Mexican culture is rich with folklore about brujas, or witches, and several of the stories passed down through generations involve children. The bruja is often depicted as malicious and sometimes immortal. La Bruja is a creepypasta about a Mexican witch who kidnaps children, while La Lechuza, or the owl witch, is the story of a witch who sold her soul to the devil in exchange for magical powers and can transform into a large owl and mimics the cries of a baby. The story is often told to children to discourage them from wandering alone at night.
Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Alegre’s (The Devil Told Me What to Do, Ánima) They Were Witches (Eran Brujas) tells the story of a witch who gains power by obtaining the breath of three orphans. Written and directed by Alegre, They Were Witches feels heavily influenced by Mexican folklore, and it’s easy to imagine a story like this being passed down from one generation to another. Tania Niebla (Ella Camina Sola) gives a striking performance as Mia, the host of a paranormal radio show, who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a horrifying scenario involving a witch, resulting in a blood-soaked, jaw-dropping final act.
The film begins with a woman chained to a chair in an abandoned building and a man named Mikel (Sebastián Ladrón de Guevara) sitting across from her. He asks her to tell him about her mother. She resists at first, but after he threatens her with a hammer, she finally admits to him that she never knew her mother because she died when she was born. Mikel places a plastic bag over her head and suffocates her, and then slits her throat. He takes a jar filled with sticks and holds it up to the open wound on her throat as smoke comes out of her neck and goes into the jar.
Next, we are introduced to Mia, who considers herself an expert on witchcraft and is delighted when a woman who claims to be a witch contacts her about doing an interview for her radio show called The Witching Hour. During the interview, the woman talks about a book of invocations while breaking some sticks, and Mia begins to feel strange. It’s as if she’s gone into a trance, but she thinks nothing of it and attributes it to some sort of technical glitch with the radio show.
The cinematography sets the gloomy atmospheric tone for the film, and Alegre does an excellent job of creating a haunting backdrop throughout They Were Witches, resulting in an increasing feeling of dread for the viewer. Niebla is stellar as Mia and expertly conveys a growing sense of genuine fear and unease.
Later, Mia goes on a road trip and stops at a motel, but the electricity is out, so the receptionist is unable to give her a room. A group of young people are sitting in the lobby, and one of them recognizes Mia from her radio show and tells her she is a fan. She introduces herself as Sara (Karina Lechuga) and offers to let Mia stay with her and her friends Luna (Daniela Porras), Fabián (Micho Camacho), Nico (José Salof), and Nadia (Renee Venencie) until the power is back on. Mia accepts her offer.
Soon, Mia begins to experience terrifying visions and discovers that someone has been following her. She also comes to the alarming conclusion that Sara knows more about her than just being a fan of her radio show and may have questionable motives for asking Mia to stay with her and her friends at the motel.
They Were Witches is a slow-burn, nightmarish tale about one woman’s chilling journey to the realization that nothing is a coincidence in her world and her life has a much bigger meaning than she could have ever imagined. The film features unearthly, memorable visuals and great storytelling reminiscent of Mexican folklore.
They Were Witches premiered at Chattanooga Film Festival 2025, which is offering a hybrid festival experience again this year.
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