Lechuza—a Spanish word for a type of owl, especially the barn owl—is a myth popular throughout northern Mexico and Texas. As the story goes, an old woman shape-shifts into a giant owl, La Lechuza, to take revenge on people who wronged her during her life.
Dictionary.com
Years ago, when I was a contract graphic designer at a local children’s hospital, I was asked to design some Halloween posters. One of my initial mock-ups was rejected due to my usage of a cute owl graphic that occupied a key area of the poster. I was soon educated that for many children who stayed in the hospital, the owl is a harbinger of death in their culture. Not exactly the best imagery to plaster around those in serious conditions! I was aghast at my error and never forgot the story.
Mexican writer and director Miguel Martinez is digging into his cultural roots to show us why owls carry with them a sense of dread for so many in a new Kickstarter for his proof-of-concept horror film Lechuza by Freakish Films, known for their unique horror offerings.
Exploring our dependence on the matriarchs of our families and life/death in Mexican culture, Lechuza aims to bring some meaningful depth into their bruja horror.
I intend to make a film that uses the horror genre for a complex study of familial ties and how we cope with the loss of a matriarch in the Mexican culture with the trademark polishes and frills normally associated with the genre. In a sense, it’s “The Evil Dead” meets “Hereditary”. I want to make a film that viewers can watch when they need to understand the complicated emotions inside of them and be thrilled in the process. – Miguel Martinez
The Kickstarter will fund through March 23, with tiers ranging from $5 (support), $15 (a copy of the film) and up to $10,000 (for angel investors looking to be an executive producer).
