Malaga-born king of horror makes international feature film debut

The idea that fairies are good is debatable. At least, there are exceptions to the rule. Just ask the viewers of the short film Fairy (2015), with which Malaga-born director Tony Morales sowed fear in more than 200 festivals worldwide, garnering screams and up to 60 international awards, from the US to China.

Since then, each of the filmmaker's short films has been met with as many jeers as applause. He has carved out a name for himself in the independent genre with style and personality.

A decade later, the Malaga king of horror makes his feature debut, with a film that borrows the title of his international short film hit: Fairy.

The film centres around the legend of the Tooth Fairy, based on the Spanish tradition of Ratoncito Pérez: that generous character who takes the lollipops from under children's pillows to leave money.

Not all children enjoyed the character, however, among them Tony Morales, who was terrified of any creature climbing into his bed. This childhood nightmare will be his introduction to the feature film: a story featuring the Tooth Fairy that promises "a real rollercoaster of terror".

Until 21 August, Morales will be filming this supernatural thriller between Madrid and the Canary Islands.

The film stars Mexican actress Esmeralda Pimentel, a true phenomenon in her home country. After breaking into the world of telenovelas, the young actress sought other challenges, appearing in films and television shows, such as Donde Hubo Fuego, Montecristo, Casi el paraíso and the popular American series The Good Doctor.

With over three and a half million followers on social media, Pimentel has already dabbled in Spanish cinema with Manuel Gómez Pereira's latest comedy Un funeral de locos and the romantic drama El gusto del cloro (awaiting release), although Hada (Fairy) marks her first leading role in Spanish cinema.

Pimentel plays a social worker haunted by loss, who confronts a series of child disappearances in a rural Spanish village. This leads her to investigate local myths to understand what is happening. Her goal is to save a child under her care, played by young Liam Segu, the orphan at the heart of the story.

"I wanted to explore childhood fears because we've all had a sibling or parents who threatened us with the boogeyman or the big bad wolf," Tony Morales says.

At the age of four, he saw the bizarre Child's Play at a neighbour's house. The experience left a lasting impression and terrified him for a long time until he overcame his fears by devouring every horror film he could find in video shops, making it his preferred genre as a director.

This spirit of classic 80s horror is also present in the feature film Fairy whose screenplay he co-wrote with his collaborator Fer Zaragoza. Zaragoza and Morales also co-wrote the short films Abracitos, Alicia and La visitante.

Produced by the Spanish companies Eterno Island Pictures (Dante and El convento) and Rock & Ruz (Nowhere) and the American A Bigger Boat (the Saw saga), the plot mixes drama, suspense and supernatural horror.

The film stars Lola Casamayor (La agencia and Camino), Luifer Rodríguez (Hierro and Águila roja), Olga Redondo (Poquita fe and Valeria), Chema Tena (El Reino and Antidisturbios) and Alberto Tierrez (La primera profecía), who plays the character of the Tooth Fairy that in the original short film was played by Eva Isanta (La que se avecina).

Tony Morales' debut feature further confirms what has been an excellent year for filmmakers from Malaga, as it marks the fourth feature film debut in 2026. This follows the debuts of Toñi Martín and her journey to Lorca's La Barraca in Antonia and the duo Fali Álvarez and Vladi Ráez with their portrayal of loneliness and online scams in Mi vecino Fermín.

In March, veteran director Enrique García helmed his fourth film, the comedy Ukelele para dos, which he filmed in Rincón de la Victoria with Macarena Gómez, Ignacio Nacho and Salva Reina. Violeta Salama's new film, Vengo de ese miedo, an adaptation of Miguel Ángel Oeste's novel of the same name, is slated for release in the autumn.

Explore the SUR in English culture and arts archive