MIST & THE MAIDEN/ LA NIEBLA Y LA DONCELLA

Spain, 2017, 104 minutes, Colour.

Quinn Gutierrez, Veronica Echegui, Aura Garrido, Roberto Alamo, Marian Alvarez, Sanny van Heteren, Fernando Navas.

Directed by Andres M.Koppel.

A Spanish murder mystery and a police investigation. The plot is complex, involving the police, politics, sexual behaviour, prostitution, drug dealing.

The advantage for the audience is the Canary Islands settings, a great deal of local photography, creating the atmosphere and helping audiences who have never been there to appreciate the landscapes, the seascapes.

At the centre is a young police investigator, Ruth (Veronica Etchegui, something of an Penelope Cruz lookalike). A dead body is found in the forest, a local politician accused, found not guilty. Three years later the case is reopened and two detectives come from Madrid and are joined by Ruth.

The details of the investigation follow, interviews, the reshaping of questions, the looking for clues, the opening up of the story, the dead man’s mother, his money, revelation about prostitution, the introduction of drugs themes and more extensive interrogations.

The film builds to a climax, some surprises with the twists – although the local police chief has always seemed ambiguous, his relationship with Ruth, with his pregnant wife, the investigation.

1. Spanish murder mystery, police investigation?
2. The Canary Islands settings, the islands, the terrain, the mountains, the winding roads, the forests, homes, police precincts? The ferrys and the sea? Musical score?
3. The opening, the introduction to Ruth, the car in the mountains, the night, the winding roads, the pursuit, the mist? The search, the murdered man? The car, the blood, the official and his arrest? The trial and his being acquitted?
4. Three years later, political intervention, opening up the case, the detectives from Madrid? The mother of the murdered man asking for Ruth? That she had brought the news of the death of her son, hugged her? Like work, his career, separated, love for his son, the phone calls? Serious? Virginia, past contact with Ruth? The team working together?
5. Going to the island, discussion of the questions to be asked, the official and his being freed, the going to visit him, his stern reaction? The video, the murdered man, the sexual encounter, the official’s daughter, aged 14? Suspicions about him?
6. The mother of the murdered man, German, supporting him, the issue of his expensive bike, his mother and money? Answering questions? The later revelations, his prostitution, bring in the money, the use of the boat? The relationship with Desiree, 14, the video on her camera? Shifting the question, the relationship between the two, her wanting the video as a memento? Her being interrogated, and sharing questions?
7. The local police, Navajo, Ruth working with him, the relationship, the lunch with the whole family, the little girl, the wife, pregnant, suspicious of her husband?
8. The drug issues, Ruth and Bam Bam, the list, the leads, the interviews, at the boat, friends, knowledge and non-knowledge, the issue of drugs on the islands? The revelation of The Mambo King? The story?
9. Ruth, the sexual encounter with Bevilacqua, the aftermath?
10. Ruth with the murdered man, in the car, the crash and her murder? The visit to the morgue? The clue?
11. The visit to the mother, her motivation for the murder, the video, her being arrested?
12. Nava and his wife on the ferry, interrogation by Bevilacqua, audience suspicions about Nava, the revelation of the truth about him and about Ruth?
13. A satisfying murder mystery, the twists, Nava and his ambiguous behaviour throughout the story?