User reviews

My wife and I watched As Bestas (or The Beasts for the English title) with a particular interest as this story could have been a story happening to us. I'm from Belgium, living in Spain now, farming olives and almonds. In the movie everything is happening in Galicia (in the North), whilst I live in Andalucia (in the South). Whilst wind turbines played a big role in the movie, here it's about solar panels. So yes it was an interesting movie to watch, very similar things happening in our lives. The acting was particularly good, definitely the best thing about this slow-burn drama/thriller. Good movie although the end could have been a bit more satisfying.

From north to south and from east to west. Beasts who don't like foreigners, who don't like those who aren't locals, those who don't speak the same language, who don't have the same religion, who don't have the same political opinions, who don't have the same hair, who have a nice car, who have an ugly car, and so on : these venomous snakes nastily defend their little piece of mental territory against the Other. And it's not just in the mountain countryside, it's everywhere in the world of work, schools, colleges, universities, factories, offices, sports clubs, bars, political meetings, that they poison the lives of honest and peaceful people.

Love life, take good care of your family, do not envy anyone, and enforce the laws since active and incorruptible police and justice are essential for a peaceful society.

With a film of incredible tension from start to finish, thanks to Rodrigo Sorogoyen and his excellent Spanish and French actors for this remarkable allegory.

To my limited knowledge of Galician cinema, based on a handful of movies by Lois Patiño, Oliver Laxe and Eloy Enciso, today I add Rodrigo Sorogoyen's film «As bestas», a work that I add to the alternative offer, thanks to the contribution of friends and my own search for a different cinema and with greater values than the bad Los Angeles productions that project all fronts, offering us more of the same over and over again.

Rather than watching another Hollywood version of «Pinocchio» and another call to war in «Avatar», I prefer this strong, harsh and rough story in rural Galicia, about farmers, those people who supply the tables of the poor and the millionaires, who, in addition, deceive them by buying their land for nothing to build at a lower price what costs them a small fortune in their countries, such as wind turbines.

The initial sequence of «As bestas» warns us of what we are going to see: three men knock down a wild horse to guarantee its existence in freedom (the number of wild horses in Galicia has reduced to 50% in five decades). That force and stabilizing element of the ecological balance are in danger of extinction and the kind of persons who appear in the film is equally destined to disappear... for the sake of "progress".

The film tells the story of a French couple who live in a town in Galicia, afflicted by the abandonment of its locals and state oblivion. When the French husband convinces a group of Galicians not to sell their land to a Dutch company that wants to install wind turbines, it arouses the hatred of two neighbors in favor of the sale, a hatred that reaches tragic levels.

«As bestas» goes beyond this mere anecdote briefly described and becomes a dramatic treatise that combines elements of ethnography, cultural identity, economy, nationality, migration, gender, xenophobia, crime, and rights to decent work and standard of living. The story follows the Aristotelian structure, although at one point the center of attention shifts from the French man to his wife, who brings the drama to a sensible and reasonable conclusion.

«As bestas» is also graced by the work of the cast, made up of a happy integration of professional and natural actors. Awarded at the San Sebastián, Chicago and Tokyo film festivals, it is a highly recommended motion picture.

Wow! I went in to this movie with no expectations at all and was actually a bit blown away. It is a really good slow burner of a thriller. Set in the Galician mountains, the movie follows a retired French couple who settles in a rural village. Their presence however angers two locals (brothers) who start to act hostile towards the couple. Things slowly escalate from there.

The movie is really, really tense, from start to finish. As a viewer, one get the feeling that anything can happen at any time due to the very unpredictable and impulsive brothers. The movie takes full advantage of this while tightly following the couple doing their chores, resulting in a suspenseful atmosphere. The acting overall is excellent, with great cinematography as well. The movie simply looks stunning with beautiful mountain ranges as a backdrop for many of the scenes.

It is a pretty long and slow movie, so I can see that it might be a bit off-putting for some. However, if you like suspenseful slow burners, give this a go!

