In ‘Love Is the Monster,’ Paulina García Is a Granny Facing Impossible Choices (Exclusive TIFF Trailer)

Love Is the Monster (Amor es el Monstruo). Costa Rican writer-director Neto Villalobos Brenes (All About the Feathers, Helmet Heads) has picked a title for his latest film that will make you sit up straight, deal with questions swirling through your head, or both. The chilling dystopian thriller, starring Paulina García (Gloria) and teeming with fear and inequality, will world premiere in the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) Centerpiece strand on Sept. 15. 

Filmed in Costa Rica’s South Pacific region, Love Is a Monster features Chilean star García as a grandmother determined to make the most of the time she has left with her six-year-old granddaughter. After her daughter cuts off all contact, she has to earn her trust back, only for tragedy to strike: the girl gets kidnapped for ransom. What is the grandmother willing to do to protect the ones she loves?

“She is forced to make choices she never imagined, pushing love, loyalty and survival into increasingly tense territory,” notes a synopsis of the movie that explores family, love, age and class inequality.

Love Is the Monster sees Villalobos Brenes return to Toronto, where his two previous features also debuted.

“A few years ago, I lost the person I loved most, my mother,” says Villalobos Brenes in explaining his sharp turn from two comedies to a dark, genre-infused cinematic ride. “As everyday life became more difficult for her, she found in her granddaughter the strength to keep fighting. That experience sparked the question at the heart of this film: how far would you go to protect the person you love most?”

Love Is the Monster also stars Natalia Regidor, Gloriana Vargas and Ericka Reikendorf. Written by Villalobos Brenes and Diego van der Laat, the film features cinematography by Nicolás Wong Díaz and editing by Yibrán Asuad and Villalobos Brenes. Bendita Film Sales is handling world sales.

García, who won the Silver Bear for best actress at the Berlin International Film Festival for her performance in Gloria, shares: “I don’t think love really has limits. You only discover that when you’re put to the test and find yourself doing things you never imagined you were capable of. When a child is involved, that feeling becomes even stronger. You’re willing to do absolutely anything to protect them.”

THR can now exclusively premiere the poster for the film right here.

Now, if you finally want to see a video teaser, we got you covered, too. Here is the exclusive premiere of the trailer for Love Is the Monster. Whenever you are ready, buckle up and take a deep breath!