Description

Be careful if you go looking for ghosts. You might find them.

Luis and Arturo don’t believe in ghosts. Of course they don’t. But they do believe in movies and the two young would-be filmmakers are convinced that the key to making a name for themselves lies in the unquiet spirits of the dead. You see, there is an old hospital building just outside of town, a former asylum that has been plagued by rumours of hauntings and strange occurrences for years. It seems everyone has a story about the place, which makes it the perfect subject for a riveting documentary. Their lack of experience is no deterrent. They have determination on their side, and hard work. And also an overbearing producer willing to put in the money and a supposed medium to help them commune with the walking spirits. And so, with their motley crew in hand, Luis and Arturo set out to make their film.

Only the ghosts aren’t just stories. They’re real. And they’re not just restless, they’re pissed right the hell off that someone is poking around in their hospital. And before long it’s not just about making a movie but about survival.

The winner of the Audience Award at Mexico’s Morbido film festival, Miguel Gomez’s EL SANATORIO is a crowd-pleasing entry into the mock-doc horror genre. A huge hit with local crowds in Costa Rica, the film deftly balances touches of comedy with believable character work, bursts of genuine fear and some truly disturbing special effects work to create a strong new entry into the faux-doc canon. Gomez is clearly a talent to watch, with EL SANATORIO standing as a blast of pure entertainment.

—Todd Brown