Pratik Handore
Netflix’s ‘Tin & Tina’ is a Spanish movie directed by Rubin Stein. The psychological thriller film revolves around couple Lola and Adolfo who, after their unborn twins’ loss, adopt two creepy children from a local convent. However, the couple’s life is disrupted when the children’s religious fanaticism leads to disturbing events. Given the movie’s harrowing but emotionally riveting events, viewers must be curious to learn if ‘Tin & Tina’ is based on real events or a true story.
The Inspiration Behind Tin & Tina
No, ‘Tin & Tina’ is not based on a true story. The film is based on Rubin Stein’s 2013 short film of the same name. Stein adapted the short film into a feature-length screenplay that tells a fictional story. Both iterations of the concept revolve around two orphan twins raised in a strict religious environment. In an interview, director Rubin Stein opened up about the origin of the movie’s concept and detailed how he shaped the narrative. According to Stein, the concept was devised from his personal childhood experiences, especially with the catholic religion.
Stein has revealed that as a child, he read the Bible and discovered its complex texts. He found terrifying passages in the Bible supplemented by disturbing images. It caused Stein to have nightmares as a child. However, when he grew up and re-read the Bible, he realized his feelings of terror were partially derived from his childhood innocence. As a result, Stein sought to make a film that combines childhood innocence with religion and horror. In a separate interview, Stein revealed that the movie’s concept was derived from his thoughts about a tyrannical God and translated his childhood interpretations of the Bible and the resulting fear into the movie’s story.
Stein has stated that religion is the film’s primary theme, and it explores the mystery of whether God exists or not and the mechanisms that activate and deactivate faith. The same is represented in the story through the main characters, Lola and Adolfo, and the twins, Tin and Tin, who have different levels of religious beliefs. Stein also explores the adverse effects of following the Bible’s texts in a literal sense, leading to religious fanaticism. The same is represented through the characters’ situations and their decisions in the face of adversity.
The movie’s basic premise sees two adults being subjected to a disturbing sequence of events by children. The concept is reminiscent of the 1976 Spanish horror film ‘Who Can Kill a Child?’ directed by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador. Stein has cited the film as a major inspiration for ‘Tin & Tina’ along with others such as 2021’s ‘The Innocents’ directed by Eskil Vogt, and 2014’s ‘Goodnight Mommy‘ directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala. However, Stein noted that he wanted to root the film more in mystery than horror.
Ultimately, ‘Tin & Tina’ is not based on a true story. It is a fictional story that explores the theme of religion. It also addresses the complex aspects of religion and religious fanaticism through the lens of childhood innocence. The thought-provoking themes are balanced with horror and mystery that force viewers to examine the nature of faith. It also tackles the relationship between partners and their adopted children, using it as the narrative’s emotional core to engross the viewers.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s Tin & Tina Filmed?
