Marianne Martinez
In the 2006 dark fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth, 11-year-old Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, is sent to live with her ruthless stepfather, Captain Vidal, and her pregnant, increasingly ill mother in Spain in the summer of 1944. Ofelia, uncomfortable with her new surroundings, discovers an alternative world and a faun who tells her she is a princess.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the girl | Ofelia/Princess Moanna |
| Actress | Ivana Baquero |
| Age of the actress during filming | 11 years |
| Age of the character | 10 years |
| Year of release of the movie | 2006 |
| Genre | Dark fantasy, drama, war |
| Language | Spanish |
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![Pan's Labyrinth (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81PNPArXZkL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Ivana Baquero, the actress who played Ofelia, was 11 years old when the film was shot
Ivana Baquero, the actress who played Ofelia in Pan's Labyrinth, was 11 years old when the film was shot. The film, written, directed, and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro, was released in 2006. However, it was shot between June and October 2005.
In the film, Ofelia is sent to live with her ruthless stepfather, Captain Vidal, in 1944 Spain. She discovers an alternative world filled with strange creatures and a mysterious faun, who tells her she is a princess. To prove her royalty, she must complete three gruesome tasks.
Ofelia's story takes place in the real world, where she is uncomfortable with her new surroundings and worried about her mother's health, and in a mythical world, where she interacts with magical creatures and a faun. This blurring of fantasy and reality is one of the film's most acclaimed aspects, with reviewers praising the effortless transition between the two worlds.
Del Toro has described the film as "a movie about a girl who gives birth to herself into the world she believes in." He also stated that the film explores the theme of choice, counterpointing the institutional lack of choice in fascism with the chance to choose, which the girl takes in the movie.
Ivana Baquero's performance as Ofelia has been highly praised, with reviewers noting her ability to portray the character's discomfort, suspicion, and concern in her new surroundings. Her portrayal of Ofelia has been described as "absolute perfection" and one of the film's strong performances.
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Ofelia's character was written to be 8 or 9 years old
Guillermo del Toro's 2006 dark fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth tells the story of a young girl, Ofelia, who discovers a mythical world centred around a labyrinth and its magical creatures. Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, was written to be 8 or 9 years old, although Baquero was 11 years old when the film was shot.
The narrative intertwines the real world with a mythical world, centred on an overgrown, abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun with whom the protagonist, Ofelia, interacts. Ofelia's stepfather, Captain Vidal, hunts down the Spanish Maquis who resist the Francoist regime, while Ofelia's pregnant mother 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 makeup, animatronics, and CGI effects to bring life to its creatures. The story takes place in Spain in the summer of 1944, during the early Francoist period.
The young heroine of the film, Ofelia, is uncomfortable with her new surroundings, suspicious of her ruthless stepfather, and desperately concerned about her mother's worsening condition. She uncovers a strange alternative world and the chance to escape forever the pain and uncertainty of her everyday life. Ofelia's quest involves a journey through a labyrinth, which served as a "perfect metaphor" for del Toro's endeavours.
The film has been praised for its visual artistry, imaginative storytelling, and strong performances, particularly highlighting the contrast between the harsh reality of war and fantasy's escapism. It grossed $83 million at the worldwide box office and won numerous awards, including three Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards.
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The film was released in 2006
In 2006, the dark fantasy film 'Pan's Labyrinth' was released. Written, directed and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro, the film is set in Spain in 1944 during the early Francoist period. The film follows a young girl, Ofelia, who is sent to live with her ruthless stepfather, Captain Vidal, a sadistic Falangist Captain tasked with routing out the remaining leftists from the woods and hills of Northern Spain. Ofelia, played by 11-year-old Ivana Baquero, discovers a mythical world centred around an overgrown, abandoned labyrinth and its magical creatures, including a faun. Del Toro has described the film as "a movie about a girl who gives birth to herself into the world she believes in".
The film was shot from June to October 2005, when Baquero was 11 years old. Del Toro had initially envisioned the character of Ofelia as being slightly younger, around 8 or 9 years old. However, he was impressed by Baquero's audition and decided to cast her in the role, despite her being a little older than the character he had written.
'Pan's Labyrinth' premiered in 2006 to critical acclaim. It grossed $83 million at the worldwide box office and won numerous awards, including three Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards. The film has been praised for its visual artistry, imaginative storytelling, and strong performances, with reviewers highlighting the contrast between the harsh reality of war and the escapism of fantasy. The effortless transition between the real world and the underworld, and the way the two worlds are interconnected, has been noted as particularly impressive.
