#and Cerdita from 2022

[invinciblerodent]

i feel like it may be a bit telling that so far, i've been watching at least one horror (or thriller, or horror comedy, or just somehow spooky) movie a day for the past two weeks, a good chunk of them legitimate genre classics, and so far I've only found one that was genuinely unsettling.

like I've enjoyed a good half of them as movies, one way or another, but Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) tonight was the first one this year that actually had me creeped out.

[spook-study]

From Heathers to Jennifer’s Body, from The Craft to The Burning, from Carrie to Evilspeak, bullies are not something horror is want of. They litter the genre. As antagonists, as antiheroes, but most often as victims. And for good reason! It’s easy to cheer the demise of a bully. The more gruesome or wild the death, the more it is enjoyed. There’s a sense of cosmic justice, a ‘they got what they deserved’ mentality. They’re easy shorthand for inducing sympathy on behalf of the bullied, making it easier to connect and root for an underdog or outcast character. Audiences easily supplicate their own bully for whomever is shown on screen and watch as the silly fantasies of their teenage years are acted out for all to see and enjoy. Assholes are excellent horror movie fodder, particularly if the movie is going for multiple kills. There’s that…

And then there’s Piggy (2022).

There’s a special brand of cruelty associated with young women. It’s complicated and deep-seated, a slithering thing that even people involved in the exchange might not be able to catch. More than traditional bullying between boys, female bullying tends to be more insidious. Maybe that’s why female bullies tend to stick in our minds more, and why those stories remain points of fascination; Carrie is a classic for a reason, after all. There’s a certain level of cruelty between women that feels almost intimate. More intimate than getting beaten up, in any case.

Piggy, Cerdita in its native Spanish, is no exception to this rule. In fact, the movie hits all of the highlights, making it difficult at times to watch. The title of the movie and the star leave no question as to the source of the bullying. Sara, the title character’s real name, is fat. Perhaps one of, if not the most common thing someone can be bullied for. This group of girls snicker behind her back, or just at the edge of her line of sight. They feign politeness in front of her parents before uploading cruel videos with even crueler descriptions. Their eyes are mocking, without a hint of compassion, and there’s nothing quite like knowing that people hate you just because. And, because no one is being physically harmed, there’s almost nothing to be done about it. This is made worse by the fact that one of the bullies, Claudia, was once a childhood friend. Both Sara and Claudia still have their homemade friendship bracelets from those sandbox days. But even Claudia is one false step away from being bullied herself, teased by her friends for even her past connection with Sara. It’s beyond a shadow of a doubt that Sara is more than miserable, potentially even suicidal, though it’s never mentioned. If it had been a different kind of movie, maybe.

Being quietly decried is one thing, being maligned and sneered at are horrible, life-ruining things, but then things are taken a step further. Sara goes to the pool alone, after everyone else in her community has left, a thing done in private due to her discomfort with her body and how she looks in her swimsuit. The girls pass by on their way to a party, and can’t help but berate Sara in the pool, making fun of her size, the way she looks, the way she moves, even the way she tries to hide. They force her underwater with a pool skimmer, almost drowning her.

But there are worse things.

They take her towel. They take her pack, with her phone. They take her clothes. They leave her to walk the long distance home in only her bikini, completely alone. This would be a terrifying situation for any girl, but the fact that Sara is fat adds to it. Harassment and violence are much easier to perform when the victim is considered on the outside of society. Still, Sara has no other options. She begins the long walk, skin burning under the sun, arms crossed, desperately trying to cover her body. She is made fun of and accosted by a random group of men passing by in a car, not offering her help, or a ride, and steering her off the main thoroughfare. She’s sobbing, she’s miserable, she hurt, and she’s humiliated. It’s a wonder she’s walking at all and not crumpled on the ground. And then she sees it. Her old friend Claudia, now her mildly reluctant bully, has been thrown in the back of a van. Bloodied and terrified, she slams her hands against the window, begging Sara for help. Frightened and not knowing what to do, Sara freezes. Only to have the Stranger, the Assassin in the English translation, drop a towel on the ground outside for her.

And then he drives off.

While female bullying can belie a certain level of intensity and carry almost sexual connotations, they left her practically nude, after all, the bathing suit covering even less than underclothes, it is rarely seen how that closeness would extend in the opposite direction. How would the personal attacks be returned? What does the opposite of this kind of bullying look like? In Piggy, it looks like sorrow, fear, and most of all, indifference. If these girls sunk their claws in and tore at the most vulnerable and sensitive areas of Sara’s very existence, how poetic that it is her lack of passion that abets the kidnap. A towel is now worth more than trying to save a life.

This level of connection trumps even the undoubtedly lifelong dance Sara has had with her bullies. What could be more intimate than a shared crime? How closely two beings must entangle in order to have both participated in lawlessness and violence. To have committed, enabled, and kept that moment to themselves. This man, who would kidnap and kill young women, was the only person to offer Sara even a modicum of kindness. To offer her help when she so needed it. How desperate must her heart have been that a stranger, holding her bosom friend in the back of his van ostensibly to kill, offering her a bloody towel was the most kindness she had ever been shown. Here was one of the girls who had thrust Sara into the situation in which she found herself. A girl who so callously caused her pain with the thoughtless cruelty of youth. A girl who had stood there with her friends, who spat the word “Piggy” again and again, who oinked at Sara, and did nothing. A young woman who had taken Sara’s towel, leaving her bare and exposed. Normally, an audience would cheer. Would say those girls were going to get what was coming to them, good riddance, and whatever happens they deserve it. But that feeling never comes. In its stead, there is only greater sorrow for Sara’s plight.

