Pan's Labyrinth - 20th Anniversary Re-release

20th Anniversary re-release for Guillermo Del Toro's Oscar winning film, the 4K restoration is being released across the UK from 30th October.

Ever since being first released in 2006, and following the restoration being premiered at 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the film has been restored from the original 35mm negative bringing the film of such visual wonder to the big screen again with greater detail. 

Set in Spain 1944, in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, the film follows young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) who moves with her pregnant mother (Adrian Gil) to a military outpost with her tyrannical stepfather Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), who is a fascist officer. Ofelia befriends the staff especially housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdu) who is aiding the resistance unbeknownst to Vidal

Fascinated by the natural and lush landscape she is now living amongst, Ofelia discovers an ancient labyrinth ruled by a faun (Doug Jones in groundbreaking puppetry and costume design). The faun believes Ofelia to be the lost princess of a kingdom, and she must complete three tasks across the next few days. This mixture of fantasy entwined with the brutal hardship and decisions of war that she sees everyday brings a collision of worlds that young Ofelia must navigate to help her pregnant mum.

A winner of three Academy Awards (Best Cinematography, Art Direction and Make-Up) and three further nominations (Best Original Screenplay for GDT, Foreign Language Film and Original Score); this was still in the time of only five films being nominated for Best Picture - that year was the beatification of Martin Scorsese finally with The Departed - and surely would have obtained a nomination in an expanded field. 

The film is a wonderful mixture of fantasy, magical realism (so prevalent in Latin culture), the influence of children's literature with the parallels of C.S. Lewis' Narnia tales and the ever present threat of war with fascism breathing down the neck of freedom. Spain would remain under the fascistic rule of Franco for nearly thirty years following the conclusion of World War Two, the scars still remain. 

Del Toro would helm further great works, and his need to remain true to the power of cinema with physical effects, real sets and believable make-up has continued in his Oscar winning films such as The Shape of Water and last year's Frankenstein. 

A masterpiece that came out of nowhere, go see this film on the big screen and witness a film that will stand the test of time similar to films such as The Wizard of Oz it is so influenced by.

Pan's Labyrinth is out in selected cinemas from 30th October.

My thanks to StudioCanal for the review opportunity.