Les Liens du sang

They come in all sizes, shapes, colours and places they made the world possible, but they would break that world if needed for the offspring and these are called mothers. Set in picturesque Spanish countrysides La Hija's visuals are exquisite and relaxing. At the same time beneath the sceneries lies a creepy stillness setting up the perfect entrapment of the daughter. Great work by the whole cast strong and effortless. A good story with a gradual build up and a graphic twist. What makes the plot a scary one is kept subtle until the very end till rationalising is needed for all blood. La Hija could be a useful eye-opener to stay firm against the exploiting with a smiley face.

This intriguing and suspenseful film contains tense scenes , thrills , chills , drama , mystery , adding some disturbing , shocking frames and anything else . Concerning a pregnant teenager called Irene comes to a tense agreement with the marriage , Javier and Adela , sheltering her . As Javier Gutiérrez plays a youthful educator from a center for teens who takes Irene - finely performed by the debutant Irene Virgüez - into his own home , as she's a fourteen-year-old pregnant teenager whom Javier along with his wife Patricia López Arnaiz will take over , violating the law , in order to help her with the future baby . But then things go wrong.

Interesting and thoughtful movie concerning an unhappy couple who takes a pregnant adolescent about to be born her baby , and from where a game of lies and false culprits to be slowly built , as the baby's birth takes place , a violent outbreak of passions and revenge will happen . La Hija or The Daughter rests on the ability of its audience to connect with this premise , having a sui-generis Roman Polanski inspiration in the use of spaces and violence - physical and structural - in which the peculiar roles are three modifiable and bizarre characters that act guided by motivations that are not always understandable , but , at least , identifiable . The tension that Martín Cuenca builds is developed little by little , and it comes to a constant foreground , so the unsettling moments of brooding and thought-provoking drama seem to divide the film into two distinct sections ; on the one hand , the hard relation among the starring trio that tenses step by step , on the other hand , the best part being the splendid final in which the thorny conflict outbursts . Needless to say , it is worth highlighting above all , the very solvent interpretive work of the main trio , the aforementioned Javier Gutiérrez and Patricia López Arnaiz and the beginner Irene Virgüez . Based on an attractive story by Félix Vidal , being well adapted by Martín Cuenca himself , as he has success enough in shooting the sustained tension , though with a fundamental rigidity in the forms , it is due to his particular talent to use the spaces in and out of house , all of them in favor of the engaging story and turn them into an active part of the set . The Daughter may be a truly rewarding movie once within its precepts , resulting in a widely enjoyable picture that displays a formidable and effective oppressive aesthetic and besides , being delightfully ambiguous . Furthermore , this agreeable flick showing a sour denounce about adoption mechanisms , adolescent pregnancy , social services , as well as human badness , abuses , egoism and a difficult election for life . Here stands out the trio of fabulous protagonists giving terrific interpretations , such as Javier Gutiérrez , Patricia López Arnaiz and the newcomer Irene Virgüez who makes a portentous debut . Adding an acceptable remaining support cast such as : Juan Carlos Villanueva , María Morales and Sofian El Benaissati .

It packs a colorful and brilliant cinematography by Marc Gómez del Mora , providing an adequate staging and camera management , showing gorgeous landscapes , sierras and mountains from Jaén countryside . As well as evocative and thrilling musical score , including Vetusta Morla who performs the song Reina de las trincheras . The motion picture was originally written and competently directed by Manuel Martin Cuenca , including a nice camera work with a lot of aerial sights , though it turns out to be slow moving and a little bit boring , at times . It won various nominations and awards , such as : Feroz Awards, ES 2022 Nominee Feroz Award Best Original Score Vetusta Morla ; Goya Awards 2022 Nominee Goya Best Director Manuel Martín Cuenca , Best Lead Actor , Javier Gutiérrez and Tokyo International Film Festival 2021 Nominee Tokyo Grand Prix Best Film . Director Manuel Martin Cuenca has established himself as one of Spain's most artistically astute directors , his works consist in thoughtful stories , evolving in skillness and style . Martin Cuenca was born in 1965 Almeria , Andalucia , region where he usually shoots his films . He is a good writer and director, especially known for El autor (2017) , El Canibal (2013) , La mitad de Oscar (2010) , La flaqueza del Bolchevique (2003) , Malas Temporadas (2005) , 4 puntos cardinales (2002) and for TV : El Tesoro and 14 Abril La Republica . Being his best one : Cannibal or Canibal (2013) . Rating : 7/10 . Worthwhile watching. The picture will appeal to Spanish cinema fans and drama/thriller buffs .