Night of the
Sunflowers (thriller) (2006) (2 hrs 3 mins)
This debut
feature by Spanish director and screenwriter Jorge Sanchez-Cabezudo is an
assured and gripping thriller. It tells the story in six segments, from the
viewpoint of different characters, allowing us to interpret the action in
different ways as our understanding builds and to see how the characters’ lives
become intertwined.
The setting
is a quiet Spanish village which has been shocked by the recent murder of a
young woman. Now another crime is about to be committed. A young woman, Gabi, is waiting for the arrival
of her husband, Esteban, and his colleague, Pedro, when she’s attacked by a
travelling salesman. When Esteban and Pedro arrive, the man has gone and they
go in search of him. When Gabi identifies the wrong man, they confront him and
the man is accidentally killed. They decide to cover up the death, a decision
which is to have many repercussions.
Another
strand of the story shows young policeman Tomas, working for the demanding
Amadeo and engaged to his daughter. When the distressed men arrive with Gabi,
Tomas sees a chance to line his own pocket, unaware that his boss is becoming
suspicious.
The scenes
are beautifully composed, almost like works of art and the tension is built up
steadily, with unusual camera angles and a kind of lingering stillness. The characters
are all well drawn and the film manages to keep us guessing about the outcome
right up to the end.
Since this
film, Sanchez-Cabezudo has concentrated on TV drama, which is a shame as his
talent deserves to be seen on the big screen.
Rating: 9/10
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