{{Infobox film | name = Chuzalongo | image = Chuzalongo poster.jpg | caption = Ecuadorian theatrical release poster | director = Diego Ortuño | writer = Diego Ortuño | producer = Georgina Altarriba<br> Eloi Aymerich<br> Dorian Fernández-Moris<br> Christian Mejia-Acosta<br> Joan Salicrú<br> Nevenka Yanovich | starring = Bruno Odar<br>Wolframio Sinué<br>Aléx Cisneros | cinematography = Tupac Galarza | editing = Amaia Merino | music = Gerard Alís Raurich<br>Agni Durden<br>Emil Plonski | studio = Audiovisual Films<br>Clack Audiovisual<br>Dominio Digital<br>Retrogusto Films | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2024|4|11|Fantaspoa|2024|10|31|Ecuador|2025|11|6|Peru}} | runtime = 95 minutes | country = Ecuador<br>Canada<br>Peru<br>Spain | language = Spanish<br>Kichwa | budget = $360.000<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peñafiel |first=Maria |date=2024-10-31 |title=El 'Chuzalongo' llega a los cines de Ecuador para sembrar el terror |url=https://www.laprensa.com.ec/el-chuzalongo-llega-a-los-cines-de-ecuador-para-sembrar-el-terror/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=La Prensa Ecuador |language=es}}</ref> | gross = }} '''''Chuzalongo''''' is a 2024 folk horror film written and directed by Diego Ortuño, based on the traditional Andean legend "El Chuzalongo", which is represented as a child-elf who sexually assaults women.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-05-21 |title=El 'teaser' de la película ecuatoriana 'Chuzalongo' fue proyectado en el festival de Cannes |url=https://www.ecuavisa.com/entretenimiento/cine/el-teaser-de-la-pelicula-ecuatoriana-chuzalongo-fue-proyectado-en-el-festival-de-cannes-EB1838251 |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Ecuavisa |language=es-EC}}</ref> It stars Bruno Odar, Wolframio Sinué and Aléx Cisneros<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ribadeneira |first=Alejandro |date=2024-10-31 |title=El 'Chuzalongo' llega a los cines de Ecuador para sembrar el terror |url=https://www.primicias.ec/entretenimiento/cine/chuzalongo-pelicula-terror-leyenda-ecuador-82427/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Primicias}}</ref> accompanied by Fernando Bacilio, Mónica Mancero, Toa Tituaña, Yuyak Guitarra, Lenin Farinango and Sisa Farez.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jiménez |first=Richard |date=2024-10-23 |title='Chuzalongo', una película de suspenso y magia se lanzará en Ecuador |url=https://www.elcomercio.com/tendencias/cine/chuzalongo-pelicula-cine-ecuador/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=El Comercio |language=es}}</ref>
It was selected as the Ecuadorian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-04 |title=🎬 Chuzalongo, dirigida por Diego Ortuño y producida por Grace Serrano Carmona, ha sido seleccionada para la preselección de la 98ª edición de los Premios Oscar en la categoría de Mejor Película Internacional. 🏆✨ |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DOLtHd3kur3/?hl=en |access-date=2025-09-04 |publisher=Instagram |language=es}}</ref>
== Synopsis == Women are being murdered by a mysterious creature known as the Chuzalongo. Father Nicanor will investigate the deaths surrounding the legend while the revolution and the enslavement experienced by those called Indians increasingly complicate his work, and the desperation of the community members seeks to stem the number of deaths and disappearances.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Terán |first=Pablo |date=2024-10-30 |title=Chuzalongo, una leyenda de terror que cobra vida en la gran pantalla |url=https://ecuadorchequea.com/chuzalongo-una-leyenda-de-terror-que-cobra-vida-en-la-gran-pantalla/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Ecuador Chequea |language=es}}</ref>
== Cast ==
* Bruno Odar as Nicanor * Wolframio Sinué as Melalo * Aléx Cisneros as Don Alfonso * Fernando Bacilio as Segundo * Mónica Mancero as Lucía * Toa Tituaña as Rosa * Yuyak Guitarra as Awki * Karla Gómez as Magdalena * Lenin Farinango as Narrator * Matilde Lagos as Mamita Juana * Gael Ortuño as Kid * Sisa Farez
