'Rosario: Cursed Inheritance,' a horror film with a Latin soul that's coming to theaters.

One night, a storm, and the corpse of an old woman are the starting point of 'Rosario: Cursed Heritage,' the new horror and suspense film directed by Felipe Vargas , a co-production between Colombia and the United States that combines supernatural suspense with a profound family story.

The film tells the story of Rosario, a successful Wall Street stockbroker, who, after the sudden death of her grandmother Griselda, must spend the night beside her corpse in an abandoned apartment located in one of the most dangerous areas of New York, waiting for the arrival of an ambulance. However, a violent snowstorm leaves her trapped in the place where her grandmother lived during the last years of her life, where supernatural forces, having possessed the old woman's body, begin to attack her.

In the midst of her fear, Rosario discovers a secret room containing artifacts from a strange religion, Palo Mayombe, which reveal a family past marked by a curse.

The story delves into the roots of a Mexican family that immigrated to the United States in search of a better life, but became trapped in spiritual debt after the father made a sacrifice to a mpungu, a deity of the Afro-Caribbean religion Palo Mayombe. From then on, Grandmother Griselda, a santera, carried the weight of that offering, until her death forces Rosario to confront the darkest secrets of her heritage.

For Felipe Vargas, the son of Colombian parents and raised in the United States, the film is also a tribute to the sacrifices of migrant families.

“For me, this is very personal. My parents emigrated from Colombia and left their careers and family behind so I could pursue my dreams. I wanted to tell a story that, beyond fear, speaks of heritage, sacrifice, and family love,” the director said in an interview with EL TIEMPO.

Vargas points out that it is rare to see Latino protagonists in horror films , and even less so characters who break stereotypes.

“Rosario is an ambitious, intelligent, American-born Latina who works on Wall Street. I wanted to show a protagonist we rarely see in this genre ,” she stated.

The production explores the practices of Santería and Palo Mayombe, Afro-Caribbean religions with a strong symbolic charge, integrated into a claustrophobic horror story. The apartment where the story takes place was built from scratch, with details even taken from the director's grandmother's house.

“We wanted the set to be like an onion: each layer revealing a secret, from hidden rooms to small objects with stories. I brought in paintings and family mementos to give it authenticity,” Vargas explained.

'Rosario: Cursed Inheritance' is shaping up to be a distinct take on the genre, with a narrative that blends supernatural suspense and family drama, while asserting the Latino presence in horror films. " I hope that after seeing it, people will call their mom or grandma and thank them for everything they've done," the director concluded.

ALEJANDRA HERNÁNDEZ TORRES

DIGITAL REACH EDITORIAL