La Llorona (English: The Crying Woman) is a 1960 Mexican film directed by René Cardona.

[1] Based on the tale of La Llorona, it tells of a family that is cursed by the evil spirit of Luisa, this story's "weeping woman".

In 20th century Mexico, newly wed couple Felipe (Mauricio Garcés) and Margarita (Luz María Aguilar) are visited by Margarita's father, Don Gerardo Montes (Carlos López Moctezuma), who tells them the story of La Llorona.

This is a literal retelling of the legend of La Llorona (the crying woman),[2] present in many Latin American countries, a symbol of the native woman who betrayed her people by becoming the mistress of a conquistador, and a bad mother – in this case, a very bad mother, "a la Medea"– who kills the children she had with her Spanish conquistador lover.

Taking parts from Carmen Toscano's stage play, the film is set in contemporary México, but flashbacks a few centuries to tell Llorona's sad story.

One curious detail (typical of Mexican horror films): the part of the little boy, Jorgito, is played by a girl.