History of the Occult

History of the Occult (Historia de lo Oculto) is a 2020 thriller horror film written and directed by Cristian Ponce in his feature directorial debut. An international co-production between Argentina and Mexico, the film is presented as the final episode of a fictional 1980s Argentine television news program titled 60 Minutes Before Midnight, during which the show's journalists attempt to expose a conspiracy that connects their government to a mysterious corporation that practices black magic.

History of the Occult premiered at MOTELX (Lisbon International Horror Film Festival) in Portugal on 8 September 2020, and was made available for streaming on Netflix in Spain and Latin America on 15 October 2021.

Production
Filming took place in La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Release
History of the Occult had its world premiere at MOTELX (Lisbon International Horror Film Festival) in Portugal on 8 September 2020. It later screened at the virtual edition of Spain's Sitges Film Festival in October 2020, as well as the virtual edition of Argentina's Mar del Plata International Film Festival in November 2020.

The film was made available for streaming on Netflix in Spain and Latin America on 15 October 2021. WarnerMedia made the film available for streaming on HBO Max in Central Europe, while in North America the film debuted on Screambox in December 2022.

Reception
Andrew Mack of Screen Anarchy called the film "a thinking person's horror thriller, not one for idle minds. Staying with this cryptic mystery all the way through to its 'effect ending' will be rewarding once you have deciphered it."