Sasquatch Sunset

To cinema purists, who look at the credited cast before going to see a film but not the synopsis, Sasquatch Sunset may feel a bit like fraudulent labelling. Yes, Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg, Christophe Zajac-Denek (Twin Peaks: The Return) and one of the directors himself star in this piece, but as they play the titular Sasquatches, their faces are beyond recognition and there is no spoken dialogue that would warrant notable voice acting.

The latest feature of brothers David and Nathan Zellner (no relation to The Father director Florian Zellner), who recently also directed a number of episodes of The Curse, feels like it is downright made to divide audiences. The plot itself is rather simple: four of the creatures perhaps more commonly known as “Bigfoots” traverse the North American wilderness over four seasons, fighting for their survival. What you see is what you get – and yet, the film had one of the highest walkout rates in both its Sundance and Berlin screenings.

While several scenes are played for laughs, the sincere and dedicated cinematography and sound design prove that Sunset is earnestly invested in the fate of these creatures. Those remaining in their seats and following the Bigfoots’ journey, will likely be moved by their story. Rarely has a film able to forgo human representation entirely, been so deeply human in its nature. The depicted beings display relatable primate behaviours, practically yielding to our understanding of evolution. It is difficult to describe the language component of the film, as the Sasquatches have their own verbal and non-verbal forms of communication, all of which are completely understandable to the audience’s human ears. Viewers able to engulf themselves in the narrative may even be prone to forget that these are not our closest animal relatives, but that their existence is one of myths and folklore.

Selina Sondermann

Sasquatch Sunset does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival 2024 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for Sasquatch Sunset here: