“There were a lot of tears, which is odd for a horror film”: Mauricio Chernovetzky interview on Sacrificios at Raindance Film Festival 2026

Sacrificios is not your average horror movie designed to have you jump out your skin, but rather sneak under it with its haunting, unsettling atmosphere and dark psychological territory. The premise follows a father, mourning the loss of his son, faced with an impossible prospect. He is reunited with his son, but at a terrible cost: he has an insatiable appetite for his father’s blood.

We sat down with writer-director Mauricio Chernovetzky during Raindance Film Festival 2026, where the feature premiered, to hear about the deeply personal inspiration behind the story, including ruminating on his own father’s sacrifices and the supernatural experiences of a friend. He shared the decade-long journey to making it and how he wanted to use genre elements to capture the nuances of grief, and the difficulties one can face in letting go of the ones we love, aiming to move his audience rather than simply frighten them. We also discussed how both the Catholic faith and Aztec myths collide, shooting in the breathtaking landscapes of Baja California and Mexico City, and telling Mexican-set stories that don’t only fixate on drug cartels.

Sarah Bradbury

Sacrificios does not have a release date yet.