The South

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Dave S While The Spirit of the Beehive is generally considered to be Spanish director Victor Erice’s masterpiece, El Sur is certainly a close second. Set in the north of Spain, the film is a delicate family drama, focusing primarily on the relationship between Estrella, a young girl trying to find her place in life, and her enigmatic father. The acting is effectively subdued, the cinematography is stunning, the lighting is as good as you’ll find in any film, and the characters are fascinating, but what makes the film work is the touching relationship between the two main characters, all leading to a heartbreaking final ten minutes. Rarely, if ever, has a father/daughter relationship been examined as effectively as it has in El Sur. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/25 Full Review raphael g Although not as astounding as his first film, Erice shows that he is a master of cinema. Great movie. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A woman reflects on her own story as how she remember how it was like growing up. She is an only child, has a kind mother and has a father she digs. He is of the mysterious kind and even if she is too young to understand, she knows that something is up. The story is told from the childs perspectice. Mostly when Estrella is eight, later on when she is fifteen. This is a very beautiful film. It's shot so wonderfully and there are many warm scenes. It's also a bit mysterious so you don't fall in the grave the film slowly digs - the matter of little happenings and solid entertainment value. I liked it. The acting, the atmosphere and the poetry that stays near the film the entire playtime. I have "El espíritu de la colmena" in my shelf, probably the directors most known film, but I saw this one first. This film was actually never completed. Some disagreements with the producer made it cut short - and I believe we lost at least 30 or 45 minutes to the whole film sadly. So, since it's cut rather short and "brutal" it left me a bit on a wonder - something that's OK, but I still got a feeling that there was even better things to come. So for me, this is a very good film, that could have been better if it ever was med "whole". 7.5 out of 10 actresses. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member It's regrettable that the full vision of the film is never realised. In any case, the half we manage to have reminds me of Pan's Labyrinth and it's not a good sign. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member With a meticulously paced and intimate approach, Erice realizes a poetic study over the complexity of the human mind analyzing our failures and desires. Using again some recurrent themes seen in The Spirit of the Beehive he explores the true artistic values of cinema. Another masterpiece. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review paul p Amazingly soulful movie that will make a Basque person tremble with recognition. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The South

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