The Barcelona Vampiress (2020)

The Barcelona Vampiress, is a Spanish Gothic horror/crime thriller. Presented in a highly stylised form, in black and white, this film delves into the crimes attributed to convicted Spanish child serial killer, procuress, madam and prostitute, Enriqueta Martí i Ripollés, in the early 20th century. Essentially, it takes the side of historical researchers who doubt the guilt of Marti, who was dubbed by the press at the time, "The Vampire of Barcelona". Whether Marti was guilty or not, is hard to know but as we have seen in recent years, women have played an integral part in the despicable procurement of children and the young, for prostitution. What this film does do well, is look at the wider picture, the clients who exploited children for their own dark appetites and went unpunished. The proud, the sanctimonious and the powerful, who hide their crimes behind a veneer of respectability. Its a slow watch and at times, unsurprisingly, a disturbing one too. Acting is excellent and helps alleviate the lethargy that I found setting in. This film needed more, to my mind, perhaps it would have been better to remain neutral and explore both sides of this grim tale. In summary, this is a watch for the very patient viewer. Its a slow burn but does have merit. I did feel it could have made more with the material on offer, which would, I believe, have made this film a more compelling experience.