Pan's Labyrinth

Pan's Labyrinth (Spanish: El laberinto del fauno, lit. 'The Labyrinth of the Faun') is a 2006 Spanish-language dark fantasy film produced, written, and directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film stars Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Doug Jones, and Ariadna Gil. The film is an international co-production between Spain and Mexico. The story takes place in Francoist Spain in the summer of 1944. The narrative intertwines this real world with a mythical world centered on an overgrown, abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun with whom the protagonist, Ofelia, interacts. Ofelia's stepfather, Captain Vidal, hunts down the Spanish Maquis who resist the Francoist regime, while Ofelia's pregnant mother grows increasingly ill. Ofelia meets several strange and magical creatures who become central to her story, leading her through the trials of the old labyrinth garden. The film employs make-up, animatronics, and CGI effects to bring life to its creatures. Del Toro stated that he considers the story to be a parable, influenced by fairy tales. It addresses and continues themes related to his 2001 film The Devil's Backbone, to which Pan's Labyrinth is a spiritual successor, according to del Toro in his director's DVD commentary. Pan's Labyrinth premiered on 27 May 2006 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a 22-minute-long standing ovation, the longest in the festival's history. The film was theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures in Spain on 11 October and in Mexico on 20 October. It garnered widespread critical acclaim, with praise towards its visual and makeup effects, direction, screenplay, cinematography, musical score, set design, and cast performances. It grossed $83 million at the worldwide box office and won numerous awards, including three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards including Best Film Not in the English Language, the Ariel Award for Best Picture, and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form. Pan's Labyrinth has since been considered to be Del Toro's magnum opus, one of the best fantasy films ever made, as well as one of the greatest films of the 2000s and the 21st century. A sequel, titled 3993, was conceived by del Toro but ultimately cancelled. A novelization by del Toro and Cornelia Funke was published in 2019.