The Wailing

Madrid, present day: It begins with a sound, a distant, fading wail whose source no one can pinpoint. Andrea, a student in the Spanish capital, is searching for her roots when she first hears it. Soon afterwards her boyfriend is dead, and something invisible is dogging her every step. Two decades earlier, in Buenos Aires, Marie suffered the same fate. Nor was Camila spared. She was the only one who understood what was happening to her, yet no one believed her. The three young women seem to have nothing in common, and yet, for reasons no one can explain, they are haunted by the same unknown, malevolent force … In his debut feature, director Pedro Martín-Calero builds a triptych that spans eras and continents. He avoids cheap jump scares and relies entirely on atmosphere, precise imagery and an oppressive sound design. The horror reveals itself only through the camera's viewfinder, which sees more than the naked eye. Every shot becomes a puzzle picture, every empty space a threat. Behind the haunting lies a bitter allegory of male violence. It robs women of their voice, leaves those who bear witness unheard and passes itself on from generation to generation. Not every mystery is solved, but that only heightens the effect. At San Sebastián the film won the Silver Shell for Best Director, and rightly so: "The Wailing" is intelligent horror that lingers long after the credits roll.