(Seen at the 2022 Stockholm International Film Festival)

Splendid film that bases much of its story in a suffocating atmosphere and a slow narrative pace but that creates that aura that overwhelms you throughout the film.

The performances, the direction and the photography, not to mention the script, are sublime and are destined to become an immediate classic of Spanish cinema, since the portrayal of this forgotten and impoverished Spain is sublime.

It is a work that perfectly captures the differences between the local people of the rural communities and those who settle from the cities and how the way of life of both clashes and are practically irreconcilable differences due to the opposite way of life and values that both communities have.

As an inhabitant of a village similar to the one shown in the film I can say that it is a very faithful portrayal of the differences and conflicts between the natives and those who come from outside eager to implement a change of life without asking or taking into account the local population.

Antonio (Denis Ménochet) and Olga (Marina Foïs) are a French couple who loving the rural life settled some time ago in a village in the interior of Galicia . They lead a quiet life there , seeking closeness with nature , although their coexistence with the locals is not as idyllic as they would like. A conflict about the modern wind mills with their neighbors, the Anta brothers (Luis Zahera, Diego Anido) , will cause tension to grow in the village until it reaches a point of no return.

Enjoyable film contains thrills , suspense , twists , shocking violence , gorgeous outdoors and results to be quite entertaining , in spite of being overlong . It is a thought-provoking and brooding story with a magnificent cast , including a stunning as well as thrilling ending . A controversial violence-themed picture concerning a known plot about rural confrontation , as a middle-aged French marriage moves to a local village where their presence inflames two villagers , facing increasingly vicious harassment to the point of outright hostility and surprising outbursts of violence , being based on a true story, documented in Santoalla (2016) . We are facing a tense film , hard , tough and brilliant in many moments, with some aspect of Western , adding a grand and impressive ending . The picture packs intrigue , intense drama and lots of psychological and physical violence . The story takes parts , here and there , from notorious films, such as : "Koldo Serra's Bosque de sombras" or "The Backwoods" (2006) and especially "Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs" (1971) . The main cast is frankly excellent with great French players as Denis Ménochet and Marina Foïs who had to learn Spanish for their characters and special mention for Luis Zahera who steals the show as the threatening and nasty neighbor . It is a very interesting exercise in thriller, human degradation, an example of the conflict between town and country , and between civilization and barbarism, showing a primitive savagery exists beneath the most peaceful surface heading an outburst of grisly violence . For those who do not know, the ¨Rapa das Bestas¨ is a ritual consisting of cutting the manes of horses in order to be able to , mainly , deworming them and even celebrating a Galician cultural festival . In fact , this same year 2022 has been made ¨Rapa¨ series by Fran Aráujo with Javier Cámara and dealing with similar theme.

It displays a colorful and evocative cinematography by cameraman Alejandro de Pablo that was shot in Northwestern Spain, in el Bierzo , Barjas and Ponferrada , in the province Leon and inland Galicia. The motion picture was competently written/directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen , being filmed in late 2021 , and selected to be screened in the Cannes Premiere section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and getting many nominations to Goya Awards. Rodrigo is a good writer, producer, director assistant and filmmaker with a few films and television series. As Sorogoyen has directed successful TV series , such as : ¨La pecera de Eva¨, ¨Fragiles¨, ¨Vida loca¨, ¨Impares¨, "Apagon" and the essential "Antidisturbios" .And making notorious films , such as : ¨8 citas¨, ¨May God save us¨ (2016) with Antonio de la Torre, Javier Pereira, Roberto Alamo , ¨Stockholm¨ with Aura Garrido and ¨El Reino¨ (2018) with Antonio De la Torre, all of them have won various awards and Goyas. And furthermore, a short , Oscar nominated, titled Mother that had its cinematic rendition : Madre (2019) by Sorogoyen himself . Rating 7/10 . Better than average. Notable film that will appeal to rural drama enthusiasts . Well worth seeing .

