THE INVISIBLE GUARDIAN/ EL GUARDIAN INVISIBLE
Spain, 2017, 129 minutes, Colour.
Marta Etura, Elvira Minguez, Nene.
Directed by Fernando Gonzalez Molina.
The Invisible Guardian refers to a mythological forest protector in northern Spain.
This is a police detective investigation, a series of serial killings of young women, naked, posed with hands like a statue of the Virgin Mary, a particular cake placed on their bodies. The local police investigate but a detective, who grew up in the town, has left the town and worked with the FBI in the United States, now returns and pursues the investigation.
The investigation is interesting in itself, following the clues, discovering connections, going back many years and further victims. The investigation is complicated by the mythologies of the area, communicated to the detective by her aunt who brought her up after she had suffered sadistic torments from her mentally unbalanced mother. Her two sisters are also in the town, the older who runs the bakery inherited from their father, and seems to resent the young woman. The detective is criticised by various people in the town.
The screenplay also focuses on the detective’s past, showing Her Is a little girl, her treatment by her mother, the support of her father, going to live with her aunt, her leaving the town and not wanting to return.
The film has very solemn atmosphere, many scenes of mist, clouds, rain, rivers and waterfalls.
Eventually, the mystery is linked with her family’s very conservative and judgemental attitudes, condemning young women for their behaviour – and one of the family then responsible for the murders.
The film was successful – and there were two sequels.
1. Crime and investigation? Serial killer? Motivation for the murders? The target victims? In the context of the town? In the context of family?
2. The setting, northern Spain, the town, the streets, homes, church, the countryside? The seasons? The rain and mist? Atmospheric? The musical score?
3. The title, the mythology, the protective creature? The aunt and her superstitions and her knowledge? The influence on Amaia?
4. The background of Amaia, the cruelty of her mother and its influence, her support of father, the bakery, her older sister and her resentment, the middle sister? The sisters and their husbands? Amaia going to the United States, working for the FBI? Her age,
experience, her detective instincts? (And the phone calls to her mental in the United States and his advice, his support?)
5. The discovery of the murdered girls, the buildup of the list of girls murdered? Sexual overtones? Yet their hands like the statue of the Virgin Mary? Strangled?
6. Amaia, her role in the investigation, Jonan as her assistant and his following leads, the superior and his absences? His return? Tensions between the two?
7. Amaia and her style of investigation, on the spot, autopsies, evidence?
8. The discussions with family, the background of the victims, some mixing and socialising, others more reserved?
9. The lack of suspects? The connections with the girls? The angry father, the mother, the dead girl, as part of the series or not?
10. Amaia, in herself, her age, her relationship with the artist, his support of her, the meals with the family? Her wandering by herself, the mist in the rain, by the river? The visit to the church and the religious overtones?
11. The antagonism with her sister, the bakery, the memories of the past?
12. The sisters and their husbands, their characters, at meals, with Amaia?
13. The danger to Amaia, the brother-in-law, the confrontation, the violence? His being the murderer, the historical background, the religious motivation, moral condemnations, his marriage to Flora, the absence of killings after the marriage, the new crisis, the victims?
14. Flora, her understanding of her husband, the symbolism of the special cakes and their being placed on the bodies, the examination of the flower, from Flora’s bakery? Flora waiting for her sister to solve the case?
15. The film adaptation of the detective novel – and sequels following?
