Genre filmmakers speak to us on a level like no other storytellers. They, most times with a shoe-string budget, show that art through adversity is a cinematic technique that will always gain fans. One such filmmaker is Chilean-born Ernesto Dìaz Espinoza.
We first came to know the work of Espinoza while covering Fantastic Fest. It was there in Austin where we were treated to the passion and the precision he brought to Bring Me the Head of Machine Gun Woman (yes, that is a real title). We were hooked and, since then, have followed his career with great interest.
This year, he gives us another vigilante-esqe story led by regular collaborator Marko Zaror. A genre legend in his own right, he’s experienced and exceptional. However, this towering phenom is only half of the awesomeness on screen. Helping this spinning back kick of a film land time and again is Scott Adkins. Talk about high energy excitement. One element that helps these punches and high kicks land is the cinematography. Espinoza does give a lot of credit to Niccolo De La Fere for the success of many standout scenes.
Diablo is an exercise in action that delivers the goods and then some (check out our review here). So it was a real thrill to speak with the man behind the camera and dive into all the elements that make this film come alive. Enjoy this chat with Ernesto Dìaz Espinoza!
After his release from prison, one man makes it his mission to right a terrible wrong by revealing a secret that could end his life. Scott Adkins stars as Kris Chaney, a warrior who seizes the daughter of a Colombian gangster to fulfill a noble promise to the young girl’s mother. When her father enlists both the criminal underworld and the terrifying psychotic killer El Corvo (Marko Zaror) to exact his revenge, Kris will need to draw upon everything he has ever learned — in and out of lockup — to stay alive and keep his word.
DIABLO will be released In Theaters, On Digital and On Demand on June 13, 2025.
