As Bestas is a landmark film, a masterpiece of modern Spanish-language cinema. It's a film that will stay with you, burrowing under your skin with its raw power and haunting questions. At its core, it is a tragedy about the failure of communication, a study of masculinity's violent extremes, and a chilling reminder of the fragile line between civilization and the beast within. In Rodrigo Sorogoyen's hands, a small story of neighborly conflict becomes an epic, unforgettable parable for our time.
Structurally, Sorogoyen borrows heavily from the revisionist western. We have the outsiders entering a rugged landscape, clashing with the locals, and a conflict over land usage. However, Sorogoyen subverts the genre. There are no quick-draw shootouts. Instead, the "weaponry" used by the antagonists is frustratingly mundane: they blare loud music at night, they block the road with tractors, and they steal eggs from the chicken coop.
As Bestas is not an easy watch. It is long, bleak, and often hopeless. But it is essential viewing. as bestas rodrigo sorogoyen
The title is deliberately slippery. Who are the beasts?
Rodrigo Sorogoyen does not shoot Galicia as a postcard. He shoots it as a labyrinth. Cinematographer Álex de Pablo uses wide shots that dwarf the human figures. The monte (the mountain bushland) is a character in itself—scratchy, flammable, and impenetrable. In the film’s most stunning sequence (the night of the murder), the camera stays static as the characters vanish into the thick fog. We hear the screams before we see the act. It is a return to classical Greek tragedy: the violence happens off-stage, but its echo is unbearable. As Bestas is a landmark film, a masterpiece
The film's use of hunting as a metaphor for the human condition is particularly striking. As the characters stalk their prey, they are, in effect, stalking their own darker selves, confronting the beasts within. This struggle is echoed in the film's score, composed by Julio de la Rosa, which seamlessly blends diegetic and non-diegetic sound to create an unnerving sense of unease.
His portrayal of the antagonistic farmer is terrifyingly effective. He embodies the internalized frustration of a forgotten community, turning his anger outward toward those he blames for his diminished life. In Rodrigo Sorogoyen's hands, a small story of
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