L-R: Oscar Avila as Remi, Nizhonniya Luxi Austin as Cara Durand, Nathan Fielder as Asher and Emma Stone as Whitney in The Curse. (Photo by Richard Foreman Jr. / A24/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME)
The ten episode Showtime/A24 series The Curse, which filmed in Española and Santa Fe in June of 2022, has ended. While it may have left many with more questions than answers, the series has been nothing but intriguing and a boon for experimental film and TV in New Mexico.
The surrealist series set in the Northern New Mexican town of Española takes on niche subjects such as HGTV reality TV and what gentrification might look like in a small town like Española. In the process the series makes key collaborations with local emerging Pueblo, Diné and Kiowa talent.
The Curse courageously (or crazily) delves even deeper into super niche subjects like contemporary Indigenous performance artists practicing their craft. It employs odd retro gimmicks like shooting in an older HD format which creates a surreal indescribable visual experience.