Tigers Are Not Afraid () is a 2017 Mexican crime-fantasy horror film, with elements of magical realism, written and directed by Issa López. The film is produced by Marco Polo Constandse, under the banner of Filmadora Nacional, and Peligrosa. The film stars Paola Lara, Juan Ramón López, Ianis Guerrero, Rodrigo Cortes, Hanssel Casillas, Nery Arredondo, and Tenoch Huerta. The film has received extremely positive reviews from critics.
Plot
Estrella is a young girl in a Mexican city devastated by the Mexican Drug War. While working on a fairy tale writing assignment, Estrella's classroom is disrupted by gunfire outside the school. Amid the panic, Estrella's teacher hands her three pieces of chalk she says will grant three wishes. Following the incident, classes are indefinitely suspended.
Street orphan Shine steals a gun and an iPhone from Caco, a henchman of crime boss Chino, who is actually politician Servando Esparza. Shine points the gun at Caco, who is drunkenly oblivious to the theft, but is unable to shoot.
Estrella walks home past a dead body on the street. A trail of blood from the body follows Estrella to her house, where Estrella discovers that her mother is missing; a probable victim of rampant drug cartel-related violence from Chino's human trafficking ring ‘The Huascas.' Growing lonely and desperate for food, Estrella wishes for her mother to return. Estrella begins experiencing haunting visions of her mother as a ghost imploring Estrella to "bring him to us." Soon after, Estrella catches Shine looting her house. Estrella follows Shine back to his hideout and meets fellow orphans Pop, Tucsi, and Morro. Shine refuses to feed her or welcome her into his gang but Estrella stays with the boys anyway.
Caco comes looking for his stolen gun and phone. The other children escape, but Morro is kidnapped. Shine gives Estrella the stolen gun and tells her that if she kills Caco, he will let her remain in his gang. Estrella sneaks into Caco's apartment. While aiming the weapon, Estrella makes a wish that she didn't have to kill Caco. She then sees that Caco is already dead. Estrella frees Morro and tells Shine that she killed Caco. Later that night, Estrella has another vision of her mother. She warns that the man who really killed Caco will be looking for Estrella, and Estrella must bring the man to her. Shine, Estrella, Pop, Tucsi, and Morro bring the other rescued boys back to their rival gang leader Brayan. Brayan taunts Shine for having Estrella kill Caco when Shine should have been the one to do it. Estrella later finds Shine crying over the fact that he couldn't kill Caco. Shine confesses that he keeps Caco's phone because it contains the only picture of his own missing mother, his family photos being lost when the Huascas set fire to his home. Having heard about Estrella from Brayan, Caco's brother Tio calls Caco's phone to threaten the children.
After the kids decorate soccer balls, Shine tells Estrella more about his mother. Shine asks Estrella if she might use her last wish to remove the burn scars on his face. Estrella refuses, claiming something bad happens every time she makes a wish. Tio captures Shine while the other boys stage an imaginary talent show. Estrella has another haunting vision of her mother along with other murder victims while hiding from Tio before also being captured. Morro shoots Tio to save his friends, but Tio shoots and kills Morro. The other children escape.
