For Elisa – aka Para Elisa – is a 2013 Spanish horror film directed and written by Juanra Fernández,, and starring Ana Turpin, Ona Casamiquela, and Luisa Gavasa. The film’s title is a take on the Beethoven composition Für Elise.
When college student Ana (Ona Casamiquela) agrees to work as a careworker for the mentally challenged Elisa (Ana Turpin), she initially sees it as just a way to pay for a post-graduation trip. Ana sets about her job, as she doesn’t believe Elisa is too overly difficult to care for, only to soon realise that Elisa’s overbearing mother Diamantina (Luisa Gavasa) is more than just an eccentric and wealthy matron. Diamantina is also mentally unstable and kidnaps Ana with the intention of keeping her in the house forever…
Filming for Para Elisa took place during August 2012 in Cuenca, Spain.
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Reviews:
“When the violence happens, judicious cutting saves us from witnessing the full gory details, but the foley artist’s effects take no prisoners, making the stomach turn with shocks that are much more effective through implication. Throughout Ana’s ordeal, the claustrophobic atmosphere of the apartment interior is expertly rendered by effective lighting design and a brilliant musical score by Pascual Vasquez.” Horror Hot House
“For Elisa should have been a modern masterpiece and a great throwback to classic horror. Instead, it is an utter disappointment that retroactively spoils a good setup and will leave you frustrated at just how unoriginal it is. It’s not a film that lingers in the mind for very long, which is probably for the best.” BloodGuts
“For Elisa is beautifully shot with camera angles and lighting techniques that conjure memories of suspenseful works of the 1970s. The aesthetics are absolutely amazing, as each shot is crystal clear and respectfully artsy. You don’t require an IQ of 150 to understand the intricacies of the filming process, but you can see that a blueprint was developed for the shoot.” Addicted to Horror Movies
