According to various trades, Guillermo del Toro's fantastical Pan's Labyrinth has been selected as Mexico's foreign-language submission for the 79th Annual Academy Awards.The film received a 22-minute standing ovation at Cannes apparently, and reaffirms del Toro's mastering of dark, gothic imagery.
The film is set in 1940s Spain against the post-war repression of Franco's Spain, and centers on Ofelia, a lonely and dreamy child living with her mother and adoptive father, who is a military officer tasked with 'ridding the area' of rebels. In her loneliness, Ofelia creates a world filled with fantastical creatures and secret destinies. With Fascism at its height, Ofelia must come to terms with her world through a fairy tale of her own creation.
Written, directed, and produced by del Toro, U.S. audiences will have to wait until December 29th to see the R-rated film, which looks absolutely gorgeous if we are to judge it by the teaser trailer.
Mexico has done well for itself over the last few years, having already had 2 films in the last 6 years nominated as Oscar contenders for Best Foreign-Language Film.
