Film Review - The Shepherd (El Pastor) ★★★★
Friday, June 02, 2017
2017 is the year of me stretching my film boundaries to smash geographical ones – in other words, I need to watch more non-English speaking movies. The award-winning El Pastor (or The Shepherd) is a pretty good place to start. It’s been making its way around the film festival circuits and even deservingly won Best Film, Director and Actor at Raindance Festival last year. I’m a big fan of a David vs. Goliath story and rooting for the little man. Or woman. Or in this case, it’s a shepherd by the name of Anselmo (played by Miguel Martin).
Where to begin? Very quickly into the film, we are welcomed
into the straightforward world of Anselmo. What you see is what you get. He’s a
poor but happy and content shepherd living in a small village, when suddenly,
it’s all change. A construction company wish to buy his property and develop a
complex for his growing town. Understandably and predictably, we now know
Anselmo well enough to know he will say no. And then, predictably, it gets a
bit messy.
It’s David vs. Goliath, sheep vs. wolf, shepherd vs. men in
suits. Throw in a few forces and extra layers too. It’s not just that he doesn’t
want the money – he doesn’t want the change either. It’s his identity, (probably)
everything he’s ever known and it’ll provoke a thought or two when you try and
put yourself in the farmer boots or polished brogues of the different
characters. I’m a big fan of films that go deep into personal values and that
inner complexity, and The Shepherd manages it even if the Shepherd himself is a
simple man. It’s easy to villainise capitalism but this film shows us life isn’t
always black and white.
It’s like a hostile takeover situation and things come to a bold
and surprising climax that throws the tonal guide into the bin and will make
you do a double take and go woaah. Even though this is central Spain, it’s easy
to imagine this scenario anywhere. And not just in a farming context;
ultimately it boils down to this question...what would you do for money?
With a fine character study brought to life by Martin,
Director Jonathan Cenzual Burley adds to the heap of evidence that you don’t
need loads of money to make a deep, enthralling film. It’s slow but impactful,
and you get an added bonus of the fantastic sweeping landscapes and some lovely
sunsets.
The Shepherd (El Pastor) is in UK cinemas now.
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