Guillermo Amoedo on His Haunting Horror Comeback ‘Loved Ones’: ‘Loving Someone, Becoming Friends, is a Death Sentence in This Place’ (EXCLUSIVE)

As a huge fan and supporter of innovative horror films, I am thrilled to see Guillermo Amoedo‘s latest project, “Loved Ones,” coming to life with Harvey Grisalez and Onza Américas at the helm. Having witnessed the success of Amoedo’s previous work, “The Inhabitant,” I can only imagine the unique and boundary-pushing vision that awaits us in “Loved Ones.”


The departed souls of cherished ones cause chaos around the world in Guillermo Amoedo’s return film, titled “Loved Ones” or “Seres Queridos.” In production, this project is being spearheaded by Harvey Grisalez, a Senior Vice President at Spain’s Onza Américas (known for “Isla Brava”), and will make an appearance at Sanfic’s Morbido Lab in August.

I was thrilled when Guillermo handed us the script for “Loved Ones.” The unique narrative and the unsettling world the characters inhabited drew us in. It’s a privilege to collaborate with Guillermo, a renowned figure in Latin American horror, and bring this captivating story to a global audience at Onza Américas.

Uruguan-born filmmaker achieved great acclaim with his 2017 movie “The Inhabitant” (“El Habitante”), which had an impressive box office performance and remained popular on Netflix, ranking among the top three titles during its first month of release in 2022.

The former collaborator of Eli Roth on “The Green Inferno” and “Knock Knock” director aspires to offer unique perspectives in the scripts he creates. He looks up to movies like “Smile,” “Barbarian,” “Talk to Me,” and Demian Rugna’s Argentine production “When Evil Lurks” for their daring approaches to genre films. He also acknowledges the eager fanbase yearning for innovative storytelling.

The director pondered, “Every fresh film that dares to deviate from the norm and offer something unique inspires us as screenwriters and directors to tread the same trail. It’s not about copying their methods, but rather about exploring and showcasing horror in novel ways, through uncharted themes and techniques. Horror films have a particularly enthusiastic fan base that craves originality.”

Guillermo Amoedo on His Haunting Horror Comeback ‘Loved Ones’: ‘Loving Someone, Becoming Friends, is a Death Sentence in This Place’ (EXCLUSIVE)

“Luckily, the horror genre continues to surprise us with fresh concepts and innovative ideas, even amidst an abundance of remakes and formulaic films. When executed effectively, these low-budget projects can captivate massive audiences.”

“Through ‘Loved Ones,’ I aim to offer a fresh perspective on this horror subgenre. It will deliver ample suspense and heart-stopping scares, but what sets it apart is an unprecedented dramatic narrative for this film category. This unique storyline is certain to draw in a broad viewership.”

After a catastrophic apocalypse, the story unfolds in a world where the spirits of the deceased have destroyed those who were once deeply loved, leaving only the mournful, unwanted, and emotionally empty survivors to inhabit the desolate remains of the Earth.

After making it through the catastrophe, a tired mother and her daughter need to adhere strictly to a harsh rule to ensure their own safety, avoiding forming overly close bonds with each other.

“In this world, anyone who cherished a family member or a beloved, and was reciprocally loved, has tragically met their end due to the vengeful spirit of their dear one. Forming connections, loving someone, is essentially signing your own death warrant,” Amoedo shared sadly.

He shared that his concept emerged from a desire to put a new spin on the extensively explored post-apocalyptic horror subgenre, where zombies, robots, and aliens have brought about humanity’s downfall numerous times. However, what intrigued him uniquely was an apocalypse triggered by spirits or ghosts – a concept I had not come across before.

After contributing his talents to horror productions in Latin America and beyond, Amoedo acknowledges that this genre is often overlooked or dismissed by industry insiders. He aims to expand the collection of successful horror films, hoping that this will encourage producers to take more risks and explore creative leaps beyond the usual formula.

“Despite their consistent achievements, Latin American genre films face disdain from an industry that generally favors comedy productions featuring well-known actors. Consequently, other film genres such as horror are often overlooked and lack funding. These projects remain neglected until a low-budget success emerges, at which point everyone jumps on the bandwagon to replicate the same formula.”

More recently, prejudices against genre movies have been compounded by the algorithms of streaming services. Streaming platform executives, wanting to minimize risk, rely heavily on these algorithms to guide their decisions, favoring content that has previously succeeded. In Latin America, this has historically meant comedy. Consequently, there’s a cycle where genre films are pushed aside by comedies and innovative works are often dismissed due to the lack of past success.

Terror films differ from drama and comedy in that they need to consistently prove their worth to studios and producers. They must avoid being identified by algorithms and keep reminding audiences that an original and daring story within the terror genre can lead to significant success.

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2024-07-24 19:16