If you wanna feel frustrated, angry and fill your soul with sadness, this is your movie. This is a tragedy without a real catharsis. I thought this was a psychological drama/thriller, something like STRAW DOGS. It is not. This is a slow drama, depressing as a movie can be. I can't rate it lower because it is a good movie, well acted and well directed. Great cinematography, characters from real life, not caricatures. 130 minutes but the pace was good, there are not many boring scenes. I am not letting my resentment clouding my judgement, this is a good movie. But it made me so angry and sad that i regret i watched it. I love art movies, i don't want for every movie i watch to bring me joy, but this was too depressing.

So, if you like watching movies like this, you should watch it.

I shouldn't.

6/10.

I had the pleasure of attending Rodrigo Sorogoyen's "As Bestas" premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and my blood is still boiling. I have not seen a film that has made me feel as tense and nervous as this one since Whiplash. Based on the audience's reaction and the ~6 minute standing ovation, I am sure I'm not the only one.

The movie covers the story of a retired french couple who decides to move to a rural village in the Galician mountains. Their love for the village and enthusiasm is however met by the abusive and antagonistic oppression of a local family who has been living there their whole life. The two brothers, played flawlessly by Luis Zahera and Diego Anido, are offended by the "frenchie's" higher intellectuality and devote their time to make the couple's life a living hell.

Spanish cinema once again proves its extent and foundation with this perfectly executed, brilliantly written, and graciously acted piece of work. A must watch.

When one person's hell is another person's paradise, conflict is inevitable.

This film tells the story of a crime, which opposes beasts, mountain brutes who have nothing to lose, to dreamers, agroecologists who return to the origins, fed up with urbanity.

If the dream of some prevents the end of the nightmare of others, tragedy seems inevitable.

I cannot help find some reminiscences in this argument with Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources by Marcel Pagnol. But here everything happens in a darker, more brutal, more realistic way. Here the violence is much more than just psychological.

A dark but intelligent vision of rural counter-exodus and agroecology.

This is an excellent and enjoyable movie that achieved a high level of harmony between the actors, events, and story. This is largely due to the film's intense realism and the actors' perfect portrayal of their roles, as well as the exceptional quality of the screenplay. The film depicts the struggle for a dignified life and the determination to reclaim one's rights despite the circumstances, injustices, and hatred directed at a marginalized family in a village. In truth, it is a film saturated with emotions and sensations and is very impactful. Despite its tragic nature, I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend watching it.

There are those that will oppose new residents, especially if they cost them recompense, why should foreigners have a say, in how they live and work and play, as lifelong locals they are taking great offence.

Denis Ménochet is immense as the invasive species into Galicia who fails to support the locals, more especially two aggressive brothers in their desires for an escape from their unrewarding toil through the sale of their land to a wind turbine interest. The tension builds to an inevitable conclusion and leaves you questioning what you may have done in a similar scenario, from both perspectives, although you might hope the local constabulary had a little more backbone if you were in Antoine's position.

This is my first review here on IMDB

So I've seen the good rating this movie had, And I've started watching as usual with no trailer or read any reviews, synopsis etc.

The photography is nice acting is good, but the movie lacked a true strong story.

I waited for an hour for something to happen, for a few minutes it happened, then I waited for another hour for something to happen and it never did.

Too bad because the movie started good, but without a proper ending, it felt like it was the pilot of a mini series or something.

Not sure I can recommend this movie, It just felt rushed to wrap it up.

As Bestas is a gripping rural thriller directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen and inspired by true events. The film follows Antoine (Denis Ménochet) and Olga (Marina Foïs), a French couple who move to a remote Galician village to pursue a sustainable lifestyle growing organic produce. However, their idealistic vision clashes violently with the hostility of the locals, particularly the brothers Xan (Luis Zahera) and Lorenzo (Diego Anido).

