“Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006) is a modern parable written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film’s narrative seamlessly interweaves the horrors of the Franco regime with a coming of age story in which a young girl’s interactions with creatures in a parallel world teach her the importance of moral choices.
In “La Antena” (2007), a surreal Argentine parable written and directed by Esteban Sapir, the population of an unknown city is kept under the complete control of Mr. TV through his monopolization of the broadcast system and food supply. Everyone in the city except for a singer, La Voz, has lost their voice (yet are still able to communicate through visual words). With the help of his scientist henchman Dr. Y, Mr. TV kidnaps La Voz in a scheme to take away the last remaining means of communication from the the citizens. A TV repairman gets word of the plan and attempts to foil it using an abandoned antenna in the mountains.
The film is shot in a silent film style reminiscent of the works of Fritz Lang and F.W. Murnau, but also seems to incorporate influences from modern fantasy films such as Dark City and Pan’s Labyrinth. Unfortunately, the only complete version of the film I could find was without subtitles, but those who don’t know Spanish can still enjoy it because the story is conveyed mostly through (beautifully evocative) imagery and doesn’t rely heavily on dialogue.