Wednesday, 4 March 2026

PREVIEW: 1978 (2026 Film) - Directed by Luciano Onetti and Nicolás Onetti

Preview by Jon Donnis

From Black Mandala Films comes the horror feature 1978, directed by Luciano Onetti and Nicolás Onetti, the filmmakers behind ABRAKADABRA and WHAT THE WATERS LEFT BEHIND. The film combines political terror with occult horror and is set against one of the darkest periods in Argentine history.

1978 held its world premiere at the Sitges Catalonian International Film Festival, an event widely regarded as the most important festival dedicated to fantasy and horror cinema. The film quickly attracted attention there for its uncompromising tone and its shocking narrative turns.

After its festival debut, the film went on to receive theatrical releases across several international territories. It later became one of the most watched genre titles on HBO Latin America, demonstrating strong interest from horror audiences as well as mainstream viewers.

The story takes place during the 1978 World Cup final between Argentina and Holland, during the height of the country's military dictatorship. A group of torturers violently raid a house and abduct several young people, taking them to a clandestine detention centre.

What begins as a brutal and inhumane interrogation soon becomes something far worse. The captors have made a fatal mistake. Their victims are not who they appear to be, and they belong to a sinister cult guided by an unknown supernatural force.

As the situation escalates, reality begins to fracture and violence increases. The detention centre becomes a nightmare where the torturers soon find themselves becoming the tortured.

With its raw performances, suffocating atmosphere, and a bold combination of historical horror and the occult, 1978 presents a disturbing experience within the genre.

1978 is now available on major digital streaming platforms in North America, and has also been released on DVD and Blu ray, bringing the film to audiences interested in modern Latin American horror cinema.