A rural land dispute turns lethal in this acclaimed Spanish psychological thriller
In short: Inspired by real events in a remote Galician hamlet, The Beasts explores the escalating hostility between a French couple and their neighbors. When a wind farm project divides the village, a simple disagreement over land rights spirals into a chilling, western-style struggle for survival and justice in the countryside.
Directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen and co-written with Isabel Peña, The Beasts (2022) depicts the collision between Antoine and Olga Denis, who move to rural Galicia to farm, and the local Anta brothers, Xan and Lorenzo. The conflict centers on a proposed wind farm development. While the French couple opposes the project to preserve their lifestyle, the villagers, led by the inflexible Xan, view the sale as a vital opportunity to escape poverty and secure a better future.
The film meticulously charts the breakdown of neighborly relations. After Antoine reports the brothers' harassment—including trespassing and poisoning their crops—to the Guardia Civil, the authorities dismiss the tension as a mutual dispute. The situation reaches a breaking point when Antoine is murdered by the brothers. The narrative then shifts to Olga, who remains on the farm, refusing to leave despite her daughter's pleas, and relentlessly pursues evidence to bring her husband's killers to justice.
Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with the film holding a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and universal acclaim on Metacritic. Critics have praised the film's mastery of tension and the performances of Denis Ménochet and Luis Zahera. At the 37th Goya Awards, the film secured nine wins, including Best Film and Best Director. While some reviewers noted that the portrayal of rural inhabitants borders on caricature, the film is widely regarded as a muscular, brooding psychological thriller that effectively utilizes its stark Galician setting to explore themes of xenophobia and human nature.
The production, which wrapped in December 2021, was a collaborative effort between Spain and France. It reflects a deliberate stylistic choice by Sorogoyen, who approached the project with the sensibilities of a western. By the end of 2022, the film had become the 6th highest-grossing Spanish film of the year, earning €3.6 million at the domestic box office.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Beasts
- Also: Wikidata — The Beasts · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — The Beasts · CC0
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