The Beasts

French couple Antoine and Olga have fulfilled their lifelong dream of moving to the Galician countryside to set up their own small farm. Their refusal to sell their land to developers has created tensions with their neighbours, local brothers Xan and Loren, who want the development money for a chance at a new life in the city. Tensions boil over after an act of sabotage leads to increasingly tense and violent confrontations between the neighbours.

Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s engrossing film is a slow-burn thriller in the best possible way. 

Aided by remarkably naturalistic performances, this is a methodical film where the tension builds and builds in a manner that’s careful yet utterly compelling. It’s no surprise it dominated at Spain’s Goya film awards, where it won in nine categories including Best Film.