As irresistible as it is offbeat, Sarah Arnold's Europa Cinemas Label-winning debut pits farmers against hunters in a fiercely entertaining thriller bursting with humour, suspense and surprises.
Arnold’s skillful plotting and wicked sense of humor never make us question all the oddball behavior we witness. Her film is much more Fargo than No Country for Old Men.
Too Many Beasts 2026
l'Espèce Explosive
A genre film that feels both exhilaratingly familiar and entirely its own: Sarah Arnold's debut feature Too Many Beasts is that rare discovery. Set amid the forests and farmlands of northeastern France, this darkly comic rural thriller transforms a local feud between farmers, hunters and corrupt authorities into a wildly entertaining reflection on power, class and humanity’s uneasy relationship with nature.
Arnold displays remarkable confidence in her handling of tone, effortlessly blending crime, satire, absurdist comedy and social commentary without ever losing narrative momentum. What begins as a murder investigation gradually evolves into something richer and more unpredictable, fuelled by a screenplay packed with sharp observations and unexpected twists.
The chemistry between lead actors Alexis Manenti and Ella Rumpf gives emotional grounding to the increasingly chaotic story, turning an unconventional investigative partnership into one of the film’s greatest pleasures. Enhanced by Noé Bach’s striking cinematography and Florencia Di Concilio’s nervy score, Too Many Beasts announces the arrival of a major new filmmaking talent. Bold, funny and delightfully unpredictable, it is exactly the kind of audience-pleasing arthouse gem that deserves to be experienced on the big screen.
– Maria Giovanna Vagenas