The Malaga thriller that denounces political corruption and pedophilia: 'The Power of Silence'

The movie is about challenging the system. And that same spirit is behind 'The Power of Silence,' an independent film that has also subverted the rules of Spanish cinema by being shot with "zero euros in public subsidies," emphasized this Thursday the debut director and screenwriter, Saúl Pérez, who found the complicity of Malaga producers Manuel Valenzuela and Antonio Meliveo to make this film a reality, which experienced its first public screening yesterday at a packed Cine Albéniz. A technical screening that was moved up ahead of the theatrical release scheduled for next fall, this story powerfully denounces pedophilia and political, business, and media corruption.

Although the film warns that any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental, the truth is that one of the main characters, the politician Santiago Rueda played by Javier Chueca, physically and in his voice, reminds us of the former minister José Luis Ábalos and his alleged corruption case that is currently being prosecuted. However, the narrative parallel would rather be with the right-hand man of the leader, Koldo García, whose accusations of influence trafficking, corruption, and parties with prostitutes are increased by the character of Rueda in this film with that of pedophilia.

A 'thriller' that, in the words of the producer and author of the film's original score and song, Antonio Meliveo, is also a "film noir" by staging the most important interview in the career of the journalist Maira, who has as a guest on her late-night radio show a high-ranking state official who, before being judged for various crimes, decides to blow the whistle and denounce the corrupt network of politicians, businessmen, and media hidden in the highest echelons of power. Narrated in real time during the hour and a bit that the broadcast lasts, this Malaga-Cantabrian production also exposes the influence of social networks and the role of journalism at the current time.

Alongside Chueca, the main trio is completed by Nuria Santos and Jonatan Fernández Txakartegi, who take on their first leading role in a feature film, which unfolds almost entirely in a single location where tension and intrigue progressively grow. Produced by Séptimo de Caballería (Manuel Valenzuela), Imein Com, and mangaAncha, this film shot in Santoña (Cantabria) completed its post-production in Málaga by the hands of editor and chief special effects officer Biktor Kero ('Caleta Palace' and 'Land of Atlanteans'), who "knew how to put order to the film and to my head," acknowledged at the premiere director Saúl Pérez, who also emphasized the denunciation of pedophilia and child prostitution in 'The Power of Silence,' "cases that sometimes go too unnoticed."

The unanimous applause from the attendees at Albéniz's room 1 culminated the first screening with spectators of this independent film scheduled to premiere next September in theaters. However, the next stop for 'The Power of Silence' will be at the Alicante International Film Festival, where next May it will compete in the official section for the Golden Tessera.