Alcarras – movie review

The sophomore feature from Spanish filmmaker Carla Simon (Summer 1993) Alcarras is a lyrical, leisurely paced, beautifully observed slice-of-life drama. The plot concerns a family of peach farmers whose livelihood is under threat from developers. The film was Spain’s official submission for the Best International Film at the 2023 Oscars.

The film is set in the bucolic Alcarras region of Catalonia. For decades the Sole family at the centre of the film has managed their large peach orchard on the land that they have lived on. But following the death of the man from whom they leased the land the owner’s son has refused to honour the handshake agreement and instead plans to rip out the orchard trees and redevelop the land for an array of solar panels which he believes will be much more profitable. The family faces an uncertain future once the harvest has finished. Meanwhile, there are also protests against the unfair business practices of the markets and retailers in town.

As with Simon’s first film, Alcarras has an almost documentary feel as it follows a vanishing way of life. Simon allows the audience to spend time with the family as they go about their daily lives and routines, and we get a glimpse into their life with family gatherings, working the orchard, the fiestas and celebrations. The father Quimet (Jordi Pujol Dolcet, a retired farmer making his film debut) is tough and demanding but he struggles to accept the reality of their situation, while the mother is more empathetic, supportive and caring. The family patriarch, Quimet’s elderly father Rogelio (Josep Abad), worries about the family’s future, and where they will live. There is an innocence about the younger children who play in the fields and the nearby ruins of a bunker. These scenes all have a natural feel, and most of the cast is comprised of non-professionals who mainly come from a farming background, which further adds to the authentic feel of the material.

Simon’s film deals with some universal themes as it explores the clash between tradition and progress, the contrast between the rural areas and the rush to modernisation and industrialisation. The film has been nicely shot by cinematographer Daniela Cajias (Schoolgirls), who captures the landscapes beautifully.

Alcarras is not a film for everybody though as there is an air of repetition about much of the film which may wear thin with more mainstream audiences.

Greg King

Other reviews you might enjoy:

• Summer 1993 – movie review
• In the Name of the Land – movie review
• The Eight Mountains – movie review