The tension between Antoine and the brothers is fueled by multiple layers of resentment. Xan and Lorenzo, embittered by a life of hardship, view the newcomers with envy and mistrust, seeing them as foreign intruders. This hostility, steeped in historical grievances and xenophobia, escalates when a wind farm project offers a lucrative buyout for the villagers-but only if all landowners agree to sell. Antoine's refusal to relinquish his land ignites a relentless campaign of intimidation that threatens not just the couple's livelihood but their very lives.

Sorogoyen crafts this story with a stylized vision and masterful direction. His use of long, unhurried takes allows tension to build to almost unbearable levels, while naturalistic lighting enhances the raw authenticity of the Galician landscape. The shadowy interiors and charged silences between characters create an oppressive atmosphere, making every scene pulse with foreboding.

The performances are exceptional. Denis Ménochet powerfully conveys Antoine's steadfastness and vulnerability, while Marina Foïs brings a quiet but haunting resolve to Olga. Luis Zahera, as Xan, delivers a magnetic portrayal of simmering rage and despair, making his character both terrifying and tragically human.

As Bestas is more than a thriller; it's a profound exploration of human conflict-the clash between tradition and progress, rootedness and ambition, and the tensions that arise in marginalized rural communities. Sorogoyen delves into the latent violence within his characters and the power dynamics of a micro-society caught between the past and the future.

Ultimately, As Bestas stands out as a haunting and visceral story about resistance, hatred, and the invisible fractures that can erupt in even the quietest lives. It is a masterpiece that cements Sorogoyen's place among the finest contemporary filmmakers.

Based on true events, in the 1990s a French couple move to rural Galicia in Spain to find a new life living off the land, but they find themselves in conflict with resentful locals.

A slow burning brooding tale set in a landscape and culture that feels timeless and detached, this is so very well done that I was drawn into the drama and consumed by the build up of suspense, which is just about as good as any thriller can get. Crucially, there's an authentic and genuinely believable feel to this film and it's executed subtly and without unnecessary violence. It's brilliantly written and directed and wonderfully executed in all respects, with acting, editing all just right, and there's also a superbly minimal music score which ratchets up the atmosphere as required. If you're looking for fast paced thrills or shocks, do not look here, instead, this is a great movie which avoids any obvious cliches and genre similarities, and ultimately both an accomplished drama and atmospheric thriller.

I didn't realise 'The Beasts' was a true story until after seeing the film. I wish I had known as I was watching it. I was both shocked, and also sadly not shocked to learn that at the same time. It can be a very cruel world we live in at times.

I kept thinking as I was watching this that only the Europeans could get away with making a film like this. It's so patient. There are some extremely long takes with a single camera giving a wide shot of everyone in the conversation and simply letting every detail be observed as you please. It's great to watch and an incredibly immersive.

This was a film where I needed to know how it was going to end. It felt like every kind of ending was on the cards. I often wish in these scenarios you could just have Quentin Tarantino slam a character with a flame-thrower into the mix. But of course that's not how films work and I thought the ending they chose was handled with a lot of class. This was a good film. 8/10.

I really wanted to see this film. And I really wanted to see it in the cinema above all. And it fulfilled my expectations.

This Galician thriller envelops us in its claustrophobic atmosphere of a mountain village with an aura of meigas, and also provides us with sweet moments and very bitter moments.

As the title says, we are in front of the beasts, which in this case will face intelligence, experience and good work. Who ends up winning? I leave that to your interpretation.

The relationships in the film are impressive. The looks, the wildness, the silences, the words, the accents... everything makes you get overwhelmed by them and relax with them. A plot that keeps leading towards the inevitable.

The first two acts are fine. It is where the writing neatly inaugurates the core drama and the conflict. It's where we are introduced to the characters and get to witness the animosities that have only recently materialized.

With some eye-pleasing cinematography and amazing performances, the script kept me fairly engaged, and my anticipation gradually grew to greater heights, but then came the final act, and it messed everything up.

Not only did the pacing take a hit, the intensity went down too, and everything the writing had achieved up until that point was reduced to ashes and burned to the ground!

I'm more frustrated than angry.