The Devil's Backbone

Spanish filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is considered a master storyteller, able to balance horror and drama in equal measure, with a keen sense of style. Arguably his most personal film, The Devil's Backbone (El espinazo del diablo) is a stunning childhood journey into the heart of darkness. Set during the final week of the Spanish Civil War, The Devil's Backbone tells the tale of Carlos (Fernando Tielve), a young boy who, after his freedom-fighting father is killed, is sent to a haunted rural orphanage full of terrible secrets. A haunting combination of gothic ghost story, murder mystery, and historical melodrama The Devil's Backbone is a spine-tingling tale, revealing that the scariest monsters are often the human ones. (Umbrella Entertainment)