== Production == The script took 5 years to write.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castro |first=Mayuri |date=2025-01-09 |title=Chuzalongo, una película de terror ecuatoriana |url=https://www.labarraespaciadora.com/culturas/diego-ortuno-director-pelicula-chuzalongo-cine-ecuatoriano/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=La Barra Espaciadora |language=es}}</ref> Principal photography began on May 1, 2023, in Quito, Cayambe, Cotacachi and Pintag, Ecuador, lasting 4 weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Y empezamos el rodaje de nuestra película Nro 10: Chuzalongo... |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CpRM3ohu9-D/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Instagram}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-31 |title=La película ecuatoriana 'Chuzalongo', una leyenda de horror, llega al cine |url=https://www.teleamazonas.com/chuzalongo-pelicula-ecuatoriana-estrena/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Teleamazonas}}</ref>
== Release == ''Chuzalongo'' had its world premiere on April 11, 2024, at the 20th Fantaspoa (Porto Alegre International Fantastic Film Festival),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-16 |title='Chuzalongo', del ecuatoriano Diego Ortuño, tiene su estreno mundial en el Festival de Cine Fantástico de Porto Alegre, en Brasil |url=https://www.programaibermedia.com/chuzalongo-del-ecuatoriano-diego-ortuno-tiene-su-estreno-mundial-en-el-festival-de-cine-fantastico-de-porto-alegre-en-brasil/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Programa Ibermedia |language=es-ES}}</ref> and then screened on September 25, 2024, at the 10th Guayaquil International Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-26 |title=Inició el Festival Internacional de Cine de Guayaquil: 'Chuzalongo' fue la película inaugural del evento |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/entretenimiento/inicio-el-festival-internacional-de-cine-de-guayaquil-chuzalongo-fue-la-pelicula-inaugural-del-evento-nota/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=El Universo |language=es}}</ref>
The film was released commercially on October 31, 2024, in Ecuadorian theaters,<ref>{{Cite web |title=La película ecuatoriana 'Chuzalongo' se estrena en todas las salas de cine, este 31 de octubre de 2024 |url=https://www.lahora.com.ec/archivo/La-pelicula-ecuatoriana-Chuzalongo-se-estrena-en-todas-las-salas-de-cine-este-31-de-octubre-de-2024-20241009-0053.html |website=Diario La Hora}}</ref> and on November 6, 2025, in Peruvian theaters under the title "En el nombre del mal" ({{lit|In the Name of Evil}}).<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2025-10-31 |title=Bruno Odar protagoniza la película de terror “En el nombre del mal” |url=https://elcomercio.pe/luces/cine/bruno-odar-protagoniza-la-pelicula-de-terror-en-el-nombre-del-mal-ultimas-noticia/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |work=El Comercio |language=es-PE |issn=1605-3052}}</ref>
== Box office == It sold more than 20,000 tickets during its eight-week run,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santos |first=Celia |title=Ecuatoriana "Chuzalongo" viajará a mercados foráneos en 2025 tras ser la más taquillera |url=https://noticine.com/industria/37653-ecuatoriana-chuzalongo-viajara-a-mercados-foraneos-en-2025-tras-ser-la-mas-taquillera.html |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Noticine.com}}</ref> becoming the highest-grossing Ecuadorian film of the year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ribadeneira |first=Alejandro |date=2024-12-22 |title='Chuzalongo' es la película de Ecuador más vista de 2024, ¿por qué tuvo éxito? |url=https://www.primicias.ec/entretenimiento/cine/chuzalongo-pelicula-ecuador-exito-taquilla-86062/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Primicias}}</ref>
== See also ==
* List of submissions to the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film * List of Ecuadorian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|27730778}} {{Ecuadorian submissions for Academy Awards}}
Category:2024 films Category:2024 horror films Category:Ecuadorian supernatural horror films Category:Canadian supernatural horror films Category:Peruvian supernatural horror films Category:Spanish supernatural horror films Category:2020s supernatural horror films Category:Folk horror films Category:2024 Spanish-language films Category:Spanish-language horror films Category:Spanish-language Canadian films Category:Quechua-language films Category:AV Films films Category:Films set in Ecuador Category:Films shot in Ecuador Category:Films set in the 19th century Category:Films set in 1895 Category:Films about religious leaders Category:2020s Ecuadorian films Category:2024 Canadian films Category:2024 Peruvian films Category:2024 Spanish films