Yalitza Aparicio, a preschool teacher from Oaxaca, Mexico, made history in 2019 when she became an Oscar-nominated actress for her performance in the Academy Award-winning film Roma, directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
Sadly, after that breakout success, she seemed to fall victim to the so-called “Oscar curse” that affects some actors who come close to the statuette—where their subsequent filmography struggles to match their earlier triumphs. In Yalitza’s case, her next projects included a leading role in the big-budget horror misfire Presencias (Luis Mandoki, 2022) and the more uplifting Netflix film La gran seducción (Celso García, 2023), which quickly faded into the depths of the streaming catalog not long after its release.
Yalitza had to wait until Halloween Day 2025 to “break the curse” — at least somewhat — with her starring role in the new Prime Video Latin American series Unburied (Cometierra), directed by Argentine filmmaker Daniel Burman (El abrazo partido, The Tenth Man). This folk horror series takes Yalitza back to her teaching roots as Emma, a young high school teacher in Mexico City who is kidnapped, forever changing the life of her student and friend Aylin (Lilith Curiel). In the aftermath, Aylin discovers she possesses a mysterious gift: the ability to uncover real-world truths by consuming small amounts of earth.
Although Yalitza is not the true protagonist—Aylin is—her presence in the early episodes allows us to see her in a far stronger horror setting than Presencias, while also passing the torch to a promising young actress. Lilith Curiel delivers a compelling performance as a modern Mexican teenager facing escalating violence, disappearances, and femicides that continue to plague the country.
Lilith is joined by a strong supporting cast, including Harold Torres—recently seen in the award-winning Disappear Completely and The Gringo Hunters on Netflix—as Ezequiel, an introverted rookie cop assigned to Emma’s case who later seeks Aylin’s help; Latin Grammy nominee Cecilia Toussaint as Sangrita, Aylin’s mentor in mystic powers; Gerardo Taracena (Apocalypto, The Gringo Hunters) as Aylin’s estranged father; and Juan Daniel Treviño (I’m No Longer Here), among others.
Unburied is a solid example of how a well-crafted story and engaging characters can capture genre fans’ attention. Its visual effects and overall production quality rival those of major international projects, while its deep roots in Mexican folklore make it uniquely authentic. Here, the cultural connection to the spiritual world—most visible during Día de Muertos—feels vividly alive in everyday life, along with all the tragedy it can bring.
Rating: 6/10