The film is set in post-Civil War Spain, a time of great turmoil and upheaval. The story follows Ofelia, a young girl who moves to the countryside with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, Captain Vidal. As Ofelia navigates this new and often frightening world, she discovers a mysterious labyrinth, where she encounters the Faun, a mythical creature who claims to be the guardian of the labyrinth. The Faun presents Ofelia with a series of tasks, which, if completed, will grant her immortality and allow her to live with him in the labyrinth.