Carlota Pereda’s Piggy (Cerdita) is a twisted coming-of-age film. Based on Pereda’s 2018 short of the same name, the film builds upon the short.

Story

The film follows Sara, an overweight teen that is bullied by a clique of cool girls. One day, Sara decides to go for a swim, where she is once again tormented by the girls. While attempting to flee the girls, she stumbles upon them being kidnapped. Sara is intrigued by the kidnapper, who becomes a hero for her. She becomes tormented between helping her bullies or protecting the man who saved her.

Visuals

The film is shot in a square format, to create emphasis on Sara. This format leads you to wonder what is going on in the environment that isn’t visible. The unknown builds upon the creepiness of the film, especially when it the kidnapper’s obsession with Sara becomes apparent. It features a color palette reminiscent of coming-of-age films, which is definitely a major theme in the film.

Score/Soundtrack

The soundtrack is almost entirely made up of repurposed audio from the film itself, which I thought was really cool and inventive. The use of cicada sounds, and the actor’s screams, for example, added even more eeriness to the film.

Acting

The film stars Laura Galán as Sara. Galán portrayed Sara’s character perfectly. Each emotion that she portrayed was believable, and you always felt for her character. Intensely anguished, you never knew what she would do next. Other cast members include Richard Holmes, Carmen Machi, Irene Ferreiro, Camille Aguilar, Pilar Castro, and Claudia Salas. In addition, Julián Valcárcel, Stéphanie Magnin Vella, Fernando Delgado-Hierro, Fred Tatien, and José Pastor. I really enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Sara and her family members (played by Machi and Valcárcel.)

Overall

Focusing on bullying and morality, there is bound to be something that audiences can relate to. The film progressed naturally, and perfectly balanced humor with horror. The film kept you in a constant state of anticipation, making you wonder whether or not Sara would become a monster herself. Piggy is a must-see for all horror lovers.

Piggy (Cerdita) releases in select theaters October 7 and will be available for streaming October 14.