Mist & the Maiden 2017

The story unfolds on the picturesque yet mysterious island of La Gomera, part of the Canary Islands archipelago. Here, we follow the gripping investigation led by Sergeant Rubén Bevilacqua and Corporal Virginia Chamorro of the Guardia Civil. They are determined to revisit a case that has haunted them since the discovery of a male corpse named Ivan in the fog-laden forests at the island’s heart, a grim finding that took place three years earlier.

To aid their inquiry, they enlist the help of Corporal Ruth Anglada (Verónica Echegui), the last person known to have seen Ivan alive. As the investigation deepens, the narrative entwines a complex ensemble of characters, all of whom find themselves ensnared in a web of deceit, affairs, and horrific crime. Intriguingly, there are hints of a romantic relationship between Sergeant Bevilacqua and Corporal Anglada, though it becomes evident that her affections might serve as a distraction from the case at hand.

The plot takes an intriguing turn as we travel back and forth to Tenerife, where unsettling truths about the island’s dark underbelly come to light. The deceased, Ivan, was not just any man; he was a male gigolo who supported his mother, Margarethe (Sanny Van Heteren), a woman fully aware of her son’s dubious occupation that included liaisons with underage individuals. His financial situations intertwined with drugs, provided by a girlfriend who happened to be the daughter of the notorious Mambo King, a local drug dealer whose influence loomed large.

In a shocking twist, it is revealed that Anglada herself killed Ivan in a fit of desperation triggered by his blackmailing of the local police chief, Navas (Roberto Álamo). This police chief, burdened by his own secrets and paid off by the Mambo King, had to keep his illicit dealings under wraps. Complicating matters further, Anglada’s lingering feelings for Navas emerge, hinting at a long-lasting affection that may have brought her back to the island from her service in Afghanistan; a rekindling that was steeped in danger and rivalry.

As the investigation progresses, the plot thickens with personal alliances taking center stage, leading to Carmen (Marian Álvarez), Navas’ wife, who chooses to stand against her husband when his criminal activities are unveiled during a tense encounter on a ferry to Tenerife. Footage reveals that Anglada once shared a night with Ivan, explaining her proximity to him at the time of his death.

The film’s tension escalates further when Ivan’s mother, Margarethe, takes the law into her own hands, leading to the shocking second murder of Anglada—killed in her car, though the act remains largely off-screen—resulting in Margarethe’s immediate arrest. The story leaves viewers contemplating various motivations behind these murders and the unwieldy entanglements that link the main characters, enabling an exploration of love, betrayal, and the morality of their actions.

In an inconclusive finale, Sergeant Bevilacqua prepares to depart this enigmatic island, seemingly headed home to his family, leaving behind his ungrasped affair and an ambiguous reputation within the shadows of La Gomera’s history. The film’s resolution resonates with a sense of inevitability yet provokes lingering questions—a perfect testament to the complexities of human relationships, justice, and the often-overlapping lines between right and wrong.