In addition to its critical success, 'Pan's Labyrinth' also received a 20-minute standing ovation at Cannes. The film has been recognised as one of the best foreign language films of the 2000s and is considered a masterpiece of modern fantasy/adventure cinema. Del Toro's masterful execution of the film's themes and his ability to blur the lines between fantasy and reality have solidified 'Pan's Labyrinth' as a standout film of its time.
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The story takes place in Spain in 1944
The dark fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth is set in Spain in 1944, in the early Francoist period following the Spanish Civil War. The story follows 11-year-old Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, who has been sent to live with her ruthless stepfather, Captain Vidal, a sadistic Falangist tasked with hunting down the Spanish Maquis who resist the Francoist regime. Ofelia's mother is pregnant and growing increasingly ill. Uncomfortable with her new surroundings and concerned about her mother's health, Ofelia discovers an alternative world of magical creatures, centred on an overgrown, abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun.
The film intertwines the real world with this mythical world, mirroring the grim realities of war with a fantastical underworld. Ofelia meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun. He tells her she is a princess and must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. The faun is just one of the film's fantastical creatures and monsters, drawn from sources such as Goya's paintings and Clive Barker's Books of Blood.
The film's director, Guillermo del Toro, has said that the faun in the film is not Pan, despite the title. The idea for the film came from del Toro's notebooks, which he filled with "doodles, ideas, drawings and plot bits" over 20 years. The story blends themes of fact and fantasy, poetry and politics, pain and pleasure. It explores the institutional lack of choice that comes with fascism and contrasts this with the chance to choose, which the girl takes in the movie.
Del Toro has also said that the film has strong connections to The Devil's Backbone, and it should be seen as an informal sequel dealing with similar issues. The film grossed $83 million at the worldwide box office and won numerous awards, including three Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards.
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The film is considered one of the best fantasy films ever made
In the film Pan's Labyrinth, the young heroine, Ofelia, is 11 years old. The film, written, directed, and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro, is considered one of the best fantasy films ever made. It has grossed $83 million at the worldwide box office and won numerous awards, including three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, including Best Film Not in the English Language, and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form.
The film is set in Spain in the summer of 1944, during the early Francoist period. Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, is sent to live with her ruthless stepfather, Captain Vidal, a sadistic Falangist Captain tasked with routing out the remaining leftists from the woods and hills of Northern Spain. Ofelia's mother is pregnant and grows increasingly ill. Uncomfortable with her new surroundings and suspicious of her stepfather, Ofelia discovers an alternative world—a mythical realm centred around a labyrinth and its magical creatures, like the faun.
The film's narrative intertwines the real world with this mythical world, and the effortless transition between the two is one of the reasons why the film is considered a masterpiece. The storyline is convincing and easy to buy into, and the magical fantasy underworld works perfectly with the real-world setting. The film's visual artistry, imaginative storytelling, and strong performances also contribute to its acclaim.
The poignancy of the film lies in the contrast between the victories of the child and the failures of the adult world. The grim realities of war are matched and mirrored by a descent into an underworld populated by fearsomely beautiful monsters. This interplay between fantasy and reality is a key strength of the film, and its execution is masterful. Del Toro himself has said that the film is about "a girl who gives birth to herself into the world she believes in".
In conclusion, Pan's Labyrinth is considered one of the best fantasy films ever made due to its seamless blend of fantasy and reality, its compelling storyline, and its visual artistry. The film's exploration of choice and the interplay between the "real world" and the "imaginary world" add depth to the story, and the performances of the cast, especially the young Ivana Baquero as Ofelia, are exceptional.
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Frequently asked questions
Ivana Baquero, the actress who plays the protagonist, Ofelia, was 11 years old when the film was shot.
It is a dark fantasy film set in 1944, during the Francoist period in Spain. The film follows Ofelia, a young girl who journeys between the real world and a mythical world centred around a labyrinth and its magical creatures.
The mythical world is a netherworld or underworld, populated by fearsomely beautiful monsters and fantastical creatures drawn from sources like Goya's paintings and Clive Barker's Books of Blood.
The real world in Pan's Labyrinth is set in the summer of 1944 in Spain, during the early Francoist period. Ofelia's stepfather, Captain Vidal, hunts down the Spanish Maquis who resist the Francoist regime, while Ofelia's pregnant mother grows increasingly ill.
The faun in the film is not Pan, according to del Toro. The faun is one of the film's fantastical creatures and monsters. He tells Ofelia that she is a princess but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks.
