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Bookmark this pageThe Night of the Sunflowers (2006)
Director: Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo
Movie review
From Time Out London
This isn’t a serial-killer flick, but it starts like one, with a murderer-rapist fleeing a crime through a dark field of sunflowers, and, a little later, trying to strike again. Then he’s gone and we have geologist Esteban (Carmelo Gómez), partner of the woman we just saw nearly raped, arriving in a rural village to survey a cave. Then it’s back to another character: old misanthrope, Cecilio (Cesáreo Estébanez), whom Esteban assumes attacked his girlfriend and confronts with bloody consequences. Then another – a dissatisfied local policeman – and another – Cecilio’s neighbour – and finally police chief Amadeo (Celso Bugallo), tracking the effects of the opening violence as they ripple outward. The six perspectives compel, thwarting easy identification and urging the understanding the characters lack, though the story takes on too many Spanish cinematic obsessions – individuals thrust together, rural decline, internecine violence – and flounders in weak ideas. Nevertheless, this is a clever, surprising work from first-time director Sánchez-Cabezudo: when the killer makes his anticipated return, it’s not how you expect – and proves all the more unsettling for it.Author: Nick Funnell
Time Out London Issue 1916: May 9-15 2007
Cast & crew
Director: Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo
Cast: Judith Diakhate, Carmelo Gomez, Celso Bugallo full cast
Genre(s): Drama
Rated: 15
Duration: 123 mins
UK Release: May 11 2007
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