Sara, unfortunately, has no relief no matter where she goes. Not only is she bullied in her social life, her mother is a domineering, seemingly uncaring woman who speaks over her, bosses her around, and often calls Sara names herself. Her father does nothing, her younger brother only adds his own mocking. When it finally comes out that the missing girls bullied her extensively and called her “piggy,” her mother stands up for her until the minute they are home, where she feeds Sara a plate of salad and tells her the way to solve the issue for her to lose weight. It is intense performative care, going through the public rites of motherhood and then rescinding that care in private. Though she herself and her husband are also fat, it is only Sara who is deprived of the family meal, surely making her feel even more an outsider in her own home. She sneaks sweets and snacks when she can, she stress eats, she takes comfort in food, what little comfort it can bring, and her mother takes even that from her.

In Piggy, the desire to be seen and accepted transcends beyond normal social boundaries in the extreme. When Sara runs into the Assassin again, the two hide together, as she has continued to keep the secret of what she saw and what happened. They are close, face to face, staring at one another, his left hand over her mouth, a knife in his right. His left hand drops, and there is nothing more than a breath of space between them. It’s sexual, it’s tense, and, daringly, it’s romantic. Alone in the world, Sara clings to it, the only offer of intimacy she’s ever had.

Piggy is a fantastic and captivating movie. Often, killers are seen as attractive only after the movie has come out and some group of fans lay their hands on the subject, like Jason. Others, like Ghostface, are given a sexual nature that showcases their creepiness. Piggy has neither of those. The Assassin is not a particularly handsome man. His violence is brutal, unforgiving, and torturous; yet it is he whom our heroine finds attractive. What could be more evocative as maintaining such a tenuous and frightening relationship? Heartbreakingly, it seems to be the only positive relationship Sara has, or maybe has ever had. He may be evil to others, but to her he has only ever been silently understanding. The movie shows that her pain is profound, and that is what makes the situation believable.

The ending is a doozy, and one that should remain unspoiled, but you won’t be able to deny the anguish that comes from the battle between what is right but harder for oneself, against what is wrong but what one desires. What are people willing to forgive, to look past, when offered the right amount of attention and care? Where is the line drawn when those around you stand only to hurt and harm you, while the other stands to hurt and harm them? How much pain must be laid before revenge is justified? Will you cheer if the bullies end up killed? Piggy allows us to contemplate morality in a deeply personal and intense way. It strikes to the core. Who deserves to be forgiven? What would you, as a viewer, forgive? Bullies will always be a staple in horror, that won’t ever change. As long as there are underdogs, there are bullies. Bullies are there to be killed and for audiences to cheer at their death.

Piggy asks more.

It asks, if you were in Sara’s position, what would you do? How far would you go? And it never stops asking. It demands you to think, to feel, to fear.

What made Piggy so great was that it brings to the focal point things that horror can overlook. It’s easy for horror to slide past morality or reflection or grief. Hell, it can even overlook pain, at least the emotional type. Piggy grabs you from the very first frame and never lets you go, making demands of you from the first minute. The dread surrounding the story feels personal and real; real young women and men truly do go through that kind of horrendous bullying. It’s barbarous, vicious, and deadly. Piggy confronts the audience with that and puts them through an emotional wringer of right and wrong, kind and cruel. Piggy is a movie that aches.

Well paced, well written, and well filmed, Piggy rounds out its strong story with a powerhouse performance from Laura Galán, without whom the movie may well have fallen flat on its face. The oily nature of the movies makes it slick and hot. It might not be the prettiest movie you see this year, it definitely won’t be the goriest, but there’s a tang and a grit to Piggy that will have you rolling it over in your mind for days to come. Piggy is a movie with weight, with staying power, and, most importantly, with passion. You would never guess it was based off a fifteen minute short film, as each second feels full and earned. Unlike other short film adaptations, Piggy doesn’t feel drawn, slow, or slipshod. It feels rich and deep, a staunch departure from the wafer thin story and writing that usually accompanies extended shorts. This was a story that deserved a full length feature, and the horror world is all the better for it having happened.

