The story follows Susana, a young model in Paris whose burgeoning career is interrupted when her grandmother, Pilar, suffers a stroke. Returning to Madrid to care for her, Susana finds herself trapped in a claustrophobic apartment that seems to age alongside its inhabitant.
Paco Plaza, known for his work on the [REC] franchise, shifts gears here toward a more atmospheric, "body horror" approach. As discussed in academic circles regarding the aesthetics of the body , the film contrasts Susana’s youthful, "perfect" body—her currency in the modeling world—with the wrinkled, failing body of Pilar. La abuela (2022)
The 2022 film , directed by Paco Plaza and written by Carlos Vermut , is a chilling exploration of the biological and psychological horrors of aging. While it functions as a supernatural horror film, its true power lies in its unflinching look at the "new flesh"—the decaying body—and the desperate, often monstrous, human desire to cling to youth. The Horror of Caregiving The story follows Susana, a young model in
La abuela is a landmark in contemporary Spanish horror because it refuses to look away from the mirror. It forces the audience to confront the one monster they cannot outrun: their own reflection as it inevitably changes. It is a film where the jump scares are secondary to the existential dread of realizing that, eventually, we all become the "grandparent" in someone else's story. As discussed in academic circles regarding the aesthetics
This juxtaposition creates a profound sense of "gerontophobia" (the fear of the elderly or aging). The film suggests that in a society obsessed with image and vitality, the elderly are not just forgotten; they are seen as a looming threat to the youth they once possessed. The Cycle of the Witch