Film: El Laberinto del Fauno
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Country: Mexico
Released: May 2006
Runtime: 120 minutes
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Estudios Picasso, Telecinco Cinema
Influenced: J.A. Bayona, Debra Granik, Andrés Muschietti, Coralie Fargeat, Adrian Molina
One of the curiosities of this incredible dark fantasy movie is the translation of its title. The original Spanish title, El Laberinto del Fauno, refers to the fauns of Roman mythology, while the English, German and French titles refer specifically to the half-goat, half-human Greek nature deity, Pan. However, del Toro has stated explicitly that the faun in the film is not Pan; more than anything, it is inspired by the Satyr figures from Greek mythology. Though the film has the feel of an age-old fairy tale, it was actually a completely original story created by the visionary Mexican director, who has a deep appreciation for traditional folklore. Del Toro has mentioned that the film is, in part, a response to the sanitised Disney-style versions of fairy tales and a return to the darker and more complex nature of traditional folklore. Inspirations for the story include Gothic literature, European folklore and myth, and classic works of fantasy, most notably Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Like Alice, the film's main character, Ofelia / Princess Moanna (Ivana Baquero), is a young girl in a fantastical and surreal world, who is set various quests in the underworld and who encounters an array of mythical creatures. Del Toro has stated that he considers the story to be a parable, addressing and continuing themes first explored in his 2001 film, The Devil's Backbone, to which El Laberinto del Fauno is a spiritual successor. Set in 1944 against the backdrop of fascist Spain, the story follows a young girl named Ofelia who, along with her pregnant mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil), moves to a remote military outpost commanded by her stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi López). As the Captain ruthlessly quashes a local rebellion, Ofelia discovers a mysterious labyrinth where she meets a faun – played by American actor and contortionist Doug Jones – who sets her on a quest to prove herself as the reincarnation of Princess Moanna, the underworld's lost princess. As Ofelia navigates the challenges of the labyrinth, the fantasy world intertwines with the brutal reality of her surroundings.
Del Toro is known for keeping extensive notebooks filled with sketches, ideas and musings, and these notebooks have served as a wellspring of inspiration for his projects, notably El Laberinto del Fauno. The director aimed to create a visually stunning and emotionally powerful film about how our imaginations can be used as a means of escape from harsh realities. To create his vision, Del Toro employed a combination of practical effects, makeup and CGI, including a memorable and challenging scene involving Ofelia encountering a giant toad. The scene required intricate puppetry and practical effects, showcasing del Toro's dedication to using tangible elements to create a visually stunning and immersive world. The movie seamlessly combines elements of fantasy, horror and historical drama, notably in the eerie encounter with the Pale Man, a child-eating monster with eyes on its hands.
El Laberinto del Fauno received widespread critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including three Oscars for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography (overseen by Guillermo Navarro) and Best Makeup. The film also received Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Language Film, Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score (the score was created by Spanish composer Javier Navarrete). It also won various other awards and is now considered one of the finest films of the 21st century. A sequel, entitled 3993, was conceived by Del Toro but ultimately cancelled; instead, a novelisation of the sequel by Del Toro and Cornelia Funke was published in 2019. Some of Del Toro's finest projects since have remained in the realm of fantasy, including The Book of Life (2014), a collaboration with Jorge R. Gutierrez about Mexican folklore, The Shape of Water (2017) and Pinocchio (2022), the latter a stop-motion animated adaptation of the classic Italian children's fantasy novel.
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