As Bestas Rodrigo Sorogoyen [portable]

In (2022), director Rodrigo Sorogoyen crafts a searing rural noir that transcends the "stranger in a strange land" trope to examine the visceral friction between modern idealism and ancestral survival. Inspired by the real-life disappearance of Martin Verfondern in the Galician village of Santoalla, the film explores how a dispute over wind turbines ignites a dormant savagery in a dying community. A Narrative of Two Halves

The film is notably bifurcated, shifting its focus from male confrontation to female endurance:

The First Act (The Men): Centered on Antoine (Denis Ménochet), this segment is a claustrophobic psychological thriller. It builds around "male rage" and the stubborn refusal of both the French newcomer and the local brothers, Xan (Luis Zahera) and Lorenzo (Diego Anido), to back down.

The Second Act (The Women): Following a pivotal shift, the narrative refocuses on Olga (Marina Foïs). This half abandons the "masculine bluster" for a meditative exploration of grief, stoicism, and the pursuit of justice within a system that largely ignores the rural world. Thematic Core: Gentrification and Xenophobia

Sorogoyen uses the Galician landscape as a "combat arena" to dissect complex socio-political layers:

Competing Dreams: For the French couple, the village is a pastoral Eden for organic farming. For the locals, it is a "grueling existence" they are desperate to escape via the payout from an energy company.

Xenophobia vs. Class Resentment: The hostility isn't just about nationality; it's a clash between those with the luxury of choice (urban transplants) and those trapped by generations of poverty. Visual and Directorial Style

The film’s power lies in its stifling tension and deliberate pacing:

Long Takes: Sorogoyen employs uncomfortably long takes—most notably a breathtaking single-shot dialogue in a bar—to capture the "explosive buildup" of verbal violence before it becomes physical.

Oppressive Atmosphere: Cinematographer Alejandro de Pablo utilizes a "dirt-under-the-fingernails" aesthetic, where the vast autumnal woods and gloomy interiors feel equally trapping. as bestas rodrigo sorogoyen

The "Beasts" Metaphor: The opening slow-motion sequence of the Rapa das Bestas festival—where men wrestle wild horses to the ground—serves as a brutal foreshadowing of how human characters will eventually attempt to subdue one another. Critical Consensus

Reviewers from platforms like The Guardian and Roger Ebert praise the film as a "mature meditation on the modern world". While some critics found the final act’s transition into drama less effective than the initial thriller-like tension, most agree that the "universally strong performances"—particularly the contrast between Ménochet's "wounded-bear" testiness and Zahera's "attack-dog fury"—make it one of the most powerful Spanish films of recent years. The Beasts movie review & film summary - Roger Ebert

As Bestas (The Beasts), directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, is a 2022 psychological thriller that explores the violent collision between rural tradition and modern ideals in the remote mountains of Galicia, Spain.

The film follows Antoine (Denis Ménochet) and Olga (Marina Foïs), a French couple who move to a small Galician village to practice organic farming and restore abandoned houses. Their presence sparks a simmering, xenophobic hostility from two local brothers, Xan (Luis Zahera) and Lorenzo (Diego Anido), who are desperate to sell their land to a wind energy developer—a deal that requires unanimous village consent, which Antoine refuses to give. Key Themes and Analysis

The Conflict of "Progress": The narrative centers on the controversial implementation of renewable energies in the Spanish rural landscape, where wind turbines are viewed by locals as a financial lifeline and by the French "outsiders" as an ecological threat.

Xenophobia and Class: The tension is fueled by a "law of the jungle" dynamic, where the brothers view Antoine’s refusal as a luxury of the wealthy, while they remain trapped in systemic poverty.

Gender and Resilience: The film's structure shifts significantly in its second half, transitioning from a male-dominated thriller to a story of quiet, persistent female resilience as Olga continues their mission despite mounting tragedy.

Ecological Cinema: Critics categorize the film alongside others like Alcarràs as part of a new wave of Spanish environmental cinema that moves beyond "beautifying" nature to address complex sociopolitical conflicts over land exploitation. Critical Reception and Awards

Goya Awards: The film dominated the 37th Goya Awards, winning nine categories, including Best Film, Best Director (Sorogoyen), and Best Actor (Ménochet). In (2022), director Rodrigo Sorogoyen crafts a searing

César Awards: It won the César Award for Best Foreign Film in France.

Performances: Luis Zahera’s portrayal of Xan is widely cited as a standout performance, capturing a terrifyingly grounded brand of rural menace.

