Pan's Labyrinth

Question 1

When is the film set?

Answer 1

It is set in 1944 in post-Civil War Spain, which is torn due to the conflict between the Fascists and the Guerrillas.

Question 2

Director

Answer 2

Del Toro.
- Avoids facile mutliculturalism, engaging deeply with the culture, history and cinema of the host country.
-“I wanted to represent political power within the creatures”

Question 3

Who was the film’s composer?

Answer 3

Spanish film score composer, Javier Navarrete.

Question 4

What is magical realism?

Answer 4

The blending of fantasy and reality where magical elements are rarely exmplained to the audience.
Narratives of these films are often used to criticise the powerful.

Question 5

Cast

Answer 5

Ofelia- Ivana Baquero
Vidal- Sergi Lopez
Mercedes- Maribel Verdu
Pale Man- Doug Jones
Faun- Doug Jones
Carmen- Ariadna Gill
Doctor Ferreiro- Alex Angulo
Pedro- Roger Casamajor

Question 6

Uterine Imagery

Answer 6

Tree (death/rebirth)
Carmen’s pregnancy
Toad
Pale Man (in book)

Question 7

Gothic elements

Answer 7

Desolate/remote locations
Isolation
Fear of the unknown
Suspense and terror
Supernatural/inexplicable events
Emotional distress
Key villain
Anti-hero
Damsel in distress

Question 8

Historical references

Answer 8

-Vidal represents 20th centruy Spanish dictator Fransisco Franco
-Holocaust reference of pile of shoes in Pale Man scene
-Artist Francisco Goya: Saturn Devouring His Son

Question 9

Vidal

Answer 9

-Represents Franco (Fascism)
-Dismissive of Ofelia
-More focused on his son (Vidal’s legacy) over Carmen’s health
-Shot in eye: restricted views

Question 10

Doctor Ferreiro

Answer 10

-Communist
-Dual life
-Represents kindness and hope

Question 11

Pedro

Answer 11

-Guerrilla
-Fights opression
-Loyal

Question 12

Mercedes

Answer 12

-Represents protective nature of maternity
-Parallels Ofelia’s tasks in the real world
-Plays patriarch to her own strength
-Fairy godmother like

Question 13

Carmen

Answer 13

-Repressed femininity
-Opression of independance: desire to please Vidal (sitting in the wheelchair)
-Victim of the patriarchy and fascism

Question 14

Ofelia

Answer 14

-Innocence
-Disobedience towards authority figures is a criticism of fascism
-Her unborn brother isviewed as more important than she is
-Naive
-Childlike wonder vs maturity
-Victim of the patriarchy and fascism

Question 15

The Pale Man

Answer 15

-Fascism
-Catholic Church
-Institutuional evil feeding off the helpless

Question 16

The Mill

Answer 16

-Represents Franco’s facist regime as Vidal’s base of operations
-Vidal holds all authroity like Franco
-Microcosm of Spain
-Used to store food but Vidal still rations it, keeping the majority for himself (greed)

Question 17

The Labyrinth

Answer 17

-Symbolic of a complex journey (Ofelia’s journey into womanhood)
-Viewed as a path towards salvation or enlightenment
-Connotations of something tortorous

Question 18

Woods

Answer 18

-Stereotypical fairytale setting
-First sighting of magical elements

Question 19

The Catholic Church

Answer 19

-The Pact of Forgetting (1978): not allowed to educate or discuss the past in order for Spain to ‘move on’
-Catholic St Lucy: Catholic Church turning a blind eye to fascism (hunger to eat innocence and purity)
-30,000 protestants lost religious liberties under Franco’s dictatorship