F. Javier Gutierrez, the acclaimed director of “Before the Fall” and “Rings,” unveils his third feature film, The Wait (La Espera). Following its world premiere at Germany’s Oldenburg Film Festival, this rural thriller is set to make its North American debut at Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the US, renowned for its focus on horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and action movies from around the globe.

The Wait takes audiences on a chilling journey into the remote, mystical, and long-forgotten Andalusian countryside. This folk horror tragedy has been described as a “love letter to the horror/fantasy genre” and Gutierrez’s “most intimate and brutal film” to date.

The film is produced by Gutierrez’s Unfiled Productions, along with Nostromo Pictures (known for “Buried” and “Penny Dreadful”) and Spal Films (“Before the Fall”). Starring Victor Clavijo (“Before the Fall”), Ruth Diaz, Manuel Moron, and Luis Callejo (“Below Zero”), The Wait promises to deliver a spine-tingling and unforgettable cinematic experience.

Gutierrez, reflecting on his creative journey, shares, “After ‘Rings,’ I felt the need to return to Europe, to Spain, to Andalucía, and shoot something personal. As a good friend told me once, ‘one for them, one for me, for my soul.’ ‘The Wait‘ belongs to the latter. No doubt, this film brings me back to my roots, my land, my memories, my most personal storytelling, along with my childhood nightmares.”

He goes on to explain the essence of The Wait saying, “As I did in ‘Before the Fall,’ beneath the story, I push the boundaries, to go deeper, through layers, symbols, exploring once again the complexity, darkness, beauty, and weakness of our human nature. Death. Grief. Guilt… All disguised as a disturbing folk horror, brutal, uncompromised, with the soul of a western. That’s ‘The Wait.’ A suffocating step towards the edge, into our inner fears. No answers. No mercy. Too harsh? Maybe. But you know, to see a candle’s light, one must take it into a dark place.”

Don’t miss the North American premiere of The Wait at Fantastic Fest, where Gutierrez’s mesmerizing vision of horror and human nature will be unleashed upon eager audiences.