Mexican filmmaker Isaac Ezban returns with PÁRVULOS, a blend of dystopian horror and emotional introspection. Set in a forested post-apocalyptic world, the film follows three young brothers – Salvador (Felix Farid Escalante), Oliver (Leonardo Cervantes) and Benjamin (Mateo Ortega) – living alone in a remote cabin, guarding a dark secret in their basement.

Inspired by Goodnight Mommy, Lord of the Flies, and the genre sensibilities of Guillermo del Toro, PÁRVULOS is rooted in themes of family, transformation, and survival. Ezban, who began developing the project in 2016, channels his own emotional journey into parenthood, crafting a coming-of-age story that is as moving as it is terrifying. The violence, shocking yet necessary for narrative purposes, does not feel gratuitous since it reinforces the mental and physical weight the young characters carry.

Shot predominantly in black and white with embedded bursts of colour, the visual language mirrors the boys’ dangerous reality and fading innocence. The young cast give us powerful performances equally. A definite shoutout must be given for the use of eerie practical effects that unsettle us without taking away from the story.

PÁRVULOS is both a genre piece and an emotional journey. It is a film that sits with you long after it ends; although bleak, very personal in nature.

To hear more about the film, I leave you with my interview with writer/director Isaac Ezban.