''Marshland'' (, ) is a 2014 Spanish

crime thriller Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professiona ...

film directed by Alberto Rodríguez which stars Javier Gutiérrez and

Raúl Arévalo Raúl Arévalo Zorzo (born 22 November 1979) is a Spanish actor and director. He has featured in films such as '' Dark Blue Almost Black'' (2006), '' Seven Billiard Tables'' (2007), '' The Blind Sunflowers'' (2008), '' Fat People'' (2009), '' Co ...

. The film was presented at the 62nd

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; , ) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spain, Spanish city of Donostia, Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Countr ...

on 20 September 2014. It swept the 29th Goya Awards, winning ten categories, including Best Film,

Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

, Original Screenplay, and

Leading Actor A leading actor, leading actress, or leading man or lady or simply lead (), plays a main role in a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person w ...

(Gutiérrez).

Plot

In 1980,

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

homicide detectives Pedro Suárez and Juan Robles are sent to a "

backwater Backwater or Backwaters may refer to: Music * ''Backwaters'' (album), a 1982 album by American guitarist Tony Rice * Backwater (band), a jazz fusion band from Mobile, Alabama, or this band's 1976 debut album * "Backwater", a song by Brian Eno fr ...

" town on the

Guadalquivir Marshes The Guadalquivir Marshes (in or simply ''Las Marismas'') are a natural region of marshy lowlands on the lower Guadalquivir River. The ''Las Marismas'' zone forms a large part of the province of Huelva, province of Seville and province of Cádi ...

in Spain's "Deep South" to investigate the disappearance of two teenage sisters (Carmen and Estrella) during the town's festivities. Pedro, openly critical of Spain's past during the Francoist Dictatorship, has a problem with authority figures, while Juan seems not to care, though he has a troubled past of his own. The detectives meet with the girls' father, Rodrigo, a local riverboat skipper. Although Rodrigo and his wife Rocío say that their daughters were average girls, the duo hear from the local police that they were known for their promiscuity, and from their friends that they had a deep urge to leave the town. Rocío also gives the detectives a burnt

film reel A reel is a tool used to store elongated and flexible objects (e.g. yarns/ cords, ribbons, cables, hoses, etc.) by wrapping the material around a cylindrical core known as a '' spool''. Many reels also have flanges (known as the ''rims'') a ...

she has found, depicting the girls naked and in bed with a man whose face is obscured by a

flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * The Flash, several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Barry Allen ** Wally West, the first Kid Flash and third adult Flash ...

. Soon enough, both Carmen and Estrella are found dead and dumped in the local marsh, having been raped and tortured to death. Troubled and with no leads, the two detectives attempt to spy on Quini, the handsome and suave former boyfriend of Carmen. Quini, now dating another town girl, Marina, manages to sneak up on the detectives after they have followed him and attempts to threaten them with a knife. After disarming and sending him away, the two agree that Quini must be part of whatever is occurring. The problem proves to be even bigger after a drunk man named Castro tells the detectives about a similar case: his girlfriend, Beatriz, was close to Quini and the sisters, and was found dismembered in the marshes, her suitcase floating there. Pedro and Juan continue to investigate, gradually unravelling secrets. It is revealed that the riverboats and marshes are being used to smuggle and transport

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...

, and that Rodrigo had stolen a

kilo Kilo may refer to: *kilo- (k-), a metric prefix denoting a factor of 103 *Kilogram (kg), a metric unit of mass Music *Kilo, a funk/R&B band from Bloomington/Indianapolis/Indiana *KILO, a Colorado radio station *''El Kilo'', a 2005 album by th ...

and sold it, getting him in trouble with the locals. However, the locals involved in the drugs seek out the detectives, revealing their participation in drug smuggling in full but claiming they had nothing to do with the sisters' deaths. One of the men does aid the investigation, however, by describing a white Dyane 6 he saw at the church where one of the girls' purse was found. After digging through more victims' items, the two see a pattern of out-of-town job

brochure A brochure is an promotional document primarily used to introduce a company, organization, products, or services and inform prospective customers or members of the public of the benefits. Although, initially, a paper document that can be folded ...

s for women, eventually linking Quini to a man named Sebastián. Digging through Sebastián's past, they find a warrant out for him for the possible sexual molestation of a child, solidifying his chance of being the main culprit. Juan and Pedro deduce that Quini and Sebastián were luring the young women of the town, who were aching to leave and find their own independence through work, by passing these brochures around and then entrapping them into sexual slavery at a local hunting lodge. Waters grow murky, however, when Pedro becomes aware of Juan's past shooting of a girl at a protest during the Franco Era. Pedro is also angered after a possible third culprit, a local factory owner named Alfonso Corrales, is brushed over, most likely due to complex political ties. The two continue on, though, eventually deducing Sebastián's cover as the watchman of the hunting lodge. Pedro attempts to follow and observe Sebastián's white Dyane 6, but loses him. With the help of a local

poacher Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the hunti ...

named Jesús, the trio finally chases Sebastián into the marshes. All three are shot by the sniping Sebastián, though as he is about to slay Pedro, Juan is able to sneak up and stab him, which he does repeatedly, in a state. After Sebastián falls dead into the swamp, Juan opens the trunk of the car to rescue a bruised but still alive Marina. The town is brought peace after the case is solved, as well as by the local worker's union accepting a pay raise (which in principle, they felt was too low). All seems well for the detectives, too, as Pedro sees a promotion and relocation closer to his own home and wife. On the final night of their stay, however, Pedro receives photographs from a journalist who has helped on the case. Though Juan justified his shooting story by saying it was his former partner's actions, the journalist reveals that he had in fact been a brutal officer in Franco's notorious secret police, and to have once been known as "The Crow". In the morning, before they drive home, Juan asks a stoney-faced Pedro if they "are good". Pedro does not answer, and the two ride off to an uncertain future.

Cast

Critical reception

The film received mostly positive reviews. It has a critic approval rating of 92% on the

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

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, with an average rating of 7.72/10, based on 36 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads: "As narratively taut as it is richly atmospheric, ''Marshland'' keeps viewers guessing throughout a procedural thriller with surprising nuance." Critics have hailed ''Marshland'' as one of the best Spanish films of 2014, and have defined it as a suffocating cop thriller with a subtle sociopolitical subplot. They have also pointed out reminiscences of American series ''

True Detective ''True Detective'' is an American Anthology series, anthology Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Nic Pizzolatto for the premium cable network HBO. The series premiered on January 12, 2014, and ...

'' in the star power of the main actors and the environment of the film, although the film began to be recorded before the series' release. Jay Weissberg of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' deemed the film to be "a satisfyingly atmospheric neo-noir", even if it ultimately disappoints in its denouement, leaving many questions unanswered.

Accolades

, - , align = "center" rowspan = "4" , 2014 , , rowspan=4 , 62nd

, colspan=2 , Golden Shell for Best Film , , , rowspan = "4" , , - , Silver Shell for Best Actor , Javier Gutiérrez , , - , Best Cinematography , Álex Catalán , , - , colspan=2 , I Premio Feroz Zinemaldia , , - , align = "center" rowspan = "39" , 2015 , , rowspan = "3" ,

20th Forqué Awards The 20th Forqué Awards were presented on 12 January 2015 at the Palacio Municipal de Congresos in Madrid. The gala, broadcast on La 1, was hosted by Ana Morgade. History The nominations for all the competitive categories (except for the Bes ...

, , colspan = "2" , Best Fiction Picture , , , , rowspan = "3" , , - , rowspan = "2" , Best Actor , , Javier Gutiérrez , , , - , Raúl Arévalo , , , - , rowspan=10 ,

2nd Feroz Awards The 2nd ceremony of the Feroz Awards was held at the Gran Teatro Ruedo Las Ventas in Madrid, on January 25, 2015. It was hosted by actress Bárbara Santa-Cruz and aired on Canal+ Spain. Winners and nominees The nominees were announced on Decembe ...

