The Dark Hour

The Dark Hour (original title: La Hora Fría) is a Spanish science fiction film, produced in 2006, written and directed by Elio Quiroga, and produced by Eqlipse Producciones Cinematográficas with Margaret Nicoll, Jérôme Debève and Juan A. Ruiz as associate producers. Plot The film follows a group of eight people who living in a crumbling, unknown installation. They are survivors of a cataclysmic war. Maria (group leader), Pablo (her boyfriend), Jesus, Lucas, Mateo, Magda, and teen Ana all live together. Judas and Pedro (Maria's former lover) live away from the others. Jesus, the only young boy, films everything on a digicam. Jesus and Ana visit Judas in the basement whenever possible, as he treats them like adults. On the way to his room they pass decrepit corridors that are out of bounds, although Jesus leaves food for the "Solitary Child" that lives in the area. Included throughout the film are in-universe propaganda films presented in a style reminiscent of 1950s American cartoons. These cartoon focus on the destruction of an unnamed enemy. Another film declares the enemy had developed a virus that destroys skin, making the infected victim constantly bleed but never die. The survivors can't leave the complex and live in fear of the "Strangers" and "Invisibles" (only seen as a green mist in the corridors). The survivors' only defense is to cut the complex's power and heat; the Dark (or Cold) Hour of the title. The "Strangers" are the infected mentioned in the propaganda films. When food, medical supplies and ammunition begin to run out they must travel to a supply depot outside of their underground safe zone.