Afternoons of Solitude

“CRITIC’S PICK! Mesmerizing.” — Nicolas Rapid, The New York Times
“One of the year’s best films.” — Erika Balsom, Film Comment
“Riveting.” — Zachary Barnes, The Wall Street Journal

The new film from the visionary director of PACIFICTION, Albert Serra’s AFTERNOONS OF SOLITUDE is a spellbinding documentary that turns its gaze on the ceremonial splendor and devastating brutality of bullfighting in Spain. With quiet intensity, Serra follows famed matador Andrés Roca Rey, from the solitude of his hotel room and the meticulousness of his preparations to the charged spectacle of the arena. Through his immersive and unhurried lens, Serra reveals Rey’s profound physical, spiritual, and aesthetic commitment to a centuries-old ritual—one that demands he take part in a timeless duel between man and beast.