Dir. Michelle Garza Cervera | Now Streaming On: Shudder | Rating: 5/5

Happy Pride Month! Should I have gotten this review out earlier this month? Yes, definitely. But to be totally honest with you all, it took me a good long while to grapple with this film. It is one that I related to on such a personal level, it felt like looking in the mirror. 

Huesera finds its roots in Mexican folklore, with the tale of an elder witch in the desert collecting bones to resurrect into wolves in women. The Bone Woman spotlights this folklore through its discussions of feminine identity and brujeria. We watch our protagonist Valeria, a carpenter and mother-to-be, literally building her new perfect life, while her past and true desires lurk closely behind her. 

This film discusses the idea of losing yourself to the idea of what you “should” be. For many women, having a child is one of the many duties that it is expected of them. But once that child is born, your identity shifts from that of just a person to that of a mother. Children change your future and Valeria may not be ready for that. I’d go as far as to say that many women may not be ready for it either. But another element of this is the lengths we go to hide who we really are, to please society and avoid harm.

Huesera features a competent and heartfelt lens of queer relationships, witchcraft, and mental illness. The color palette is chilled and dark, which pairs excellently with the acting of both Natalia Solian and Mayra Batalla. Alongside this is the horrifying apparition of “The Bone Woman,” bringing body horror, dread, and fear into Valeria’s isolation. As we come to the end of Pride Month, a time of visibility for the queer community, I want to offer a word for those who are still not safe to come out or who may never be able to live as their true selves in the daylight. The fear of society’s reaction is one thing, but internal denial is another. 

Huesera is a poignant, chilling, and somehow comforting journey through the realm of self acceptance. Cervera proves her directorial prowess with this heavy hitter, and she will definitely be one to watch in the coming years. 

Know Before You Watch: Features nudity, sex, blood, body horror.