October 2025

The Wolf House
2018, Chile, dir. Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña, 75 mins


NOTES:

Originally written for the Perverts newsletter 10/11/25

Made nearly a century after Robert Wiene’s expressionist masterpiece, Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña’s The Wolf House (2018) constructs a nightmarish universe out of paint, paper, and clay.

This 2D/3D stop-motion feature follows María, who, after escaping a religious colony in rural Chile, seeks refuge in a sentient house inhabited by two pigs. As she settles in, the house responds to her emotions, warping into a menacing and surreal world.

The film doubles as a political and historical commentary on the long-forgotten Colonia Dignidad, a post-WWII German colony in rural Chile. The isolated outpost became notorious for its internment, torture, and murder of dissidents.

FURTHER READING:

Video essay on the film's historical context
Jack Zipes on The Wolf House
Video interview with Cristobal Leon
Written interview with both directors