Pan's Labyrinth (original Spanish title: El laberinto del fauno) is a 2006 dark fantasy film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. It blends historical drama (post–Civil War Spain, 1944) with mythic fantasy, following a young girl, Ofelia, who encounters a mysterious faun and a labyrinth while coping with her harsh reality under her stepfather, Captain Vidal. The film is acclaimed for its visual design, practical creature effects, mature themes, and melding of fairy-tale motifs with political allegory.