Madrid-born director Carlota Pereda has become a rare exemplar of sustained recognition, visiting Sitges in consecutive editions to present her work. After leaving the previous festival with Méliès de Oro for Cerdita, she returns with a new project that premiered internationally under the title Shelter. Pereda notes that this film began as an almost automatic choice, with Pig hovering in the background until producer Laura Fernández proposed Shelter as a path forward. The screenplay, crafted by Albert Bertran Bas and Carmelo Viera, resonates with Pereda’s own connections and experiences. In a time shadowed by a pandemic, she wondered what would become of her daughter if something happened to her, a thread that informs the emotional core of the story [Source: Interview].
Maia Zaitegi takes on the role of Little Emma, an eight-year-old debutant who longs to reach out to a spirit trapped in a Basque town’s hermitage for centuries. Emma seeks help from Carol, played by Belén Rueda, a tool that some might deem dubious. Yet without such help, Emma cannot realize her most heartfelt aim: to stay connected with her ailing mother after death. The film blends intimate family stakes with a supernatural framework to explore themes of love, loss, and communication beyond the grave [Source: Interview].
Pereda’s latest work returns to the thriller framework, aligning with the slasher subgenre while adding a literary sensibility she admires. She cites inspirations in classic ghostly literature such as The Turn of the Screw by Henry James and The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, noting a lifelong affinity for written tales that inform her cinematic voice. If a personal connection to a story were absent, she believes she might not have set it down on the page. This strand of influence anchors the film’s atmosphere and narrative texture, guiding its approach to fear, memory, and the unseen forces at play [Source: Interview].
for injured people
Departing from the lo-fi aesthetic that characterized Pig, Shelter is a carefully framed supernatural drama presented in a panoramic style. The visual choices emphasize characters who feel adrift, almost suspended in space, and the film appears crafted to engage a broad audience, including those who have endured hardship. Pereda emphasizes the importance of watching certain films during difficult periods in life, recalling how Preston Sturges’s Sullivan’s Travels spoke to her during hospital stays. The Hermitage becomes a conduit for healing, not a project for the filmmaker alone but a gesture toward those navigating pain, illness, or isolation amid global crises [Source: Interview].
Speculation around audience recommendations is inevitable in streaming ecosystems. It is plausible that a Netflix algorithm might surface Shelter after viewers have encountered The Orphanage, not only because Belén Rueda is involved but also due to thematic overlaps in the realm of restorative terror. Pereda nods to beloved influences while avoiding nostalgia’s trap, balancing homage with a distinct voice. The blend of familiar references—The Secret World of Arrietty? and Ouija: Origin of Evil—serves to anchor the film in a wider conversation about fear, memory, and the resilience of the human spirit [Source: Interview].
still so lonely
Caro to the bone, Pereda stands as a rare Spanish director with two feature horror titles on a single resume. The landscape for this genre in Spain, she notes, is shaped by multiple factors that can hinder daring projects. On one side, some female directors are hesitant to embrace horror; on the other, securing financing for unusual or risky storytelling remains challenging. The gendered dimension of funding becomes a key thread in her assessment, highlighting how budgetary constraints can constrain creative risk and influence the kinds of stories that reach the screen. Yet Pereda’s persistence illustrates that distinctive voices can push through the barriers that still exist in the industry [Source: Interview].