This article may contain affiliate links. For details, visit our Affiliate Disclosure page.
Introduction
Veronica is a Spanish horror film that hit Netflix in February 2018. It immediately became a sensation, with viewers talking about how scary it was. Veronica follows a teenage girl who attempts to summon her father’s spirit with a Ouija board, but instead, she attracts an evil entity. As the story unfolds, the protagonist experiences increasingly terrifying events, culminating in a heart-stopping conclusion. However, many viewers have been left wondering whether the film is based on a true story. In this blog post, we will explore the question of whether Veronica is based on a true story or not.
The Origin of the Veronica Story
Veronica is based on a true story, but it is not a factual retelling. The movie was inspired by the case of Estefania Gutierrez Lazaro, a young girl from Vallecas, Madrid, who died in 1991. The circumstances surrounding Estefania’s death are mysterious and remain unexplained to this day. According to reports, Estefania and her friends were playing with a Ouija board when they experienced a series of paranormal events. Soon after, Estefania began experiencing seizures and hallucinations. She was taken to the hospital, where she died several days later. The cause of her death was listed as a sudden and inexplicable illness, and her case remains unsolved.
The Parallels Between Estefania and Veronica
While Veronica is not a factual retelling of Estefania’s story, the movie borrows heavily from her case. For example, both Estefania and the protagonist of Veronica are teenage girls living in Madrid. They both play with an Ouija board, and they both experience paranormal events as a result. Furthermore, both girls suffer from seizures and hallucinations after their encounter with the Ouija board. However, the similarities end there. The events depicted in the movie are fictional and embellished for dramatic effect. Nonetheless, it is clear that the filmmakers drew inspiration from Estefania’s story when creating the movie.
The Power of Belief and the Supernatural
One of the central themes of Veronica is the power of belief and the supernatural. The movie portrays the idea that if you believe in something strongly enough, it can become real. For example, Veronica believes that using the Ouija board, she can contact her deceased father. Her belief in the supernatural ultimately leads to her downfall. Similarly, Estefania and her friends believed that they could communicate with the dead, and this belief resulted in a series of terrifying events. The movie suggests that the supernatural is real, but it is only as powerful as our belief in it.
The Role of Catholicism in the Story
Veronica is also steeped in Catholicism, which plays an important role in the story. The protagonist attends a Catholic school and is shown to be very religious. The movie suggests that the supernatural is rooted in Catholicism and that the Catholic Church has the power to protect us from evil. However, the movie also suggests that the Church’s power is limited and that sometimes, evil forces are too strong to be overcome. This theme is reinforced by the fact that the movie is set in 1991, a time when the Catholic Church in Spain was losing influence and authority.
The Real-Life Consequences of Playing with the Occult
Finally, Veronica serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of playing with the occult. The movie suggests that there are consequences to dabbling in the supernatural and that sometimes, those consequences can be deadly. The filmmakers use Estefania’s story to underscore this point, suggesting that playing with an Ouija board can have serious and potentially deadly consequences. While the events depicted in the movie are fictional, they are grounded in real-life events, and they serve as a warning to viewers not to take the occult lightly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Veronica is based on a true story, but it is not a factual retelling. The movie was inspired by the case of Estefania Gutierrez Lazaro, a young girl from Vallecas, Madrid, who died in 1991. The filmmakers borrowed heavily from her story when creating the movie, but they also embellished and fictionalized events for dramatic effect. Despite this, the movie raises important themes and issues, including the power of belief, the role of Catholicism, and the dangers of playing with the occult. Overall, Veronica is a well-crafted horror movie that draws on real-life events to create a gripping and terrifying story.
