INFIESTO

Spain, 2023, 96 minutes, Colour.

Isak Gerriz, Iria del Rio, Antonio Buil, Juan Fernandez, José Manuel Pogo.

Directed by Patxi Amezcua.

Infiesto is the name of a mining town in the Asturias mountains. It is the location for a mysterious kidnapping, something of a cult, apocalyptic, atoning a storm god, and trying to prevent the end of the world.

The film creates the atmosphere of the town, the atmosphere of the mines, industry, streets, homes, hospitals, police. With the discovery of a kidnapping and the rescue of a young woman, two police from out of Infiesto are brought in to investigate.

In many ways, this is a familiar genre, the police partners, men and woman, working together, details of their investigation, detection, clues, interviews, confrontations… There is also the character of the Commissioner who is supervising their investigation. Then, other kidnappings are discovered, suspects unmasked, leading to the leader of a cult, The Prophet, the suggestion of rituals, sacrifice, atonement to the God of Storms, Druid traditions.

What makes the film different is the background of the early months of the pandemic, the initial experience of covid. There is background about how the government in Spain is dealing with the initial pandemic, masks, isolation, lockdown, curfews, the number of deaths in early 2020. Indications of each day of lockdown are indicated on screen, the cumulative effect of the investigation and its urgency.

With the deaths of many of the young people kidnapped and sacrificed, the film becomes something of a murder mystery until the unmasking of The Prophet, and the confrontation with the chief investigator and pessimistic ending with his death.

Audiences who enjoy this kind of police investigation will be interested in the drama of this film.

1. Spanish police investigation? Mystery? Apocalyptic tones? In the context of Covid?
2. The title, the town, the spurious mountains, mining and industry?
3. The background of Covid, the lockdown, the indication of each day of lockdown? The case, kidnapping, investigation, leads, links, characters, motivations, the cult of The Prophet?
4. The girl found on the highway, the back story, her mother and concern, hospital, gradual recovery, the nursing staff, the psychologist, decisions about reminding the girl of her ordeal, identifying the photos, indicating three men?
5. Garcia, his reputation, skills, age, contact with his family, his drinking, attitudes of fellow workers? Working with Castro, her experience, her concern about Carlos and Covid? Their working together? The film showing their methods, skills, leads, investigations, confrontations with suspects, the exploding shack? The investigations of buildings, the basements, photos, religious symbols, working with the Commissioner? Their diligence, working non-stop?
6. The initial lead, the hunter, confrontation, his being unemployed, his fierce dog, his escape, shooting the dog, pursued, his gun, shooting himself? The investigation of his phone calls, leading to his cousin, the Demon? Tracking down the Demon? The heart, empty, the explosion? Arresting him, the interrogation? Garcia, the gun, bashing him, the threats? Castro watching? The arrival of the Commissioner, suspending Garcia without pay?
7. Building up the information, the identity of those captured, every three months?
8. The mystery of The Prophet? The photo, the suspects as boys with him? Reputation in the town? The local police, everybody knowing everyone else?
9. The episode with Lydia, watching, outside the police station, the hood? Castro not making the connection, with the help, the interview, the name of The Prophet?
10. Castro, her own investigations, interviews, and going down into the mine?
11. Garcia, working overtime, on his own, going to the hut, Ramos offering to help, revealing himself, the confrontation, Garcia being killed? The death of The Prophet?
12. The apocalyptic tone, the comments about the end of the world, the pandemic at its beginnings, the Spanish government and meetings, lockdown, isolation, masks, indications of an end of the world?