“Killing Crabs” (Matar cangrejos) es una película dramática española de 2023 escrita y dirigida por Omar Al Abdul Razzak Martínez. Ambientada en la década de los 90 en la isla de Tenerife, esta obra narra los sucesos típicos de la niñez infundidos con the inimitable image of Michael Jackson and his expected arrival to the island.
Synopsis
The story is about Rayco, an 8-year-old boy, and his elder sister, Paula, aged 14, who are brought up with a lot of inter-family issues. Their mother gets pregnant with some other foreign man, and they both don’t seem to be very pleased with the thought of their lives changing before the singer arrives on the island.
Cast
- Paula Campos (Paula)
- Agustín Díaz (Rayco)
- Sigrid Ojel (Ángeles)
- Casper Gimbrère (Johan)
- Nino Hernández Ávila (Nino)
Themes and Style
The conflicts are related to adolescent complicity and attempts at establishing father figures intertwined with a fierce opposition to anything alien. It deals with illegal immigration and fear of tourism as seen through the prism of Tenerife during the 90s.
Critical Reception
The film has been critically recognized and has related to the audience which is the reason as to why ‘Killing Crabs’ won Best Feature in the Canarias Cinema section of the 22nd Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival. Critics have been singing praises of how real childhood is represented and how the director captures the period in question beautifully.
Availability
Until today, “Killing Crabs” has been on the film festival circuit since November 2024. If you want to view the picture, however, you should consider looking for international films in local festival listings, or streaming services.