Summary
In a Spanish village steeped in fervent tradition, the film meticulously unwraps the psychological and communal fallout of perceived divine judgment. When an escalating series of misfortunes descends upon the isolated populace, the formidable José María Gautier and the influential Señora Lugán lead the charge in interpreting these calamities as 'Castigo de Dios' – a direct punishment from God. This collective anxiety quickly zeroes in on Elvira Cortés, a solitary figure long marginalized by the community, whose ambiguous past makes her an easy target for communal scapegoating. Beneath the surface of public piety, Juan Sánchez, a seemingly upstanding villager, grapples with a deeply buried secret that inextricably links his own moral failings to Elvira's predicament and the village's growing despair. The narrative intricately explores the corrosive power of dogma, the devastating impact of mob mentality, and the profound personal search for truth and absolution amidst a society quick to condemn and slow to understand.
