Piggy (2022 film)
A bullied teen faces a moral dilemma after a kidnapper targets her tormentors.
Piggy (Cerdita) is a 2022 horror thriller film written and directed by Carlota Pereda, based on her 2019 short film of the same name. The cast is led by Laura Galán, who reprises her role from the short film. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and earned six nominations at the 37th Goya Awards, winning Best New Actress for Galán.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Carlota Pereda
- Based on
- Piggy (short film), Carlota Pereda
- Producer
- Merry Colomer
- Starring
- Laura Galán
- Richard Holmes
- Carmen Machi
- Irene Ferreiro
- Camille Aguilar
- Claudia Salas
- Pilar Castro
- Cinematography
- Rita Noriega
- Editing
- David Pelegrín
- Music
- Olivier Arson
- Production companies
- Morena Films
- Backup Studio
- Cerdita AIE
- La Banque Postale
- Indéfilms
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Sara, an overweight teenage girl in a small Extremadura town, is bullied by Maca, Roci, and Claudia, who call her Cerdita. One summer day at the local swimming pool, the bullies attack her, stealing her backpack and clothes. Walking home in her bathing suit, she is harassed by men and escapes onto a side road, where she sees a van used by an unnamed man to kidnap her bullies. Claudia appears at the window begging for help, but Sara freezes. The kidnapper silently leaves a towel and drives off. Sara returns home without telling anyone. News spreads that the pool's lifeguard has been found dead and the waitress and three girls are missing. Questioned by her mother Asun and the Civil Guard, Sara denies being at the pool. She tracks her mobile phone, stolen in the backpack, into the forest, where she finds her belongings and again encounters the kidnapper, who warns her to be quiet before fleeing. Family members, including Claudia's mother Elena, find the waitress's body. Pedro, a friend of the missing girls, introduces Sara to marijuana and reveals he knows she lied. When townspeople suspect Pedro, Sara promises to disclose what she saw if he is arrested. Elena attacks Sara, and Pedro reveals her truth to the crowd. The Civil Guard takes Sara for questioning; she begins to talk but her period suddenly interrupts the interrogation.
Production
Piggy is Carlota Pereda's feature film debut, expanding her 2019 short film that won the Goya Award and Forqué Award for Best Short Film. The short starred Laura Galán, Paco Hidalgo, Elisabet Casanovas, Sara Barroso, Mireia Vilapuig, and Jorge Elorza. For the feature, Galán returned, joined by Richard Holmes, Carmen Machi, Claudia Salas, Irene Ferreiro, Camille Aguilar, José Pastor, Pilar Castro, and Chema del Barco, with Rita Noriega as cinematographer. A Spain–France co-production with a €2.5 million budget, it was produced by Morena Films, Backup Studio, and Cerdita AIE, with support from various entities. Filming ran from 17 June to late July 2021 in Villanueva de la Vera, Extremadura, and its surroundings. A white C15 van, common in rural Spain, appears prominently.
Release
Piggy premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2022, followed by its UK premiere at FrightFest on 29 August 2022. It was shown in the 'Tabakalera-Zabaltegui' section of the 70th San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 2022. Filmax distributed the theatrical release in Spain on 14 October 2022. Backup Media handled the French release, initially set for 19 October 2022 but rescheduled to 2 November 2022. Magnet Releasing acquired North American rights, Vertigo Releasing for the UK and Ireland, and other distributors covered Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia, the Baltics, and Hungary. A limited US release in Alamo Drafthouse theatres occurred on 7 October 2022, with wider release a week later.
Reception
Jonathan Holland of Screen Daily described the film as a blend of thriller, rural drama, and comedy with atmospheric horror, praising its character work. Guy Lodge of Variety noted it sits at an intersection of Catherine Breillat, Brian De Palma, and grindhouse sensibilities, comparing Sara's journey to Carrie. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter called it a disturbing psychological drama that spirals into blood-drenched horror, highlighting Galán's riveting performance. The film appeared on several critics' top ten lists of best Spanish films of 2022, including rankings by Cadena SER, El Periódico de Catalunya, and El Mundo.
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