Pan’s Labyrinth allegorises the transformation of girl-hood into woman-hood. Guillermo del Toro includes such rich, fantastical imagery and symbolism to illustrate the story of a young, rebellious girl in a world in which everyone else is kowtowing to the fascist state. There are so many ways in which this plays out in the film, that it is hard to just pick one… but I will. Ofelia is in the Pale Man’s lair, the indulgent red, womb like room exudes warmth and danger, and she knows that time is running out. The faun has given her an hourglass, representing a womanly body, perhaps suggesting that if she completes this task, she will be on her way to becoming grown up. However, we know that for her, the time runs out. Foreshadowing that in the ‘real world’ her time will run out before she becomes a woman. Director del Toro’s use of subtle symbols really pushes the idea that girls who rebel will be punished in the tyrannical, fascist state of Franco’s Spain. We are being told from the very beginning, that the transition to woman-hood includes so many tests from the patriarchy, and women themselves, that it is impossible to come out of it without some bruises or scars. Or in Ofelia’s case come out of it at all.