Official Synopsis
Sarah, a young American, convinces her three friends, Isaac, Jackie, and Horacio, to assist in completing her audacious ecological documentary. Their journey takes them deep into the shadowy world of illegal mining in an enigmatic Peruvian forest. Upon arrival, locals vehemently caution them against approaching the forest or the mining town, citing the presence of the Supay — an ancient being from Andean mythology capable of taking various forms and remaining unnoticed to attack intruders.
Review
The Devil’s Teardrop (Peru, 2025) seems to benefit from a decidedly higher budget than most found-footage horror films, and experience on both sides of the camera really shows here. Although it is director Gonzalo Otero’s first time helming a feature film, he has eight previous shorts to his credit, and three of the four leads have about two dozen previous acting credits each. All of that professionalism is evident throughout this film, which also boasts solid production values.
Sarah (Sydney Amanuel) recruits her friends Isaac (Gabriel Rysdahl), his sister Jackie (Mia Rose Kavensky), and Horacio (Javier Saavedra) for an ill-fated voyage to film a documentary exposing illegal mining in a Peruvian forest. “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions,” as the proverb says, and these four will find that to be terrifyingly true.
Fright-fare devotees usually averse to found footage films because of shaky camerawork will be pleased to know that The Devil’s Teardrop has far less of that than most films employing that subgenre/style. Also of note is the fantastic creature design by Christian Urdapiletta. Monster lovers are going to find plenty to enjoy here.
Otero paces the proceedings well, building mystery and suspense at a satisfying clip. Add to that solid performances and a great overall look, and the eerie The Devil’s Teardrop comes highly recommended.
The Devil’s Teardrop screened as part of San Francisco’s Unnamed Footage Festival, which ran March 24–29, 2026.
