Plaga Zombie (film series)
Argentine zombie trilogy with alien-government conspiracy.
Plaga Zombie is an Argentine comedy horror film series created by Pablo Parés, Berta Muñiz, and Hernán Sáez. The trilogy follows three misfit heroes who discover an alien-government conspiracy after a zombie outbreak hits their hometown. It holds the distinction of being the first zombie horror film released in Argentina and the only zombie horror trilogy produced in Latin America.
The series gained mainstream attention from Fangoria, which picked it up under its Fangoria Films International label, helping it build a worldwide cult following. The most recent installment, *Plaga Zombie: American Invasion*, entered production in the summer of 2013.
The original film was conceived by Parés and Sáez, who began making home movies with childhood friends using a family video camera while still in high school. Key personnel for FARSA Productions emerged from this group, including Berta Muñiz, Paulo Soria, and Walter Cornás. At age 17, Parés and Sáez decided to undertake their first major film project—a horror comedy about a zombie outbreak in their hometown—which they co-directed, co-wrote, and starred in alongside Muñiz. Made on a budget of only a few hundred dollars with no formal film training, *Plaga Zombie* became very popular with Argentine audiences and eventually gained an international following.
Work on the sequel, *Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante*, began immediately but took over four years to complete. Its budget was more than double that of the first film, estimated at $3,000, which significantly improved production value. The filmmakers said the film "took its toll on everyone," and production was paused to shoot *Never Go to Those Kind of Parties* (2000). Finding extras proved difficult, and the crew faced angry residents and police during shooting. A local TV station aired a special broadcast asking for people to play zombies, giving out the director's home phone number. Friendly police officers also visited the set to request cameos. Post-production was painstaking, with years of footage needing to be cut into a 100-minute film. Parés and Sáez finished editing only 40 minutes before its theatrical premiere, forcing them to play the film back on a laptop.
The third and final chapter, *Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante – Revolución Tóxica*, was released in 2012. Unlike the first two films, which used traditional special effects, this entry employed computer-g
- field
- Comedy horror film series
- nationality
- Argentine
- known_for
- First zombie horror film in Argentina; only Latin American zombie horror trilogy
- created_by
- Pablo Parés, Berta Muñiz, Hernán Sáez
- first_release
- 1997
- latest_installment
- Plaga Zombie: American Invasion (production began summer 2013)
Lore & Background
The original Plaga Zombie film was conceived by Pablo Parés and Hernán Sáez using a family video camera with childhood friends in high school. Produced on a very low budget, reportedly for only a few hundred dollars, and with no formal film training, the film was very popular with audiences in Argentina and eventually gained an international following. The sequel, Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante, took over four years to complete, had over twice the budget at an estimated $3,000, and faced difficulties including finding extras and angry residents during shooting. Post-production was finished only 40 minutes before its theatrical premiere, requiring playback on a laptop. The third and final chapter, Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante – Revolución Tóxica, was released in 2012 and employed computer-generated imagery for the first time. The trilogy was released on FARSA Productions' official YouTube channel between November 2010 and March 2012; Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante has received over 2 million views as of September 2013.
Reader's Guide
Plaga Zombie holds significance as the first zombie horror film released in Argentina and the only zombie horror trilogy produced in Latin America. The series received mainstream coverage from Fangoria and was picked up by its horror label, Fangoria Films International, helping it attain a worldwide cult following. The films were created by a group of young filmmakers with no formal training and a very low budget, yet achieved notable popularity in Argentina and internationally. The trilogy's release on YouTube further expanded its audience. A new installment, Plaga Zombie: American Invasion, set in the same universe, began production in the United States in 2013, with cameo appearances by the original creators. The series is notable for its DIY ethos, alien-zombie hybrid plot, and its role in establishing a Latin American presence in the zombie horror genre.
Did You Know?
- Plaga Zombie was the first-ever zombie horror film released in Argentina.
- The sequel, Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante, took over four years to complete and had a budget estimated at $3,000.
- The third film, Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante – Revolución Tóxica, was the first in the series to use computer-generated imagery.
- Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante has received over 2 million views on YouTube as of September 2013.
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