You are here:

Feral

Feral

Representation Score

8.1/10

Excellent

2021

Director

Andrés Kaiser

Runtime

97 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Feral serves as a sharp critique of traditional social and religious hierarchies. Using a documentary-horror framework, it examines the intersection of religious authority and psychological trauma through the lens of institutional failure. The film's strength lies in its cultural setting and its willingness to deconstruct established moral authorities. It moves away from Western-centric narratives by grounding the story in the specific landscape of Oaxaca. While the film engages with complex themes of mental health and systemic dysfunction, it lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities. The narrative primarily explores the breakdown of paternalistic structures rather than identity-based explorations.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Feral have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not explicitly confirm any LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight relationships. The narrative focuses on the psychological states of the children and the priest's actions.

How does Feral portray gender?

Fair

The story challenges traditional gender roles by focusing on the failure of a male authority figure. It disrupts the idea of a stable, paternalistic protector by showing the priest as a source of dysfunction.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Feral?

Good

Set in the mountains of Oaxaca, the film highlights a significant Mexican cultural backdrop. This localized, non-Western context shifts the focus away from typical Anglo-centric perspectives.

How does Feral represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film strongly critiques traditional religious-led social institutions. It questions the sanctity of religious authority by depicting a priest as a source of systemic failure.

Does Feral include disability representation?

Fair

The focus on 'savage children' suggests an engagement with neurodivergence and psychological trauma. However, it remains unclear if these characters have significant control over their situations or are primarily depicted as victims of neglect.

Present on Screen

  • Strong cultural grounding in the regional Mexican landscape of Oaxaca.
  • Effective critique of traditional religious and institutional authority figures.
  • Disrupts conventional clichés regarding paternalistic male leadership.

Limited or Absent

  • Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight relationships.
  • Uncertainty regarding the ability to act of characters with psychological disabilities.
  • Limited exploration of diverse identity-based narratives.

Official Synopsis

The mountains of Oaxaca harbor the remains of a ravaged and burnt shelter, once home to a psychoanalyst priest who used it to look after savage children, trying to re-integrate them into society. Through videotape diaries and interviews, the truth of what happened is shockingly revealed.

How are these scores produced? →

Where to Watch

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.