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The Lady of Silence: The Mataviejitas Murders

Original title: La Dama del Silencio. El caso Mataviejitas
  • 2023
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
The Lady of Silence: The Mataviejitas Murders (2023)
The decade of the 2000s began in the then Federal District, with a series of murders that put the capital's police in jeopardy: old women strangled in their own homes. The profile of the victims provokes social indignation and media attention never seen before. The Attorney General's Office poured all its resources and efforts into capturing the first serial killer in the history of Mexico. Witnesses define him as a tall, robust and strong person who pretends to be a nurse to gain the trust of his victims. After more than forty homicides, several failed arrests and multiple contradictions, a woman is arrested in January 2006 in broad daylight, while fleeing the scene of the crime. Her name, Juana Barraza, known in wrestling as "La Dama del Silencio" and baptized in the media as "The Little Old Ladykiller". A nickname that is already part of Mexico's black history and its incomparable popular culture.
Play trailer1:58
1 Video
13 Photos
Crime DocumentarySerial KillerTrue CrimeCrimeDocumentaryHistoryMystery

Between 1998 and 2005, a wave of murders targeting elderly women hit Mexico City, triggering the hunt for and capture of a most unlikely suspect.Between 1998 and 2005, a wave of murders targeting elderly women hit Mexico City, triggering the hunt for and capture of a most unlikely suspect.Between 1998 and 2005, a wave of murders targeting elderly women hit Mexico City, triggering the hunt for and capture of a most unlikely suspect.

  • Director
    • María José Cuevas
  • Writer
    • Miguel Leon Duran
  • Stars
    • Alejandra Alday
    • Anselmo Apodac
    • Antonio Baranda
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • María José Cuevas
    • Writer
      • Miguel Leon Duran
    • Stars
      • Alejandra Alday
      • Anselmo Apodac
      • Antonio Baranda
    • 15User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:58
    Official Trailer

    Photos12

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    Top cast31

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    Alejandra Alday
    • Self - Margarita's Granddaughter
    Anselmo Apodac
    • Self - Homicide Prosecutor
    Antonio Baranda
    • Self - Journalist
    Juana Barraza
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Claudia Bolaños
    • Self - Journalist
    Jesús Briones
    • Self - Department of Public Security
    Ted Bundy
    Ted Bundy
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Bernardo Bátiz
    • Self - Deputy Attorney
    Marco Antonio Cacique
    • Self - Police Officer
    La Chola
    • Self - Fighter
    Jeffrey Dahmer
    Jeffrey Dahmer
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Alma Delia
    • Self - Sex Worker
    Phillipe Dussaix
    • Self - Inspector
    Celina Fobglia
    • Self - Friend of Ana María
    John Wayne Gacy
    John Wayne Gacy
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Joel López
    • Self - Tenant and Friend of Ana María
    Olympia Niebla
    • Self - Witness
    Thierry Paulin
    Thierry Paulin
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • Director
      • María José Cuevas
    • Writer
      • Miguel Leon Duran
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    6.41.5K
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    Featured reviews

    3MeadtheMan

    Farcical, Disrespectful Handling of Materials

    It's definitely a string of serious and captivating cases.

    But there are elements in this documentary that just take away from its seriousness. First of all, some of the officers, seriously, "no serial killer in this country before this (since 1940's)?" Give me an effing break, most countries do, let alone Mexico, the problem is just the failures of many police officers in connecting the dots. It's not the fault of the producers that such inane comments were made, but no pushbacks?

    Then the soundtrack, what's up with that? Strange application of a theme. I get it, it could instil a sense of irony and suspense, but there's a balance to strike here. The soundtrack at hand is just stupidly, comically farcical, as if being intentionally disrespectful to the victims. It's real life, not Dick Tracy. It can be funny when mocking politicians and police officers, not when victims are being shown. Also, it's perfectly ok to not have extraneous music for a few moments, the incessantly running music shows a lack of discipline and vision.

    Then the pictures of victims being strangled being shown like some kind of visual technique. And a myriad of other visual techniques, they're not just distracting, but take away from the gravitas of the situation.

    "Oh she has a robe... must be a healthcare personnel" (is dressing up impossible in the country?). Also this happened between 1999 and 2004, there's no more concrete method to verify DNA or whatnots before each suspect is being showcased in a glass cage like some kind of zoo animal? And the cute lock solution? As if that's going to stop a determined killer? "A man crossdresses as a woman," only for one of the officers to go "oh a homosexual" *face melts away emoji*. "Serial killers don't act near where they live or near their workplaces," says one officer (the same officer who claims it's the first time this is happening in the country, yet he has no qualms dispensing generalizations like a master). Seriously? Says who, which study? Because I can easily name some cases that contradict his assertion. What should a professional conduct be like, you ask? I know, getting the serial killer's signature as a sign of fan-girling.

    So. Much. Stupidity.
    7ana-garciau

    Interesting but weird documentary

    I'm Mexican and I am aware that my country is surreal at times, but this documentary man, I felt like I was watching a circus, the music made it all feel really strange and creepy.

    The murders were gruesome and the way it was all arranged made me feel like they were making fun of it, I had nightmares the day I watched it.

    The comments the authorities made were for me sort of disrespectful, and the way the are portrayed is not shocking but peculiar.

    None the less it is an interesting subject and the story telling is not confusing. Hope this documentary shine some light and at least help the people who are wrongfully imprisoned released.
    1mikalrkayn

    Awful background music

    I really enjoy Netflix documentaries, they are regularly well made and researched. However as others have said the background music for this documentary is absolutely awful and makes the very serious subject matter seem farcical. If I was the family members featured in the show I would find it an insulting and disrespectful. I managed to watch fifteen minutes of it and had to give up , what makes it even worse is that the soundtrack is loud and also drowns out some of the speech. I don't understand how this gets past any checks, I really hope in the future we can have an option to turn off background music on documentaries.
    10chaacaa

    Good

    *"The Lady of Silence: The Mataviejitas Murders" (2023) is a chilling true-crime documentary that delves into the horrifying string of murders that terrorized Mexico City between 1998 and 2005. The film meticulously recounts the investigation, highlighting the fear that gripped the city and the eventual shocking revelation of the unlikely suspect. Through gripping interviews and detailed storytelling, it explores not only the crimes but also societal attitudes and the police's struggle to catch the killer. Dark and compelling, the documentary provides a haunting look at one of Mexico's most notorious cases.
    9javier_andrade_8

    Idk why anyone would give it less than 7 stars tbh

    Not bad very straight forward! Crazy on the motive tho she probly had it tough growing up wish they had more details about her younger years

    Very sad for the loss of their grandmothers the years and amount of people that were killed were crazy.

    Mexico had never seen a serial killer before, that topic was new to the authorities at the time made it very challenging to them to capture her.

    Conclusion very good doc kept me very interested from the get go never was I drifted attention from it kept on getting more and more interested, I don't get the bad reviews this doc is better than 80% of the garbage that is shown on net !

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • July 27, 2023 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Mexico
    • Official site
      • Official Netflix
    • Language
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Yaşlı Kadınların Sessiz Katili
    • Filming locations
      • Mexico City, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • Mezcla
      • Netflix
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital

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