THE DEVIL’S TEARDROP
Sarah, a young American, convinces her three friends - Isaac, Jackie, and Horacio - to assist in completing her audacious ecological documentary in the deep shadowy world of illegal mining in an enigmatic Peruvian forest. Upon arrival, locals vehemently caution the group against approaching the forest or the mining town, citing the presence of the “Supay” - an ancient being from Andean mythology capable of taking various forms who has claimed the area and eradicated the miners for bleeding the earth. Initially dismissing these warnings as ploys to conceal illegal activities, the group defiantly breaches the prohibition, venturing into the forbidden territory only to realize the chilling myths hold genuine and terrifying truths and they have forever altered their fates.
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Gonzalo OteroDirector
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Gonzalo OteroWriter
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Gonzalo OteroProducer
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Cesar ZeladaProducer
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Javier SaavedraKey Cast"Horacio"LXI, No Me Digas Solterona 1 & 2
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Mia Rose KavenskyKey Cast"Jackie"Room 9
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Sydney AmanuelKey Cast"Sarah"Nesting Dolls
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Gabriel RysdahlKey Cast"Isaac"Blue Balloons
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Hermelinda LujánKey Cast"Woman at the Inn"Willaq Pirqa, Un Mundo para Julius
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Project Type:Feature
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Runtime:1 hour 38 minutes 48 seconds
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Country of Origin:Peru
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Country of Filming:Peru
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:4k
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Morbido Festival, Golden SkullMéxico
Mexico
October 29, 2024
Best work in progress
GONZALO OTERO (Director / Writer / Producer)
Peruvian film director and screenwriter with a master’s degree in screenwriting. He has directed eight fiction short films, earning national and international awards and recognition. He also directed commercials for prestigious brands, achieving international accolades in advertising.
He is the director and co-screenwriter of the horror feature film *The Devil’s Teardrop*, his directorial debut, where he also served as Executive Producer. *The Devil’s Teardrop* is currently selected in the official selection at Mórbido Film Fest 2024.
An interesting fact about Gonzalo Otero is that he has practiced martial arts and combat sports throughout his life, earning a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Karate, along with six professional MMA fights. Otero combined his fighting skills with his film knowledge to work as a fight scene choreographer, a role he has performed in several Peruvian and international feature films.
He has also worked as an advisor, coordinator, and academic director at prestigious higher education institutions, as well as a film professor for 20 years.
FILMOGRAPHY AS FILM DIRECTOR
THE DEVIL’S TEARDROP (2024 - Feature Film - 98min - Horror)
Screenplay, direction, and general production.
ÍNCUBO (2022 - Short Film - 15 min - Horror) Direction and screenplay.
SÚCUBO (2021 - Short Film - 17 min - Horror). Direction and screenplay.
CHOCOLATE (2019 - Short Film - 11 min - Dark Comedy). Direction.
A MÍ NO ME FUNCIONA CONTAR OVEJAS (2018 - Short Film - 16 min - Dark Comedy). Direction, screenplay.
ESCENA 43 DE “EL SEGUNDO CÍRCULO” (2017 - Demo Scene - 6 min - Drama). Direction, Screenplay.
DÍA DE LOS REYES (2008 - Short Film - 6 min) Direction and screenplay.
LOS SANTOS (Short Fiction Film) 18 minutes (2005-2006). Direction, screenplay & General Production.
BORDERLINE (Short Fiction Film) 22 min (2004) Direction, screenplay & production
FUNDIDO A NEGRO (Short Fiction Film) 22 min (2002) Direction, Screenplay.
DIRECTOR OF SEVERAL COMMERCIALS (Advertising): Although Otero still occasionally directs commercials, his most active period in advertising was from 2008 to 2013.
FORMATION
Film Directing: Escuela de Cine y Artes Visuales de Lima. (2021)
Master in screen writing: Universidad de la Laguna - Spain (2016)
Bachelor in Communication Science: Universidad de Lima (2003)
It is the first horror film in the found footage format that narratively justifies the need for this approach; the characters need their cameras to see the Supay. Without them, they would be vulnerable and at the mercy of an invisible attacker.
It is the first Peruvian horror film shot in English, with American actors, that draws on Peruvian myths and legends.
The settings where it takes place include the natural landscapes of the Peruvian Andes, small, forgotten mountain villages, and the misty cloud forest bordering the Amazon jungle.
It is the first Latin American horror film to combine live action with top-level CGI imagery. We achieved this through the collaboration of international artists.
The Devil’s Teardrop explores the struggle between altruism and selfishness. When fear is real and survival is at stake, what weighs more heavily in human nature—the love for others or the love for oneself? Is it self-preservation, or saving others (sacrifice for a loved one)?
This question guided the writing and production in thematic terms and can be seen in the characters, their motivations, and their transformation arcs. Horror is a powerful genre for exploring the deepest corners of the human soul.