[Fantastic Fest] Review: Everyone Will Burn (Y Todos Arderán)

A small town called Razas del Monte bears witness to horrific deaths and mysterious goings-on after the arrival of a young girl who is anything but childish, following behind the town’s “odd woman,” María. A chance meeting at a bridge where María José (Macarena Gómez) seems to be in the throes of wanting to end her life changes her trajectory and brings a new child into her life who decides that María is her “mom.” Little did María know, she was getting not only a new child, but a new life altogether.

Director David Hebrero along with co-writer Javier Kiran uses extraordinary shots to tell a story of a town plagued not by a prophecy in the use of a lullaby, but by lies, secrets, and murder. With María having lost a son and divorced, she is reluctant to take on Lucía, the mysterious girl who enjoys torturing naughty boys and nosy neighbors who can’t seem to leave well enough alone. You don’t want to believe that Lucía is the one behind the misfortunes that take place, but you know without a doubt that she is a more than subtle flavor of evil. Especially when she speaks of “dad,” who we can only surmise to be a red entity with gigantic horns. While everyone in the town seems to be hiding something, María is the only one willing to confront the truth of things—much to the chagrin of the mayor’s wife, Teresa (Ana Milán), who knows the truth about María’s son’s demise.

Shown at Fantastic Fest, Everyone Will Burn showcases some beautiful use of colors throughout the film, as well as amazing cinematography (an aerial shot in the beginning of the film while María is driving from the bridge is astounding). It is in Spanish, but it is a fantastic foreign horror that is well-worth the subtitles. The star of the film is Sofía García in her portrayal of Lucía, who is sinister in the best way possible, portraying a child who is powerful yet playful. She steals every scene she is in, capturing the qualities we most enjoy in children in murderous and scary roles. And don’t we just love a creepy kid?

The film feels like it would have fit well into a series as well, particularly due to the run time being almost 2 hours long. However, you do not immediately notice the runtime because the story is moving along at a decent pace. The film is well-written, the characters are interesting, and even with some moments where you’re not sure if you should laugh, you will have no doubt about the dread meant to be felt.

Everyone Will Burn (Y Todos Arderán) is screening now. Find out more here.