Veneno para las hadas
Director: Carlos Enrique Taboada
Writer: Carlos Enrique Taboada
Cast: Ana Patricia Rojo, Elsa María Gutiérrez, Leonor Llausás

Plot:
Flavia (Elsa María Gutiérrez) and her family just moved to a new house. In her new school, Flavia makes friends with Verónica (Ana Patricia Rojo) who is a little weird and socially not very well integrated. Verónica is jealous of Flavia who comes from a rich and loving family, while she herself is an orphan living with her disabled grandmother. Since Verónica would like to be a witch, she uses that to convince Flavia of that. Flavia believes and subsequently becomes entirely dependent on Verónica who wields that power over her.

Veneno para las hadas was awesome. The natural progression of the story, the way it is set in scene and the ending – I really loved it.

This is a film that happens in the children’s realm and in the children’s realm only. Not only because its two protagonists are children and it is their logic that is applied throughout – Verónica’s desire to be a witch exactly because they are intimidating, her making up the rules as she goes along, Flavia doubting it all just enough to believe it even more, her playing along for long stretches without minding until things get scary again – the film is right there with the girls and their perspective.

But also the camera work mirrors the kids’ world. There are only a couple of instances were we get to see the faces of adults in the film – and then its only when these adults don’t have any agency (anymore) and are basically only props to scare the children. The rest of the film the adults’ most prominent feature is their absence. Yes, they influence and worry and try to take part in what’s happening with the girls, but they never actually reach them.

Taboada found amazing actresses in Rojo and Gutiérrez. Even at their young age, their chemistry is palpable and it carries the entire movie. You believe their relationship and the dynamic that comes with it every second of the way.Maybe that is why I did not see the end coming until just before it happened. I always thought that things would not go very well for at least one of the girls, but the way it went down did surprise me.

I was unsure whether I actually wanted to see the film (which was the second film in a double feature in a very movie-intense time) or whether I should skip it. But I’m really glad I stayed.

Summarizing: If you can find it, watch it.