Piggy (Melbourne International Film Festival) ★★★½

POST the pandemic the Melbourne International Film Festival organisers chose to continue offering a limited streaming program in 2022.

It’s easy to use and many, but not all, of the better titles were available from the annual event.

Unfortunately the selection was light on horror, but Piggy is a 2022 Spanish-French offering directed and written by Carlota Pereda based on her award-winning 2019 short film of the same name.

Laura Galán reprises her role as Sarah, a shy, over-weigh teenager who is tormented or ignored by her fellow school students.

On one occasion three girls steal her clothes while she is swimming alone at a local outdoor pool and Sarah is forced to walk home in only her bathers.

In a horrible twist of fate Sarah comes across her tormentors screaming for help in the back of a van on a deserted track.

Sarah hesitates to take any action and the kidnapped takes off with the girls.

Sarah finds herself caught in a quandary whether to help her tormentors, made worst by the kidnapped starting to stalk her as well.

Galan is required on screen for almost the entire film and does an excellent job of conveying the unique and confused perspective that a young woman in her predicament might struggle with.

It’s this clever balance of incredulity and understanding that brings the audience along to the inevitable bloody climax.

One of the better horror films of the year to date.