The engaging and sentimental tale begins when the little boy (Ricardo Ancona) starts manifesting a greater and greater talent at music and at the same time, a supersensitivity to sounds. His overly astute hearing drives him into the woods and away from the cacophony of the town's hustle and bustle. Once in the woods, he meets a kindly old hermit who teaches him how to play the violin he made. After the old man dies, the violin ends up at a pawn shop, and each night the boy sneaks in to play it in secret. It is this haunting, nightly music that sets the town on edge -- people think an evil spirit is on the loose.
Sound
The entire film is an ode to hypersensitive listening.
Cinematography
Shadow-drenched woods that feel both sheltering and sinister.
Acting
Ricardo Ancona's wordless presence carries crushing weight.
Director
Servando González
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
One of only a handful of Mexican films from this era to center Indigenous rural life without condescension — Servando González was blacklisted for his politics shortly after.
The 'evil spirit' panic mirrors real 1950s Mexican witch-hunts against 'deviant' artists; Yanco's violin becomes revolutionary just by existing.
MX