Impactful, stunningly acted, incredibly culturally and socially relevant, Piggy (2022) is a movie of its time and for its time. I can’t wait to see what director and screenwriter Carlota Pereda will show us next. 5/5*

[thefudge]

while i always want a different ending when it comes to stories like stoker (2013) and cerdita (2022), is there something to be said, narratively, about these young girls [REDACTED] the men who would relish in their darkness with them? is it meant to be a rite of passage after which they must then accept and live in their newly explored darkness but alone?

uuu yeah, i think so. it's definitely a rite of passage. those men are a stepping stone. they give the young girl what she craves most which is attention and significance. they make her feel important and like she matters and could be an actual agent of change. they make her feel wanted and seen as a budding woman in all her weirdness and clumsiness. once this is achieved, the young girl has to sort of complete the journey by not needing validation just from attention. she has to be able to bear solitude, like you said, to be alone in that darkness and inhabit it like a second skin. to be confident in her power, especially when it's not given by men. the bad man releases the girl from her chrysalis, but she has to fly; otherwise, there wouldn't be a point to him either.

i think there's also something here about killing the man as erotic penetration; as the young girl fucking the man

that being said! i want the alternative ending too sometimes haha that's what fanfic is for

[stuff-diary]

Cerdita (Piggy)

Movies watched in 2023

Cerdita (Piggy) (2022, Spain)

Director & Writer: Carlota Pereda

Mini-review:

I loved this way more than I thought I would. The representation probably isn't perfect, but it portrays fatphobia in a really harsh and unflinching light. Some people might find it too much, but I think Carlota Pereda made the right choice, showing how bullying and abuse can affect a person's psyche. Oh, and it was a fantastic move to show that fatphobia can happen at home as much as it happens outside. While there are strong doses of dark humor here and there, the movie is a pretty hard watch at times, so be warned.

All that being said, the movie's true power rests entirely on Laura Galán's bravura performance. She perfectly conveys her character's anxiety, confusion and terror. I couldn't help but relate to her, even as her situation escalates into something pretty crazy. Also, Carmen Machi's acting is as excellent as always, but I already expected that. Finally, I wanted to mention the cinematography and the sound design. The movie flawlessly captures the vibes of summer life in a small, rural-ish Spanish town, from the light to the background noises. So yeah, I will definitely keep an eye out for Pereda and Galán's future work.

[roskirambles]

Horror Movie of the Day: Piggie (Cerdita, 2022)

Sara lives in a small rural town of Spain as a normal teenager who helps her family with the family butchery, dreaming of of romances and parties like any other would. There’s only one problem, though: she’s overweight, and thus, the target of some relentless bullying from the more popular girls at school who frequently call her “piggy”. All to the absolute indifference of her parents. This comes to a boiling point by the time they nearly drown her in the public pool through their pranks, as well as stealing her clothes. So when a humiliated and half naked Sara comes across a van on her way home where her tormentors have been kidnapped by a complete stranger, she keeps silence.

For that man was the one person to show her kindness, simply giving her clothes back… and driving away with the bullies.

Directed by Carlota Pereda, this Spanish production based on a short of the same name is as enthralling on it’s rhythm as its challenging on its subject matter. To help its case, though, the stylistic choices it brings to the table are on point. It’s initial warm pastel colors counterpoint the intense commentary about bullying, the expectations of normalcy and saccharine pop music juxtaposed to the abuse on screen, only to gradually devolve into something darker that culminates with the nightmare of desaturated greys you’d expect from a grindhouse film. All of which is enhanced by the stellar performance of Laura Galan, who despite being 35 at the time of filming completely captures the emotional instability of a tormented teenager.

It really begs the question of why would someone be required to show compassion for people that have given them misery their entire life, and criticizes the passivity and moral myopia that enables this environment to begin with. It keeps things simple where it oughts, while also displaying some elegant filmaking and not giving clear cut answers to the questions it raises.

[wolfyfoxyhedgy]

Piggy (Cerdita) 2022

A plus-size girl get pick on by bullies because of her weight. One day she found her tormenters getting kidnap by a killer (who is also plus size), the killer grows fond of the main girl and gets revenge for her.

I found a TikTok of this movie.

(Warring: This is my opinion and spoilers.)

I enjoy this movie, this is like some horror love story (there were moments I tear up). The killer is totally horror husband and I love him; He kills the bullies (which they tried to drown Sara), buys her favorite treat, and takes her away from her bitchy mother (I wasn't quite sure about the rest of the family). I like Sara (main female), she's a pretty girl and didn't deserved to be bully/torment (her swimsuit looks so cute on her). Claudia was really annoying (she's the "old friend of the main female but ditched her to become one of the popular people" character) she took a picture of Sara drowning and stole her towel (the other girls stole Sara's stuff, making her walk home in her swimsuit), Roci is so toxic and still call Sara "piggy" when she trying to save them (I wanted Roci to die at the end). I hate the scene when Sara is getting sexual harass by a group of guys, the killer gave them karma by drive his van at them (one of them broke his arm). I was so upset that Sara had to kill the man who is trying to protect her, the way she killed him was so gruesome (biting his neck).

[knittinglizards]

watched cerdita/piggy (2022)

i liked it! feel horrible for Sara, all of this must have messed her and her ideas of herself wrt sex/desire up REALLY BAD. got the sense (possibly just from the translation in the scene where she's interrogated using the phrase 'picking on me') that the level of violent harassment in the inciting incident is like. if at all worse than the usual she gets from that group, not by a lot :(

also, it avoided showing many scares explicitly early on & leaned into more mystery/thriller territory in the middle to the extent that what blood and gore there is at the end is Effectively Gross, i think (<- guy who's seen like 3 movies)