Live from Fantasia : The Backwoods

Say your prayers and get set to witness the cinematic equivalent of a rifle barrel digging into your temple. The Backwoods is the stunning feature debut from Spanish director Koldo Serra.

When two british couples head into the mountains of Spain for a little R&R, they uncover what appears to be a grotesque crime. But appearances can be deceiving, and this one may cost them their lives…

Due to a technical glitch, the reels for The Backwoods that were sent to Fantasia erroneously excluded subtitles. While I undoubtedly missed a lot of subtext, watching the film without subtitles was a unique experience that placed me squarely in the shoes of the characters who are completely lost whenever the people around them are speaking spanish. It lent an authenticity to and heightened tension during scenes in which you know bad shit is happening, but only have the gist of why. With a terrific performance from Gary Oldman to light the way, the skill (and promise) that Serra displays here are evident – with or without subtitles.