“Bestia“’s main character, a woman who lives alone with her dog, seems to lead a peaceful existence: walks in the countryside with her puppy, lengthy breakfasts, and an anonymous job that allows taking the pet with her and even listening to some music during office hours; at night, she writes her day down on her journal. However, small details gradually reveal themselves, uncovering the lie hidden beneath the quiet appearances. Based on true events, this is actually a visit to the secret life of a woman who worked at Chile’s Department of National Intelligence in 1975, at the height of Pinochet’s bloodthirsty dictatorship, training dogs and people to commit the most horrendous crimes of the fascist regime. In a very short time, this animation enters a surreal spiral, in a succession of tenebrous details: the music was meant to simply drown out the victims’ screams, and the dog is, in the end, an instrument of torture. Mercilessly, this is a caustic look at a part of history that cannot be forgotten. (JA)