The Skin of the Wolf 2018

Martinón is a lonely huntsman, residing on a desolate mountain high above the remains of an old town. His home is surrounded by rugged terrain and thick forests, abundant with wildlife, which he harvests for both sustenance and trade. Each day, he diligently maintains his property, sets traps for animals, looks after his goats, and hunts wolves to sell their pelts. His imposing figure—tall, muscular, with wild hair and a bushy beard—tends to frighten those who cross his path.

During one of his trips to the nearby village, Martinón seeks to collect payment for the wolf pelts from the local mayor. The mayor tries to negotiate a lower price, creating tension in their interaction. Amid the negotiations, Severino, the owner of the local tavern, proposes that Martinón consider marriage to secure a legacy for his home. Although the idea lingers in Martinón’s mind, he is quick to dismiss it, insisting that his rugged mountain existence is no fit place for a family. However, after a brief encounter with Pascuala, a local woman, Martinón engages in a relationship with her, ultimately striking a deal with her father, Ubaldo, and taking Pascuala as his wife.

As time goes on, Pascuala seems to adapt to mountain life, but she soon begins to show symptoms of a worsening illness, marked by persistent coughing. In a twist of fate, Pascuala reveals she is expecting a child, yet Martinón displays little reaction toward her pregnancy. Despite his stoic exterior, he crafts a cradle, perhaps in silent anticipation. Tragically, as Pascuala’s health declines during a harrowing pregnancy, she succumbs to complications while giving birth to a stillborn son, leaving Martinón in deep despair.

Overcome with grief, Martinón shatters the cradle he built for their child, and in a blind rage, he demolishes the gravestones of those buried in the nearby graveyard, directing his anguish toward Ubaldo whom he holds responsible for Pascuala’s fate. Ubaldo admits to having concealed his daughter’s illness and pregnancy to protect her reputation, leaving Martinón to confront him about his recklessness. The two exchange heated words, and in the end, Martinón gives Ubaldo until spring to repay the money he paid for Pascuala.

In a surprising turn, when Martinón returns to claim his money, rifle in hand, Ubaldo offers him his youngest daughter, Adela, as a bride. Reluctantly, Martinón accepts, and they marry the following day. Despite Ubaldo’s pleas for Adela to adapt and not flee, she embarks on a strenuous journey back to Martinón’s isolated home. The transition proves unbearable for her, as Martinón reveals his brutal nature, treating Adela more like property than a partner.

While Martinón departs for trading for several days, Adela is left to explore the ghostly remnants of the abandoned town and stumbles upon two open graves. When she inquires about them, Martinón dismisses her curiosity with an unsettling remark—> “they’re not graves, just holes.” This comment deepens her sense of entrapment and points to a bleak reality. Adela learns of the dark past involving the previous occupants and wears the weight of Martinón’s cruelty.

Days pass, and an unexpected revelation strikes Adela: she discovers she’s pregnant, leading to complicated emotions as Martinón maintains his unemotional demeanor. As time progresses, she grows intolerant of her harsh reality and plots to take matters into her own hands. Using the herbs given to her by her father, she poisons Martinón’s food, hoping to find her freedom. However, her escape is thwarted when she steps on one of Martinón’s traps, forcing him to find and care for her once again, only to witness her loss of the child through miscarriage.

After nursing her back to health, Martinón offers her the chance to return to her family. When she vacillates between joy and sorrow upon leaving, he reflects quietly, standing as a lonely figure against the cold expanse of the mountains. Left alone in his home, he later uncovers the poisonous herbs hidden by Adela and is filled with a profound sorrow, crying out in isolation. The film concludes with him alone in his darkened house, rifle at his side, the door ajar, inviting the chill of the snowy evening into his desolate life.