Director Guillermo Del Toro 2002 (c) New Line, Courtesy Everett Collection
After years of being denied a seat at the table, horror is finally starting to get its due. With films like Parasite, Get Out, and The Substance taking home Oscars, it’s clear that the mainstream is finally beginning to see what we’ve known all along: Horror is a valid art form. That sentiment is further echoed by yet another recent win. In 2022, Nikyatu Jusu’s Nanny became the first horror film ever to win the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. As if that weren’t exciting enough, the picture also landed on Guillermo del Toro’s radar.
Fans of the film connected with the captivating narrative, striking visuals, and Anna Diop’s strong showing in the lead role.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the particulars, Diop features as Aisha, an undocumented Senegalese immigrant living in New York City. One year prior, Aisha left her son, Lamine (Jahleel Kamara), back home with her cousin in hopes of creating a better life. When she accepts a position as a nanny, Aisha comes face to face with a malevolent supernatural presence that threatens her American dream.
Courtesy of Amazon Studios
This haunting feature created such buzz out of Sundance that it resulted in a bidding war, with multiple distributors anxious to acquire the picture. Amazon Studios ultimately secured distribution rights for approximately $7 million. The positive buzz eventually caught del Toro’s attention. The Crimson Peak director checked the film out and posted the below endorsement to X (formerly Twitter).
NANNY (Nikyatu Jusu, 2022). Hypnotic horror film. Symbol, myth and spirit join to tell an internal saga. Fraught with danger, menace and full of mystery and power. Its remarkable color palette and rock-solid audiovisual storytelling rematched by breathtaking performances. pic.twitter.com/tGkzHeW7Ud
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) December 26, 2022
Del Toro has such a way with words. He describes cinema in such vivid detail that it often compels me to seek out whatever it is that he’s recommending. If you have a similar response to his endorsement and want to experience Nanny for yourself, you can find the film streaming on Prime Video now.
Though Jusu has yet to complete another feature at this point, her IMDb lists her as in the early stages of development on a yet-untitled horror project. I suspect she had her choice of gigs after winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. So, I’m sure whatever she’s settled on will be captivating and a strong showcase of her considerable talent.
That is just about all that we have for you at present, dear reader. Make sure to stay tuned to Dread Central in the very near future for more exciting streaming recommendations from your favorite filmmakers in the genre space.
Categorized: Streaming News
