Like trapped in bed on a stark night where the walls whisper warnings and the shadows have claws that won't let you up until sunrise.

The intro to _You Shall Not Sleep_ (_No Dormirás_) makes it very clear that the directing (Gustavo Hernández) is top notch and the atmosphere is heavy enough to knock you down and keep you there, refusing to let you up for air... Fortunately, because the first act drags while setting up the story of two actresses going to an abandoned asylum to vie -- through sleep deprivation -- for the central role of a crazy woman in a play.

Once the second act kicks in, however, the deft directing, solid acting (Eva De Dominici turns in a flawless performance in the lead) and surprisingly strong script turn the film into a captivating ghost story. While there is a regrettable shortage of scares, _You Shall Not Sleep_ is a good horror film, albeit less 'horror' than 'film'.