A visually haunting Chilean independent thriller

Screened at Black Sunday Film Festival 30th January 2026

What The Tide Dragged In follows two sisters, who visit a beach after their mother's funeral, only for one of them to begin to act strangely after she is nearly swept away by a current.

This is a wonderful feature that stands out on a sea of gore-soaked horror films. Instead, writer/director Patricio Valladares opts for a slow burn, psychological affair. The haunting tone of this film is set early, as the sisters, Clara (María Jesús Marcone), and Martina (Luna Martinez), visit the grave of their grandfather. Huddling their mother's ashes, they take a photo to remember the bond they once had, before travelling to the coast where the ashes would be scattered.

You can tell from the outset the bond between these siblings runs deep despite bubbling tensions as Martina was left to care for their mother alone. It's evident the trauma of losing a parent is felt in every second of this film and both actors portrayed this emotion effortlessly. These feelings are mirrored by the wonderful score, with the tone matched beautifully by haunting cinematography. The film is awash with a blue/grey colour palette which effectively allows us to be engrossed in this dark time of our characters' lives. Each then work in unison effortlessly to ease us into a chilling first act before the story takes a sharp turn.

There are some wonderfully disturbing images here and truly shocking moments scattered throughout the film. You're not going to be met with multiple jump scares and cheap thrills, instead you're treated to well thought out traumatising scenes which are made more impactful by the style of filmmaking.

The film's pacing allows for character development, allowing the audience to bond so when later events unfold, you feel emotion instead of a guttural response. Allowing space for the story to breathe is a great choice as it allows for true exploration of grief as a core theme.

The poster drew me in - it's a striking image and portrays a figure that could blend wonderfully into a folk horror sub-genre. However, after viewing this film it's clear there was so much more to discover. I can see how this could be considered not a true horror film, but more a psychological study of grief, familial relationships and how we navigate these through troubling times. It could be argued this is the true horror of life, dealing with our own mortality and how the ones left behind navigate this world without their loved ones. Fans of arthouse cinema and thought-provoking international cinema should absolutely give this a watch.

Spanish-language cinema across Spain and Latin America is united by its engagement with history, cultural identity, and social transformation. In Spain, films often balance artistic experimentation with popular genres while reflecting on memory, politics, and family. In Latin America, cinema has been deeply tied to questions of colonial legacy, resistance, and community resilience, ranging from intimate dramas to bold political allegories.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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The fantasy genre features imaginative and often magical worlds, characters, and events. It explores realms beyond the boundaries of reality, featuring elements such as magic, mythical creatures, supernatural powers, and fantastical settings. These stories can take place in entirely fictional worlds or blend fantastical elements with real-world settings.

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The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

Follows two sisters who visit a beach after their mother's funeral, only for one of them to begin to act strangely after she is nearly swept away by a current.

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