ROSARIO

(director: Felipe Vargas; screenwriter: Alan Trezza; cinematographer: Carmen Cabana; editor: Claudia Castello; music: Brooke & Will Blair; cast: Emeraude Toubia (Rosario Fuentes), Emilia Faucher (Rosario Fuentes), Jose Zuniga (Oscar Fuentes), Diana Lein (Elena), Constanza Gutierrez (Griselda), David Dastmalchian (Joe), Paul Ben-Victor (Marty), Nick Ballard (Alex), Luna Baxter (Harlow), Guillermo Garcia (Miguel); Runtime: 88; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Jon Silk, Philip Braun, Javier Chapa; Mucho Mas Releasing; 2025-Colombia/USA)

“Scary horror B-film.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

The twenty-something Felipe Vargas makes his feature film directorial debut in this chilling supernatural horror pic. It features a lot of jump scares and revelations about the Palo religious cult (an Afro-Caribbean diaspora religion that developed in late 19th century Cuba). It’s written by Alan Trezza.

Palo offers a more mystical and darker version of Santería.

In 1999, in Brooklyn, the parents of Rosario “Rose” Fuentes (Emeraude Toubia), poor illegals from Mexico get divorced, and Rose lives with her father (Jose Zuniga) after her mom (Diana Lein) dies from an illness.

Rose grows up to be a successful stockbroker on Wall Street. One day she’s informed her cranky grandmother (Constanza Gutierrez), on her maternal side, has died, by Marty (Paul Ben-Victor), the super in her building. Because of a snowstorm Rose waits with the corpse in her apartment for the delayed ambulance and is helped by the creepy neighbor (David Dastmalchian) place the corpse on the sofa. Rose discovers there’s a secret room where granny worshiped Palo. Rose then must deal with curses she can’t comprehend.

The scary horror B-film makes the viewer feel uneasy. It comes with great visuals and solid performances.

It played at the Overlook Film Festival.

 
REVIEWED ON 6/11/2025  GRADE: B-
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