Spain / France / Portugal 2024, 125 min, Spanish, Hebrew & English subtitles
It is an age-old dance, an ancient ritual. Spectators surround an arena, gazes locked on its two occupants: man and beast, matador and bull, each alone in his way. In extended, meticulous shots, the camera follows charismatic Peruvian star Andrés Roca Rey, showing him before and after: in the car en route to the fight, in the luxurious hotel as he gets squeezed into the vibrant, tight-fitting outfit, soon to be stained and torn, and in the bullring, sweat streaming down his face as the sand turns blood-red. In his documentary debut, Albert Serra (The Death of Louis XIV), a Catalan filmmaker known for his radical artistic vision, portrays the bullfighter’s life as a sublime theater of cruelty and beauty, arresting in its aesthetic. This film invites contemplation and trusts the awestruck viewers, cast as witnesses and participants, to form their own moral judgments.
The screenings of this film have been made possible through the generous support of the Embassy of Spain in Israel.
Previous Festivals: SSIFF (SAN SEBASTIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL) (Golden Shell for Best Film)
