THE FOREST OF THE WOLF
(EL BOSQUE DEL LOBO)
(THE ANCIENS WOODS)
dir. Pedro Olea, 1970.
Spain. 90 mins.
In Spanish with English Subs.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 3RD - 7:30PM
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 12TH - 10PM
MONDAY FEBRUARY 17TH - 10PM
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28TH - 7:30PM

Benito Freire is a peddler who roams from village to village, selling his wares and delivering messages. Convincing himself that he is a werewolf, Benito lures unsuspecting victims into the woods under the guise of being needed in neighboring villages, leaving their families none the wiser.

Based on a novel by Carlos Martínez-Barbeito, THE FOREST OF THE WOLF (1970) is a loose adaption of the exploits of Spain's first serial killer, Manuel Blanco Romasanta. After his arrest, Romasanta claimed that he was not responsible for the murders because he believed he was a werewolf. Although this claim was ultimately rejected, it did not prevent Romasanta from becoming a figure of Spanish folklore, known as the Werewolf of Allariz.

During the production of THE FOREST OF THE WOLF, Olea was forced to tone down the film's violence and redact much of its religious iconography in an effort to appease censors. Despite these modifications, the film was still condemned by censors for its perceived anti-religious themes. Admiral Carrero Blanco even attempted to ban the film following a private viewing, highlighting the ongoing contentious relationship between filmmakers and censorship during this period in Spain.

Despite the cuts and toned-down nature of THE FOREST OF THE WOLF, Olea masterfully employs atmospheric storytelling to craft an eerie world steeped in superstition. In recent years, the film has garnered renewed interest amid the folk horror resurgence. Its woodland settings, themes of isolation and manipulation, and explorations of legend and religion position it firmly within the subgenre.