle, Indie Film (2022-08-30). "Guillermo del Toro's Short Film: Doña Lupe". Indie Film Hustle®. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ República, La (2019-08-16). "Guillermo del Toro: ¿fan del cineasta? no te pierdas "Doña Lupe", su primer corto [VIDEO]". larepublica.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ "Oscar 2023: Las 10 mejores películas de Guillermo del Toro; ¿Dónde verlas en streaming?". El Financiero (in Spanish). 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ Wood, Jason (2006). Talking Movies: Contemporary World Filmmakers in Interview. Wallflower Press. ISBN 978-1-904764-90-8.
- ^ Tsao, Leonardo García (2012-03-28). El ojo y la navaja (in Spanish). Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial México. ISBN 978-607-11-1574-4.