Los Saldos review prodigal big-city son reconnects with his heritage in rural Spain

"Raul Capdevila Murillo's debut documentary has all of the components of a thrilling retro western. Set to a rousing score, the opening titles feature giant letters in bold yellow, splattering over the horizon of a dusty landscape. Then we get the return of the prodigal son, fresh from the hubbub of the so-called civilised big city. The son is, in fact, Capdevila Murillo himself, and instead of gunfight, Los Saldos or Remainders is about a different kind of struggle, that of the film-maker's own family,"

"Shot in widescreen, the film lends a majestic quality to ordinary life in Binefar, north-eastern Spain. We observe Jose Ramon, the director's father, on his daily rounds, driving around in his pickup truck, tending to his crops and animals. The rhythm is slow and languid; even the mere discussion of a new water tank results in protracted discussion between Jose Ramon and his neighbours who, like him, are the remnants of a vanishing line of work."

"Meanwhile, a major meat-product company is planning a macro abattoir in the area. The news lingers in the air like a bad smell, as news reports and political discussions unspool on radio and TV. More than a portrait of an endangered way of life, Los Saldos explores the emotional journey of reconnecting to one's heritage. Capdevila Murillo relearns the farming history of his family through the physical act of working on the land; he also re-encounters traditional storytelling,"

Los Saldos opens like a retro western with rousing music and bold yellow titles over a dusty horizon, then follows the director's return from the big city to his hometown. The film centers on a farming family in Binefar, north-eastern Spain, and follows Jose Ramon as he tends crops and animals from his pickup truck. Daily life unfolds at a slow, languid pace, with even a proposed water tank sparking prolonged neighborhood debate. A major meat-company plans a macro abattoir nearby, its pending presence lingered over by radio and TV reports. The film traces reconnection to heritage through physical labor and ancestral storytelling passed down by the grandmother.

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