Second Name

Biologist Daniella Logan is shaken by her father s suicide and heads home to tell her catatonic mother in a mental hospital about the loss. Her mother speaks in fractured fragments that linger on a name she cannot quite hear. At the cemetery she finds the family grave has been opened and the urn of secrets seems to spill out into the ground. A cryptic message from a diabetic priest named Father Elias hints at an ancient fanatic sect connected to the followers of Abraham that is said to kill the first child. A mysterious man named Toby Harris appears, claiming ties to Daniella s bloodline. As she presses for answers, she uncovers dark truths about her family and friends. Her pursuit drags in allies and enemies alike, and the truth demands a high personal cost.

Directed by Paco Plaza, Second Name features Erica Prior as Daniella Logan with Trae Houlihan, Denis Rafter, Craig Stevenson, and Frank O Sullivan in supporting roles. The screenplay credits Fernando Marias Alberto Marini and Ramsey Campbell. The film premiered at festival circuits before a limited release.

Box office data for Second Name is not publicly documented, and the film has circulated primarily within genre circles rather than as a wide release. Marketing materials kept a tight lid, fueling curiosity among fans of the director.

Reception appears mixed, with an average rating of 5.5 out of 10 from 45 votes. Critics note the mood and twisty atmosphere, while some feel the pacing stumbles under heavy ideas about identity inheritance and the weight of family secrets. The film s themes of lineage and ritual conflict with modern skepticism, prompting debates about belief and science.

Though not a mainstream hit, Second Name has earned a small cult following among fans of cross genre thrillers. Its blend of psychological drama and occult intrigue is cited by some as a notable early 2000s entry in Paco Plaza s career and a mark of the era s genre experimentation. Its visual style and sound design have influenced later genre projects, according to some retrospective notes.