The first footage from the beginning of the film “THE BEASTS,” which will be released in Japan on November 3 (Fri., holiday), has been released, along with a manga explaining the film.
The film, which features a French couple who move to a small village in a mountainous region of Spain, depicts the theme of “the conflict between the countryside and the city. Based on an actual incident, the film is divided into two parts: the first part is a psychological thriller centered on the husband of the main couple, and the second part is a love story centered on the wife. The film won three major awards at the 35th Tokyo International Film Festival, including the Tokyo Grand Prix (Governor of Tokyo Award) for Best Film, Best Director Award, and Best Actor Award.
The film is directed and written by Rodrigo Sorogoién, whose previous film “Omokage” was highly acclaimed at the Venice International Film Festival, and features Denis Menoche as Antoine, the husband of the main couple, and Marina Fois as Olga, his wife.
The released footage shows a scene that symbolizes the film, capturing the traditional ceremony of “Lapa das Vestas” (shearing of wild beasts) in Galicia, the mountainous region of Spain where the story takes place.
The commentary cartoon depicts the main characters, including the main couple Antoine and Olga, the neighbor brothers Shan and Lorenzo, who are in violent conflict with them, and the couple’s guard dog, Titan, along with their important lines and characteristics.
THE BEASTS
Cast: Denis Menoche, Marina Foys, Luis Saela, Diego Anido, Marie Colon
Director: Rodrigo Sologoyen
Screenplay: Isabel Peña, Rodrigo Sorogojen
Director of Photography: Alejandro de Pablo
2022/Spain/France/Original Title: AS BESTAS/English Title: THE BEASTS/Subtitle: Kazuharu Watanabe
Distributor: Unplugged
Support: Embassy of Spain in Japan, Embassy of France in Japan / Institut français
© Arcadia Motion Pictures, S.L., Caballo Films, S.L., Cronos Entertainment, A.I.E.,Le pacte S.A.S.
Official website: https://unpfilm.com/risokyo/
Story: A French couple, Antoine and Olga, dream of a slow life and move to a small village in the lush mountainous region of Galicia, Spain. However, the villagers, who were born and raised in the area, are plagued by chronic poverty, and their lives are anything but peaceful. Neighboring brothers Shan and Lorenzo are not overtly welcoming of the newcomers, a French couple, and begin to harass them. The brothers’ attacks then escalate. They go beyond the scope of harassment, ruining the crops that the couple had carefully nurtured. Meanwhile, the villagers and the couple disagree over a wind power generation project that would be of financial benefit to the village. The hostility intensifies.
