KINO Expat: Fire Will Come (EN subs)

Oliver Laxe’s third feature is a lush, devastating finis terrae that is a touching portrait of a mother and son, of the deep isolation of remote village life, and of nature as both haven and threat. The weathered and weary Amador (Amador Arias) returns to his home in the mountains of rural Galicia after serving prison time on charges of arson. Ostracized by all except his aged mother (Benedicta Sánchez), Amador resumes his quiet life of agricultural labour, simple routines, and heavy silences, until a chance encounter with a local woman seemingly puts him on the path to salvation — or devastation. Magnificently shot on 16mm by Mauro Herce, Fire Will Come culminates in one of the year’s truly grand finales.