The film is noted for its high-tension "modern noir" style, particularly in scenes like the bar confrontations and the harrowing climax in the woods. My 2023: A Year Interrupted | Nobody Knows Anybody

Searching for the "full text" of (2022) typically refers to the screenplay written by Isabel Peña Rodrigo Sorogoyen

While the complete script is not usually available for free public download due to copyright, you can explore the following resources for detailed scripts, analyses, and the official release: Official Script and Publications

: This specialized platform often publishes the official screenplays of award-winning Spanish films. You can check the 70 Teclas catalog for the printed version of the Academia and Research

: Some academic papers provide deep dives into the film's narrative structure and dialogue, such as the analysis on renewable energies in rural landscapes or its connection to the Anthropocene Where to Watch and Context

: The film is available on various platforms depending on your region. In Spain and parts of Europe, you can often find it on

: The story is inspired by real events and explores the tension between a French couple and local residents in a Galician village over a wind farm project. The title refers to the traditional Galician festival Rapa das Bestas eCartelera PDF of the entire screenplay for educational purposes? The night entrapment scene: Antoine finds himself encircled

As Bestas (The Beasts) is a 2022 psychological thriller directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen that stands as one of the most compelling and critically acclaimed pieces of modern Spanish cinema. Expanding on the premise of his 2019 Oscar-nominated short film Madre, Sorogoyen crafts a suffocating narrative about isolation, intolerance, and the clash between tradition and modernity.

Here is an overview of the film, its themes, and its significance.

4. Cinematographic and Sound Analysis (Key Sequences)

  • The night entrapment scene: Antoine finds himself encircled by the brothers and their tractor. Long shot, near-silence except for engine and dog barks – terror of collective rural power.
  • The murder sequence: Brutal, unembellished, shot in wide angle without dramatic music – realism over spectacle.
  • Olga’s final encounter with the mother of Xan: A masterclass in subtle acting (Luisa Merelas). No confession, only complicity.
  • Sound design by Aitor Berenguer:
    • Use of natural sounds (wind, animals, footsteps) to build paranoia.
    • Silence as violence.
    • The final shot – camera resting on the landscape, the sound of dogs barking in the distance.

Critical Reception and Awards

As Bestas premiered at the Cannes Film Festival (Premiere section) to rave reviews, winning the Cannes Soundtrack Award. It went on to become a massive critical and commercial hit in Spain and France.

Major Awards (Goya 2023):

  • Best Film
  • Best Director (Rodrigo Sorogoyen)
  • Best Original Screenplay (Sorogoyen & Isabel Peña)
  • Best Actor (Denis Ménochet)
  • Best Supporting Actor (Luis Zahera)
  • Best Supporting Actress (Susana Abaitua as a local woman who helps Olga)
  • Best Original Score
  • Best Sound
  • Best Editing

Critics praised it as "a rural western," "Hitchcockian in its suspense," and "an essential portrait of modern Spain."

The Third Act: Olga’s Reckoning

Just when you think As Bestas is a simple "city vs. country" revenge thriller, Sorogoyen executes a brilliant tonal shift in the final forty minutes. After the central act of violence (which will not be spoiled here), the narrative focus moves from Antoine to his wife, Olga.

Marina Foïs delivers a masterclass in transformation. Olga is initially the more timid of the couple—she speaks broken Spanish, she mediates, she pleads for peace. After tragedy strikes, she morphs into a cold, calculating avenger. She does not pick up a gun or a machete. Instead, she weaponizes bureaucracy, law, and language.

In a stunning sequence, Olga walks into the local municipal office and, in perfectly articulated Galician (a dialect she previously struggled with), systematically dismantles the brothers' alibi. The final confrontation is not a shootout in a barn, but a wiretap in a police station. Sorogoyen suggests that civilization’s most powerful weapon isn’t brutality—it is patience and intelligence. The ending is ambiguous, gut-wrenching, and deeply satisfying in its moral complexity.

2. Genre and Narrative Structure

  • Genre hybrid: Psychological thriller, rural drama, slow-burn tension + sudden brutality
  • Three-act structure:
    1. Territorial dispute: The opposition to the wind farm; passive aggression, vandalism.
    2. Escalation: Confrontations, social isolation, Antoine’s disappearance (turning point).
    3. Aftermath: Olga’s solitary investigation, the villagers’ complicity, ambiguous resolution.
  • Sorogoyen’s style: Realist dialogue, long takes, use of landscape as antagonist.