City of Ashes

City of Ashes

Year: 2019

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: Spanish

Director: Jhon Salazar

HorrorThriller

A Colombian farmer struggles with his wife’s inability to have children and desires to adopt his orphaned niece. To realize his dream, he must confront and vanquish a demon that has secretly plagued the town, negatively impacting his life and preventing him from achieving happiness.

Tense
Bittersweet ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Fast pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – City of Ashes (2019)

Explore the full timeline and setting of City of Ashes (2019). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary

The events occur in a modern present-day setting, with text messages and urban crime intersecting with ancient artifacts and rune magic. Shadowhunters operate in a bustling city landscape, balancing daily life with dangerous supernatural duties. The period is contemporary, blending current technology with timeless mysticism.

Location

Institute, Silent City, Idris, Hotel DuMort, ship

The story unfolds across a network of urban spaces tied to the Shadowhunter world. The Institute serves as a sanctuary and nerve center for downworlders and upholders of law. The Silent City and Idris anchor the mythic politics between orders, while the voyage by ship and the Hotel DuMort hint at the reach of their hidden world.

🗺️ Urban 🏙️ City-based 🧭 Supernatural

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:49

Main Characters – City of Ashes (2019)

Meet the key characters of City of Ashes (2019), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Clary Fray

A headstrong Shadowhunter-in-training who discovers she can wield unique runes and maps her own path through a dangerous supernatural world. Her determination drives the group, and her love for Jace complicates loyalty and family bonds.

💫 Rune Magic ❤️ Love 🗺️ Heroic 🛡️ Protector

Jace Herondale

A skilled fighter torn between duty and forbidden affection, Jace navigates complex loyalties. He fights for the people he loves, even as he insists on structuring their relationship within dangerous boundaries.

🗡️ Warrior ❤️ Love 🧭 Loyalty

Isabelle Lightwood

A fearless and loyal member of the Shadowhunter group who supports her friends and plays a key role in rescues and moral choices.

⚔️ Courage 🧭 Loyalty

Simon Lewis

Clary's friend who undergoes a shocking transformation into a Daylighter vampire, testing friendships and perseverance. He balances fear, humor, and fierce loyalty.

🧛 Vampire 🔥 Transformation

Magnus Bane

A powerful warlock who offers magical aid and a human connection; his healing and wit help stabilize the group during crisis. His relationship with Alec adds warmth to the team.

🪄 Magic 🧭 Mentor

Valentine Morgenstern

The mastermind antagonist who seeks control through manipulation and the Soul Sword, testing the group’s unity and resolve. His schemes reveal the darker side of power in the Shadowhunter world.

🗡️ Villain 🧭 Mastermind

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:49

Major Themes – City of Ashes (2019)

Explore the central themes of City of Ashes (2019), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

❤️ Forbidden Love

Clary and Jace's romance is at the heart of the story, complicated by their familial bond and the expectations of their world. The relationship challenges friendships, family loyalties, and the very rules of their society. Love is tested by secrecy, danger, and the fear of discovery. The characters must decide whether to follow their hearts or uphold the truth at great cost.

🗝️ Truth and Secrets

Powerful artifacts like the Soul Sword force truth to surface, revealing hidden loyalties and corrupt schemes. Characters navigate a web of deception—from the Inquisitor's suspicions to Valentine’s manipulation. The Seelie Queen's riddles expose deeper truths about origins and identity. The pursuit of truth under pressure drives the plot forward.

🧪 Transformation

Simon's unexpected vampire transformation and his status as a Daylighter redefine friendships and identity. Clary's evolving rune abilities show the potential of talent awakening under stress. The group faces physical and moral changes as alliances shift and powers awaken. The world reveals that transformation is both dangerous and empowering.

⚔️ Power and Conflict

Valentine's pursuit of control over the Shadowhunters and the Sword exposes a brutal struggle for power. The Inquisitor's harsh plans clash with Jace's loyalties, forcing choices between love, law, and survival. Battles with demons punctuate the story, culminating in dramatic sacrifices and reversals. The fate of their world hinges on trust, courage, and defiance.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:49

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Dark Fantasy Romance movies like City of Ashes

Forbidden desires bloom amidst high-stakes battles against demonic forces.If you enjoyed the blend of a dangerous, star-crossed romance and a high-stakes demonic threat in City of Ashes, you'll find similar stories here. These movies feature passionate but forbidden relationships set against a backdrop of supernatural war and peril.

tenseromantic turmoildark fantasydangerousdemonic threatstar-crossedemotionally heavy

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically centers on a protagonist whose personal desires, especially a forbidden romance, are directly complicated by a larger supernatural conflict. Their quest for happiness is inextricably linked to confronting and overcoming a powerful, often demonic, antagonist, leading to high-stakes confrontations.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this group share a core tension between intense, emotionally heavy romance and the constant pressure of a supernatural battle. The pacing is fast, the tone is tense, and the experience is defined by the high emotional cost of fighting evil while pursuing a complicated love.

Movies with bittersweet endings like City of Ashes

The enemy is defeated, but the personal price of victory is devastating.If the ending of City of Ashes, where victory is achieved but accompanied by heartbreaking personal sacrifice, resonated with you, explore these similar films. They feature characters who win the battle but lose something irreplaceable, resulting in a poignant and bittersweet conclusion.

bittersweetmelancholicpersonal sacrificehollow victoryemotionally heavytensedark

Narrative Summary

The narrative builds towards a major confrontation where the protagonist vanquishes a powerful antagonist. However, the climax involves a deep personal sacrifice—such as the end of a crucial relationship or a permanent transformation—that fundamentally alters the protagonist's life, making the victory feel pyrrhic.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared emotional arc: a high-intensity journey culminating in a success that is simultaneously a profound failure on a personal level. They deliver a heavy emotional weight and a tone that blends tense action with deep melancholy, leading to a definitively bittersweet ending feel.

Unlock the Full Story of City of Ashes

Don't stop at just watching — explore City of Ashes in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what City of Ashes is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

City of Ashes Summary

Read a complete plot summary of City of Ashes, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

City of Ashes Summary

City of Ashes Timeline

Track the full timeline of City of Ashes with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

City of Ashes Timeline

City of Ashes Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of City of Ashes that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

City of Ashes Spoiler-Free Summary

More About City of Ashes

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about City of Ashes: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About City of Ashes

Explore More About Movie City of Ashes

City of Ashes (2019) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

City of Ashes (2019) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

City of Ashes (2019) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow