Piggy (Cerdita)

This is a slightly edited version of my review that first appeared for Piggy's presentation at London FrightFest 2022. Piggy also closed the London Spanish Film Festival 2022.

The title Piggy doesn’t leave much to the imagination and what Sara (Laura Galán) has to go through, isn’t either as her tormentors’ tear into her and her family: an all-out attack of abuse and humiliation via social media and verbally. A more distressing opening twenty minutes the viewer is unlikely to see as Sara – in the heat of Extremadura - is forced to go swimming when the local pool is empty so she can avoid the bullying, has the bad luck to be at the pool when her tormentors turn up and let loose.

And there’s no solace at home with an oppressive mother and a weak father, who appear to have no idea what their daughter is going through (and that they too are victims) until it is viscerally presented to them with the disappearance of a couple from the swimming pool and later Sara’s abusers.

Initially there’s little reaction from Sara but as the situation drags in the local police and a killer that appears to sympathise with her lot, it leaves her having to reflect on her actions and what to do with the knowledge she possesses.

Filmed in dazzling sunlight it saturates the frame, the heat is palpably oppressive to the viewer, sealing in the film’s gruelling atmosphere, Piggy presents an insight into the cruelty of human nature and the depths it can plumet.

Laura Galán’s performance is perfect: tormented by family and bullies, finding some solace in their comeuppance, then her mind contorting with the rights and wrongs of her actions and inactions.

The question is hard pitched: How far is it acceptable to go in defence and maybe then retaliation? This is very cleverly threaded by writer and director Carlota Pereda through the film (an extension of her 2018 short film) as Sara vies with her self-loathing, the abuse she receives and how far she is ultimately prepared to go and, indeed sacrifice.

Piggy will be in cinemas and on digital from 6 January 2023

This is horror at its most potent being visceral and prepared to focus hard, divisive social issues.