How does Guillermo del Toro use a ghost story to tell the story of the Spanish Civil War for international audiences?
Guillermo del Toro is known for creating fantastical tales of conflict – whether it is humanity’s fight for survival against the Kaiju in Pacific Rim (2013), Hellboy’s discovery of his origins in Hellboy (2004), or Ofelia’s desire to escape reality in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), there is always some form of conflict which is central to the premise of the film. He uses this to his advantage when exploring the history of the Spanish Civil War in The Devil’s Backbone (2001).