Towards a Fluid Genealogy of the Spanish Feminist-Fantastic: Creatura in the Face of New Iterations of the Monstrous-Feminine

In updating her theorization on the monstrous-feminine, Barbara Creed has recently opened new paths for the concept within what she calls the Feminist New Wave of filmmakers. However, this essay aims to avoid her perceived lack of context and oversight when it comes to analyzing specific filmic traditions, such as those established within the Spanish State. Thus, the focus of this paper is the film Creatura (Elena Martín, 2023), seeking to explain the ways in which it connects with the monstrous-feminine from its generic and discursive singularity. In order to effectively understand how Creatura, a case of “feminist fantastic”, mixes a naturalistic approach with fantastic elements evocative of body horror, it is argued that the analyst must delve into the tumultuous trajectory of Spanish fantastic cinema directed by women. Then, using film analysis, the essay highlights the fruitful dialogue between Creatura, body horror, and the monstrous-feminine, demonstrating how the study of particular cases sharpens the conclusions of Creed’s taxonomy.