Pan’s Labyrinth, originally known in Spanish as El Laberinto del Fauno (The Labyrinth of the Faun), is a 2006 Spanish-Mexican dark fantasy film written and directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. It was produced and distributed by Esperanto Films.
The story takes place in Spain in May–June 1944, five years after the Spanish Civil War, during the early Francoist period. The narrative of the film intertwines this real world with a mythical world centered on an overgrown abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun creature, with whom the main character, Ofelia, interacts. Ofelia’s stepfather, the Falangist Captain Vidal, hunts the Spanish Maquis who fight against the Francoist regime in the region, while Ofelia’s pregnant mother grows increasingly ill. Ofelia meets several strange and magical creatures who become central to her story, leading her through the trials of the old labyrinth garden. The film employs make-up,animatronics, and CGI effects to bring life to its creatures.