Juan of the Dead

"He's Havana killer day."

2011 1h 36m ES

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 314

HorrorComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

While Havana is full of zombies hungry for human flesh, official media reported that the disturbances are caused by dissidents paid by the United States. Panic seizes all until Juan comes to the rescue: he discovers he can kill the undead destroying his brain, and decides to start a small business under the slogan "We kill your loved ones."

“He's Havana killer day.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Alexis Díaz de Villegas
Juan
Jorge Molina
Lázaro
Andros Perugorría
Vladi California
Andrea Duro
Camila
Jazz Vilá
La China
Eliecer Ramírez
El Primo
Blanca Rosa Blanco
Sara
Susana Pous
Lucía

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Alejandro Brugués
Writers: Alejandro Brugués
Languages: Italian, Spanish
Countries: Cuba, Spain

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 11% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Cuba, Spain.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Alejandro Brugués, shot by Carles Gusi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Julio de la Rosa. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Mercedes Cantero shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Alejandro Brugués directs. Carles Gusi behind the camera. Julio de la Rosa scores. Mercedes Cantero cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Cuba, Spain. Dialogue in Italian, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 11% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 15 years ago.
4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, Spanish.
5International production across 2 countries: Cuba, Spain.
6Directed by Alejandro Brugués, shot by Carles Gusi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Julio de la Rosa. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Mercedes Cantero shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Alexis Díaz de Villegas and Jorge Molina and Andros Perugorría carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "He's Havana killer day.".
11IMDB entry: tt1838571 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Carles Gusi
Original score: Julio de la Rosa
Editing: Mercedes Cantero
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $3,000,000
Box office: $324,834
Return: 11% of budget
Original language: ES
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Juan of the Dead (2011)

Awards

Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Alejandro Brugués

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

deepkino2025-09-18
★ 7/10
Alejandro Brugués’ Juan de los Muertos is an absurd, sharp, and very Cuban twist on the zombie comedy. Like Shaun of the Dead, it mixes slapstick and gore with wit, but here the humor carries a political edge—state TV calls the undead “dissidents,” a sly jab at government rhetoric. Juan’s scheme of charging people to dispose of their infected relatives adds to the absurd charm. The result is a clever blend of social satire and zombie chaos that feels both familiar and refreshingly original.

Production companies