Madres (2021) 100%

: The exploitation of language barriers and the withholding of medication to coerce women into signing sterilization forms.

: The film uses the "gothic" tradition to reflect anxieties specifically regarding the bodies of brown women and reproductive autonomy. 4. Critical Reception Madres (2021)

: The true horror is not demonic but human—specifically, racist medical practices and eugenics . : The exploitation of language barriers and the

The 2021 horror film , directed by Ryan Zaragoza as part of the Welcome to the Blumhouse anthology, uses the gothic genre to confront a dark and often suppressed chapter of American history: the forced sterilization of Mexican-American women. Set in 1977 California, the film shifts from a traditional ghost story into a chilling social commentary on systemic racism and reproductive injustice. 1. Historical Context and Setting Critical Reception : The true horror is not

: Rather than being malevolent entities, the "ghosts" Diana encounters are the spirits of past victims attempting to warn her of the impending danger at the local clinic. 3. Themes of Reproductive Rights and Justice

While some reviewers found the film's construction "sloppy" or its scares "rote," others praised it for using the horror genre to illuminate a topic many viewers might be unfamiliar with . Its power lies in its final act—punctuated by footnotes before the credits—that connects the fictional narrative to the real-life atrocities committed against marginalized women.