, colspan=2 , Best Drama , , , rowspan = "10" , , - , Best Director , Alberto Rodríguez , , - , Best Screenplay , Alberto Rodríguez & Rafael Cobos , , - , rowspan=2 , Best Main Actor , Raúl Arévalo , , - , Javier Gutiérrez , , - , Best Supporting Actor , Antonio de la Torre , , - , Best Supporting Actress , Nerea Barros , , - , Best Original Soundtrack , Julio de la Rosa , , - , colspan=2 , Best Trailer , , - , colspan=2 , Best Film Poster , , - , rowspan=17 , 29th Goya Awards , colspan=2 , Best Film , , rowspan = "17" , , - ,

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...

, Alberto Rodríguez , , - ,

Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award (also known as an Oscar) for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best ...

, Rafael Cobos and Alberto Rodríguez , , - , rowspan=2 , Best Main Actor , Raúl Arévalo , , - , Javier Gutiérrez , , - , Best Supporting Actor , Antonio de la Torre , , - , Best Supporting Actress , Mercedes León , , - , Best New Actress , Nerea Barros , , - , Best Original Score , Julio de la Rosa , , - ,

Best Cinematography The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best ...

, Álex Catalán , , - , Best Editing , José M. G. Moyano , , - , Best Production Supervision , Manuela Ocón , , - ,

Best Art Direction The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognizes achievement for art direction in film. The category's original name was Best Art Direction, but was changed to its current name in 2012 for the 85th Academy Awards. This change resulted fro ...

, Pepe Domínguez , , - , Best Costume Design , Fernando García , , - , Best Makeup and Hairstyles , Yolanda Piña , , - ,

Best Sound The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...

, Daniel de Zayas, Nacho Royo-Villanova and Pelayo Gutiérrez , , - , Best Special Effects , Pedro Moreno and Juan Ventura , , - , rowspan = "5" ,

24th Actors and Actresses Union Awards The 24th Actors and Actresses Union Awards ceremony was held on 9 March 2015 at the Teatro La Latina in Madrid. The gala was hosted by Juanma Cifuentes. In addition to the competitive awards, '' El tren de la libertads women received the '' award ...

, , rowspan = "2" , Best Film Actor in a Leading Role , , Javier Gutiérrez , , , , rowspan = "5" , , - , Raúl Arévalo , , , - , Best Film Actress in a Minor Role , , Mercedes León , , , - , rowspan = "2" , Best Film Actor in a Minor Role , , Manolo Solo , , , - , Antonio de la Torre , , , - , 57th Ariel Awards , , colspan = "2" , Best Ibero-American Film , , , , , - , 2nd Platino Awards , , colspan = "2" , Best Ibero-American Film , , , , , - , Neox Fan Awards 2015 , colspan=2 , Best Spanish film , , , - ,

28th European Film Awards The 28th European Film Awards were presented on 12 December 2015 in Berlin, Germany. The winners were selected by more than 2,500 members of the European Film Academy. Winners and nominees European Film European Comedy European Documenta ...

, colspan=2 ,

European Film Academy People's Choice Award for Best European Film The European Film Academy Lux Award is a prize given to a competing film by the European Film Academy and the European Parliament. It is one of the European Film Awards, which were established to recognize excellence in European cinematic achieveme ...

, ,

Bibliography

*'' El cine de Alberto Rodríguez. Conversaciones'', de Manuel Lamarca, Ediciones Carena, Barcelona, 2020, .

References

External links

* * {{European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film Films set in 1980 European Film Awards winners (films) 2010s mystery thriller films 2010s serial killer films Spanish mystery thriller films Films set in Andalusia Films directed by Alberto Rodríguez Librero Warner Bros. films Atípica Films films Sacromonte Films films 2010s Spanish films 2010s Spanish-language films Films about the Spanish Transition Atresmedia Cine films Spanish neo-noir films