The Elderly (film)

The Elderly
The Elderly
	Film poster
Spanish	Viejos
Directed by	Raúl Cerezo; Fernando González Gómez;
Screenplay by	Raúl Cerezo; Javier Trigales; Rubén Sánchez Trigos;
Produced by	José Luis Rancaño
Starring	Zorion Eguileor; Gustavo Salmerón; Paula Gallego; Irene Anula;
Cinematography	Ignacio Aguilar
Edited by	José Manuel Jiménez
Music by	Eneko Vadillo
Production; companies	A Person's Films; La Dalia Films; Antídoto Films;
Release date	16 July 2022 (Fantasia);
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish

The Elderly (Spanish: Viejos) is a 2022 Spanish elderly-themed horror film directed by Raúl Cerezo and Fernando González Gómez which stars Zorion Eguileor, Gustavo Salmerón, Paula Gallego, and Irene Anula.

Plot

Set in Madrid during a heat wave, the plot follows the strange behaviour displayed by elderly people, focusing on the deterioration of octogenarian Manuel in the wake of his wife Rosa's suicide and the actions of Manuel's family (son Mario, daughter-in-law Lena, and granddaughter Naia), otherwise at odds vis-à-vis the prospect of welcoming him.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Cast

Zorion Eguileor as Manuel^[4]
Gustavo Salmerón as Mario^[4]
Irene Anula as Lena^[4]
Paula Gallego [es] as Naia^[4]
Ángela López Gamonal as Rosa^[5]

Production

The screenplay was penned by Raúl Cerezo, Javier Trigales, and Rubén Sánchez Trigos.^[6] A Person's Films, La Dalia Films and Antídoto Films production, the film had the collaboration of Gobierno de Navarra and Navarra Film Commission and support from Ayuntamiento de Madrid.^[6] Shooting locations included Madrid and Navarre.^[3]

Release

The film made its world premiere at the Montreal-based Fantasia International Film Festival on 16 July 2022.^[6] It was set to have its US premiere at the Austin-based Fantastic Fest in September 2022.^[7] It was set to land its European premiere at the 55th Sitges Film Festival in October 2022.^[8]

Reception

Andrew Mack of ScreenAnarchy described the film as a "mysteriously wicked horror that starts off as a tale of supernatural residency and influence on our grandparents", with "all hell" breaking loose in a "breathtaking 15 minute finale".^[1]

Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting assessed that "the intense finale cannot compensate for the sluggish and overly mysterious build-up", with the helmers favouring prolonged ambiguity throughout the bulk of the film over anything else.^[9]

Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com assessed the film to be "imbalanced", with its visual compositions being "so striking throughout", but "its plotting trades the ominous for obvious".^[10]

Sharai Bohannon of Dread Central rated the film 4½ out of 5 stars, deeming it to be a "disturbingly deadly chaotic ride", a "gorgeous movie, with just the right amount of creepiness, tension, and drama".^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Mack, Andrew (28 July 2022). "Fantasia 2022 Review: THE ELDERLY (VIEJOS), Who do They Turn to When No One at Home is Listening?". ScreenAnarchy.
^ Goldbart, Max (15 July 2022). "Exclusive Trailer for Spanish Pic 'The Elderly', Premiering at Montreal Fantasia International Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood.
^ ^a ^b de la Fuente, Anna Marie (11 July 2022). "'Viejos' Directors Discuss Filmax-Distributed Fantasia Contender". Variety.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ""Viejos" celebrará su estreno internacional el 16 de julio en el Festival Fantasia de Montreal". Filmax. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
^ "Dos localidades de la Ribera acogen el rodaje de un thriller de terror". navarra.com. 1 June 2021 – via El Español.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Primer tráiler de 'Viejos', la nueva película de terror de los directores de 'La pasajera'". Cine con Ñ. 28 July 2022.
^ Zilko, Christian (16 August 2022). "Fantastic Fest Headlined by 'Bones and All,' 'Triangle of Sadness,' and a Park Chan-wook Tribute". IndieWire. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
^ "El ecoterror y el cine de género español destacan en el próximo Festival de Sitges". El Confidencial. 28 July 2022.
^ Navarro, Meagan (18 July 2022). "'The Elderly' Review – Cryptic Slow Burn Doesn't Quite Reach a Fever Pitch [Fantasia]". Bloody Disgusting.
^ Allen, Nick (21 July 2022). "Fantasia 2022: Polaris, The Elderly, All Jacked Up and Full of Worms". RogerEbert.com.
^ Bohannon, Sharai (27 September 2022). "'The Elderly' Are Getting Heated In Chilling Horror Feature [Fantastic Fest 2022 Review]". Dread Central.

[screenanarchy-1] Mack, Andrew (28 July 2022). "Fantasia 2022 Review: THE ELDERLY (VIEJOS), Who do They Turn to When No One at Home is Listening?". ScreenAnarchy.

[2] Goldbart, Max (15 July 2022). "Exclusive Trailer for Spanish Pic 'The Elderly', Premiering at Montreal Fantasia International Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood.

[variety-3] Fuente, Anna Marie (11 July 2022). "'Viejos' Directors Discuss Filmax-Distributed Fantasia Contender". Variety.

[filmax-4] ""Viejos" celebrará su estreno internacional el 16 de julio en el Festival Fantasia de Montreal". Filmax. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.

[5] "Dos localidades de la Ribera acogen el rodaje de un thriller de terror". navarra.com. 1 June 2021 – via El Español.

[cineconn-6] "Primer tráiler de 'Viejos', la nueva película de terror de los directores de 'La pasajera'". Cine con Ñ. 28 July 2022.

[7] Zilko, Christian (16 August 2022). "Fantastic Fest Headlined by 'Bones and All,' 'Triangle of Sadness,' and a Park Chan-wook Tribute". IndieWire. Retrieved 17 August 2022.

[8] "El ecoterror y el cine de género español destacan en el próximo Festival de Sitges". El Confidencial. 28 July 2022.

[9] Navarro, Meagan (18 July 2022). "'The Elderly' Review – Cryptic Slow Burn Doesn't Quite Reach a Fever Pitch [Fantasia]". Bloody Disgusting.

[10] Allen, Nick (21 July 2022). "Fantasia 2022: Polaris, The Elderly, All Jacked Up and Full of Worms". RogerEbert.com.

[11] Bohannon, Sharai (27 September 2022). "'The Elderly' Are Getting Heated In Chilling Horror Feature [Fantastic Fest 2022 Review]". Dread Central.

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