Las Bestias

The psychological drama Las Bestias, directed by the Oscar-nominated Rodrigo Sorogoyen, depicts the story of a teacher's dream to live stress-free in the mountains and start a new life as a vegetable grower. However, what appears to be a dreamy scenario turns into a nightmare. The movie features excellent acting that appears so natural that it's hard to distinguish from reality, even the villains' portrayal is spot on. With its intense and oppressive depiction of lawlessness, peer pressure, and local norms, this movie is highly recommended for viewing. Also the music is there, without really consciously noticing it. But it carries the moments. It is Marvelously directed and made!

The scenario is the Uruguayan resort town of Punta Colorada, fronting The Atlantic Ocean less than 100 km. East of Montevideo. It is the cold season, the town is almost deserted and the skies are cloudy and melancholic.

Amalia, a woman in her twenties has been granted by a relative the use of a house for rest and recuperation and also as a good place to work on her History dissertation. Strolling through a nearby wood she discovers a man living in a clearing in precarious conditions, without even the protection of a tent. She initially reacts with mistrust and fear but eventually, in a stormy afternoon she relents and invites the man to stay in the house; he is apparently a deaf/mute who can only communicate with writing and gestures and we learn his name is Manuel. At the end of the movie we also learn the cause for his condition.

This is a student movie with minimal budget. ($1,000!) There are three directors/scriptwriters, and this film was presented as their dissertation in the Escuela de Imagen y Sonido (School of Image and Sound) of the University of Buenos Aires. The three directors list this movie as one of two credits, the second Los Inventados (The Invented, 2021). This film is the only credit for the three actors.

I liked this movie. It builds up suspense skillfully and, when the mystery of Manuel's condition is revealed through a third character, Tomás, the explanation does not let you down, as in other movies of the genre. The ending ia open and somewhat unexpected. Yanina Martino, playing Amalia is on screen in almost all scenes. The movie rests on her shoulders and she rises to the challenge. The two actors, in smaller roles also do a good job. A query: why is this film named Las Bestias (The Beasts)?