The Dollmaker premiered August 25, 2026, through Cinephobia Releasing, and it arrives like a fever dream you can’t shake.
Directed by José María Cicala and co-written with Griselda Sánchez, this Argentinian horror-thriller drops us into an idyllic village that soon becomes a hotbed of female kidnappings. No one seems to care much about the missing women — including Tomás (Rodrigo Noya), a nerdy video store clerk who initially comes across as nonchalant and harmless. On paper, his life seems fairly mundane, even bland. Outside of work, he volunteers at a local psychiatric center and takes care of his disabled mother in the evenings. In one group therapy session at the psychiatric center, he meets Tina, sparks fly and the two begin dating. But all is not as it seems, however.
We quickly discover Tomás is not right in the head, and presents with a plethora of problems that plague him. Is his mother a life-size doll? What are these hallucinations and what do they mean?
Tomás is driven by childhood wounds and psychoses which the audience gets a bird’s eye view of. Beneath his boy-scout exterior, he’s secretly kidnapping, torturing, and dismantling local women to turn them into dolls. When a new inspector (Alejo García Pintos) arrives determined to solve the disappearances, Tomás becomes the unlikely prime suspect.
Cicala attempts a quirky, off-kilter vibe here — at times dark comedy, at others gruesome body horror. The opening credits immediately draw you in. The characters are flamboyant, colorful, and unforgettable, like a graphic novel sprang to life. Cinematographer Martín Nico utilizes soft focus as a keen device, while Cecilia Calarota’s chaotic editing keeps us off balance. The colors are vivid through a crime noir lens.
Rodrigo Noya oscillates between sweet and sociopathic in the same beat and without missing a beat. It’s a stark, chilling turn — he plays Tomás with an eerie, watchable, put-upon vulnerability that makes you uncomfortable for rooting for him. Griselda Sánchez as Tina, comes with her own set of issues, specifically seeing ghosts everywhere, and delivering a solid performance that succeeds in holding the attention of viewers.
Diehard horror fans will no doubt catch the references to horror heavyweights like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Shining, and Psycho. In an era where special effects sometimes overshadow the essence of a film, here the practical affects are gruesome yet perfectly aligned with intent.
The Verdict
Fans of horror will naturally appreciate the efforts of the production crew and acting talent on screen. True buffs will catch the homages strewn throughout, and it is definitely sure to provide a few pure scares for the intended audience as it shifts between dark satire and slasher tropes. The Dollmaker is chaotic, unhinged, and weird. In other words, a messy, blood-filled nightmare right up your alley.
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