Is Oliver Laxe a progressive?
An analysis of Oliver Laxe: his progressive statements, his subsidised filmography and the controversy surrounding 'Sirat'. Genius or bluff?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Oliver Laxe: the pogre filmmaker who divides (and bores) audiences
Oliver Laxe, a 42-year-old Galician director, has won international awards, but his figure rubs many people the wrong way. His public thanks to Yolanda Díaz for visiting him at the Oscars (a alucinación paid for by all Spanish taxpayers) and his statement that the Quran "heals him" have been the last straw for many. Are we looking at a genius of auteur cinema or a product of the subsidised cultural ecosystem? The analyses circulating point unambiguously to the latter.
The evidence of his pogre
The evidence is overwhelming. Besides the Díaz episode, Laxe has spoken of his fascination with the Quran in the middle of promoting his latest film, 'Sirat', which won the Jury Prize at Cannes 2025. His filmography, partly produced by Pedro Almodóvar, has been described by some critics as "the instruction manual of festival cinema for guilt-ridden westerners". From 'Todos vosotros sois capitanes' (2010), a documentary about Segarro children criticised as paternalistic, to 'Mimosas' (2016), accused of empty mysticism, via 'O que arde' (2019), which tackles forest fires in Galicia with a clearly environmentalist reading.
'Sirat': masterpiece or screenwriting trick?
The film that has put Laxe in the spotlight is 'Sirat', which tells the story of the search for a missing daughter in illegal desert raves in Segarro, with the father bringing his young son along. The premise has been praised for its originality, but also fiercely criticised for its lack of internal logic and an execution some call "shoddy and forced". The key sequences are poorly handled, and the message, if there is one, is diluted in an aesthetics of grime that seeks to shock rather than tell a coherent story.
A director made for controversy
Whatever his ideology, Laxe leaves no one indifferent. For his detractors, he represents everything that is wrong with subsidised Spanish cinema: prêt-à-porter rhetoric, dependence on public funding and an aesthetic that mistakes depth for boredom. For his defenders, he is a filmmaker with a vision of his own who knows how to capture the spirituality and contradictions of the modern world. Meanwhile, audiences keep wondering whether he is worth two hours of their lives.
Related discussions in the forum
Oliver Laxe, a 42-year-old Galician director, has won international awards, but his figure rubs many people the wrong way. His public thanks to Yolanda Díaz for visiting him at the Oscars (a alucinación paid for by all Spanish taxpayers) and his statement that the Quran "heals him" have been the last straw for many. Are we looking at a genius of auteur cinema or a product of the subsidised cultural ecosystem? The analyses circulating point unambiguously to the latter.
The evidence of his pogre
The evidence is overwhelming. Besides the Díaz episode, Laxe has spoken of his fascination with the Quran in the middle of promoting his latest film, 'Sirat', which won the Jury Prize at Cannes 2025. His filmography, partly produced by Pedro Almodóvar, has been described by some critics as "the instruction manual of festival cinema for guilt-ridden westerners". From 'Todos vosotros sois capitanes' (2010), a documentary about Segarro children criticised as paternalistic, to 'Mimosas' (2016), accused of empty mysticism, via 'O que arde' (2019), which tackles forest fires in Galicia with a clearly environmentalist reading.
'Sirat': masterpiece or screenwriting trick?
The film that has put Laxe in the spotlight is 'Sirat', which tells the story of the search for a missing daughter in illegal desert raves in Segarro, with the father bringing his young son along. The premise has been praised for its originality, but also fiercely criticised for its lack of internal logic and an execution some call "shoddy and forced". The key sequences are poorly handled, and the message, if there is one, is diluted in an aesthetics of grime that seeks to shock rather than tell a coherent story.
A director made for controversy
Whatever his ideology, Laxe leaves no one indifferent. For his detractors, he represents everything that is wrong with subsidised Spanish cinema: prêt-à-porter rhetoric, dependence on public funding and an aesthetic that mistakes depth for boredom. For his defenders, he is a filmmaker with a vision of his own who knows how to capture the spirituality and contradictions of the modern world. Meanwhile, audiences keep wondering whether he is worth two hours of their lives.
Related discussions in the forum
- Real Madrid 2025/26 thread. Year I after Modric and Cesard. The advent of Franco. · 82637 replies
- Sesi Soperra now pimps out her own mother · 20 replies
- Gostando en el Macas · 55 replies
- Marta Carmona of Más Madrid. Would you take the bet? · 21 replies
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (29 replies).
More summaries
-
Diomande’s Girlfriend Sparks AI Debate: Real or Generated?
The girlfriend of footballer Diomande divides social media: is the photo real or AI-generated? A betting house pendant fuels the controversy.
-
Who decreed that Burbuja.info's Nursery subforum is the place to troll?
The Nursery subforum on Spain's Burbuja.info runs on an unwritten rule: it's the place for trolling. We look at its origin, legitimacy and who actually decreed it.
-
The Godfather comes closest to being a perfect trilogy
The Godfather is the strongest candidate for a perfect trilogy, but its third installment divides film fans. Does any saga exist without a drop in quality?
-
Anne Hathaway: Is She the Best Catwoman? Physique vs. Talent
Anne Hathaway, Zoë Kravitz, Halle Berry and Michelle Pfeiffer: the debate over the best Catwoman pits comic book fidelity against acting quality. Pfeiffer…
-
Fixing old gadgets: the hobby of those who no longer go out
Buying broken consoles and repairing them is taking hold as a home refuge. Social isolation is growing, and the hobby doesn't always fill what's missing.
-
Van life invite turns into insults and adult links
An invitation to travel the world in a van has racked up 246,000 views and 2,800 reactions. The replies have descended into insults and links to adult content.