Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Pan's Labyrinth, originally known in Spanish as El Laberinto del Fauno(The Labyrinth of the Faun), is a 2006 Spanish-Mexican^[3] film which is both a war film and in part a dark fantasy film^[4][5] written and directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. It was produced and distributed by Esperanto Films.

The story takes place in Spain in May–June 1944, five years after the Spanish Civil War, during the early Francoist period. The narrative of the film intertwines this real world with a mythical world centered on an overgrown abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun creature, with whom the main character, Ofelia, interacts. Ofelia's stepfather, the Falangist Captain Vidal, hunts the Spanish Maquis who fight against the Francoist regime in the region, while Ofelia's pregnant mother Carmen grows increasingly ill. Ofelia meets several strange and magical creatures who become central to her story, leading her through the trials of the old labyrinth garden. The film employs make-up, animatronics, and CGI effects to bring life to its creatures.

Del Toro stated that he considers the story to be a parable, influenced by fairy tales, and that it addresses and continues themes related to his earlier film The Devil's Backbone (2001),^[5] to which Pan's Labyrinth is a spiritual successor, according to del Toro in his director's commentary on the DVD. The original Spanish title refers to the fauns of Roman mythology, while the English, German, and French titles refer specifically to the faun-like Greek deity Pan. However, del Toro has stated that the faun in the film is not Pan.^[5]

The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. It was released in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2006. In the United States and Canada, the film was given a limited release on 29 December 2006, with a wide release on 19 January 2007. Pan's Labyrinth opened to widespread critical acclaim. The film won numerous international awards, including three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards including Best Film Not in the English Language, the Ariel Award for Best Picture, the Saturn Awards for Best International Filmand Best Performance by a Younger Actor for Ivana Baquero and the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form.

In a fairy tale, Princess Moanna, whose father is the king of the underworld, visits the human world, where the sunlight blinds her and erases her memory. She becomes mortal and dies. The king believes that eventually, her spirit will return to the underworld, so he builds labyrinths around the world in preparation for her return.

In post-Civil War Spain in 1944 (after Francisco Franco has come into power), protagonist Ofelia travels with her pregnant but sickly mother Carmen, to meet Captain Vidal, her new stepfather. Vidal is the son of a famed commander who died in Morocco, believes strongly in Falangism, and has been assigned to hunt down republican rebels.

A large stick insect, which Ofelia believes to be a fairy, leads Ofelia into an ancient stone labyrinth, but she is stopped by Mercedes, Vidal's housekeeper, who is secretly supporting the rebels. That night, the insect appears in Ofelia's bedroom, where it becomes a fairy and leads her through the labyrinth. There, she meets the faun, who believes she is the reincarnation of Princess Moanna. He gives her three tasks to complete in order for her to acquire immortality. Meanwhile, Vidal murders two local farmers detained (erroneously) on suspicion of helping the rebels.

Ofelia completes the first task—retrieving a key from the belly of a giant toad—but becomes worried about her mother, whose condition is worsening. The faun gives Ofelia a mandrake root, which eases Carmen's illness. Accompanied by three fairy guides, Ofelia then completes the second task—retrieving a dagger from the lair of the Pale Man, a child-eating monster. Although she was warned not to consume anything there, she eats two grapes, awakening the Pale Man. He eats two of the fairies and chases Ofelia, but she manages to escape. Infuriated at her disobedience, the faun refuses to give Ofelia the third task.

Vidal tortures a captive rebel, and then kills Doctor Ferreiro—who is also a rebel collaborator—after he euthanized the tortured prisoner. Vidal catches Ofelia tending to the mandrake root, and Carmen throws it into the fire, where it writhes and screams in agony. Carmen immediately develops painful contractions and dies giving birth to a son. Soon after, Vidal discovers that his housekeeper Mercedes is a spy. Ofelia is locked in her bedroom, and Mercedes is taken to be tortured. However, she frees herself, stabs Vidal, and rejoins the rebels.

The faun returns to Ofelia and tells her to bring her baby brother into the labyrinth. Vidal pursues her. The faun tells Ofelia that to open the portal to the underworld requires the blood of an innocent, which the faun suggests means a few drops of her baby brother's blood. Ofelia refuses to harm her brother; for further disobeying his orders, the faun refuses to help her.

Vidal finds Ofelia talking to someone (the faun) who Vidal cannot see. Vidal takes the baby from her arms and fatally shoots Ofelia; then, when he reaches the labyrinth's entrance, he is surrounded by the rebels who have taken over the outpost. Knowing that he will be killed, he hands the baby to Mercedes, demanding that she tell his son the exact time of his father's death. Mercedes replies that the child will never even know his name. Her brother Pedro kills Vidal.

Mercedes enters the labyrinth and comforts the dying girl. Drops of Ofelia's blood fall down the center of the spiral stone staircase onto an altar. Ofelia then appears in a golden throne room. The king of the underworld says she passed the final test, which was to choose to spill her own blood rather than that of her baby half-brother. The faun praises Ofelia for her choice, and addresses her as "Her Majesty". The queen of the underworld, her mother, invites Ofelia/Moanna to sit next to her father, and rule at his side. We then again see the stone labyrinth, where Ofelia smiles as she dies.

The epilogue completes the tale of Princess Moanna, stating that she ruled wisely and left quiet traces of her time in the human realm, "visible only to those who know where to look".

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457430/

Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Sub Indo