Jaula (The Chalk Line, Netflix, 2022)
Jaula (a.k.a. The Chalk Line) is a tense psychological horror-thriller from Spanish director Ignacio Tatay, with a standout performance from Almodovar-stalwart Elena Anaya.
The story concerns a childless couple who temporarily take in an abandoned child they find wandering around one night, very much alone. And who also happens to be sick.
In hospital, however, the doctors have trouble finding out who she is and what’s wrong with her exactly. The girl, who seems to respond to the name Clara, won’t speak. She also draws chalk lines to mark her private space. And nobody better cross them.
When Paula and Simon are asked to temporarily take the somewhat recovered Clara into their home, as a way to get close to her, they accept the challenge.
But soon weird things start to happen. Who put little pieces of glass in the jam? And how come Clara seems to know the German words for ‘fear’ and ‘punishment’?
At this point Simon thinks they should back down, but Paula is determined to dig deeper. And deeper. Until some shocking truths are revealed.
Jaula is a moody and gripping psychological horror-thriller that is produced by renowned Spanish filmmaker Alex de la Iglesia. There are a lot of moody blue and brown hues in the visual palette which serve the story well.
Writer-Director Tatay and writer Isabel Peña are deeply concerned with the trauma of the young girl, who is played beautifully by the young Eva Tennear.
Pablo Molinero is excellent as Simon, sometimes he seems to be channeling Jason Bateman in Ozark. And the standout performance belongs to Elena Anaya, who in the past has worked with Pedro Almodovar en Julio Medem, and here creates a complex yet believable character.
For Ignacio Tatay this is a impressive feature film debut, that is well worth checking out. After a release in Spanish cinemas it is now available on Netflix.