[Film Review] Double Bill: The Girl with the Cutter & Golgota (2021)

“We see ourselves as curators of independent film that seeks to push boundaries, ask questions and entertain”

UK-based distribution company Tetro Video proudly exclaims on their website. With their homepage displaying ample amounts of indie horror titles containing extreme gore, brutal violence and unsimulated sexual content, I’m starting to believe them. 

One of Tetro’s protégés is Spanish contemporary artist and filmmaker Mikel Balerdi; potent with blood and bodily mutilation, his art is a tell-tale sign of his style and aesthetic on film. Try two of his short films, The Girl with the Cutter and Golgota (2021), for size: presented back-to-back, both focus on the central theme of hopelessness and despair exhibited outwardly in raw and blood-soaked fashion. Little dialogue is provided, however that is seldom needed when the main intent is visual shock. 

The Girl with the Cutter is shown first. A distressed, shut-in woman is battling constant mental anguish and barely copes by self-harming. It does not take much for us to get a glimpse of her suffering, as numbing, drone-like music is played throughout while flashing pictures of her fresh wounds attract all of our attention instantly. These sudden sightings were the most poignant component for me, the special make-up effects being so realistic I was momentarily taken aback and concerned for the actress’ well-being. Her expressions are minimal, either straight-faced or exceedingly fearful as she pleads for all of it to stop. 

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Nevertheless, the more she pleads, the more it continues. A demonic voice gradually takes over her conscience, and she is compelled to go as far as looking through anatomy textbooks to evaluate what parts of the body would expel more blood and pain should she decide to self-harm in those areas. And does she ever… 

Later on, she is seen stepping into a café to order. Yet the voice is back to taunt her, and she frantically runs back home. Her drive to insanity deprives her of any stable or mundane routine, and she ultimately becomes her own worst fear. Despite its simple title, The Girl with the Cutter’s bleak presentation and tone helms the subject matter in a daunting way, surely causing a polarized reaction Balerdi was anticipating. 

The roughened and crude mood is perfectly set at this point and we are immediately thrown into the second short film, Golgota. Though equal in ambiguity and visual storytelling, Golgota has more structure in terms of allegory. Golgota, also known as Golgotha or Calvary, is known as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. Beyond that, the film is presented in six chapters determined as “hours”; perhaps a parallel to God’s six days of creation. Religious undertones aside, we are shown imagery that is anything but holy - the opening shot is of another woman pleasuring herself in an unsimulated way. With each passing hour, her means of sexual satisfaction are taken up a notch, or ten. From meeting with a man to specific kinks a little too sinful to describe here, her ongoing quest is graphic, gritty and seems to be steered by a greater force she cannot control. 

Similarly to Cutter, the woman is tormented by a voice identically sinister, and we are left to wonder if she is acting out provocatively for her own interest or if she serves as a vessel for an evil entity’s selfish purpose. Blaring white noise is omnipresent as well, comparable to snippets of Angelo Badalamenti’s score for David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, only amping up the two victims’ misery even more. 

Towards the end of both films, I got the gist of the deliberate shock value and it grew a tad tiresome as it went on. Luridness can only be effective for so long, even with shorter runtimes. In spite of my complaints, I sense Balerdi intended to create two accompanying visual art pieces meant to provoke and get people to decipher his message - and it’s successful. My initial reaction to his work will never leave my memory, and I have conjured up my own interpretations. There is something oddly alluring about using extreme imagery to make a statement, no matter how people will take it. Curiosity is only natural, and Balerdi takes full advantage of our human instincts by erecting controversial art only the strongest of stomachs can endure.

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