Winner of the Grand Prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival, Poachers was the cinematic cause célèbre in the year of Franco's death; Borau steadfastly refused to make any cuts-the censors had suggested over forty-and thus Poachers became the first Spanish film since 1939 to be released without an official exhibition permit. A dark, brooding fable, co-scripted by Gutiérrez Aragón, Poachers begins as a sad-eyed and possibly dim-witted Angel (Ovidi Montllor) picks up a runaway, Milagros (Alicia Sanchez), from reform school and they promptly make love. Arriving at his mother's house in the woods, the couple encounters nothing but hostility from the old woman (Lola Gaos)-especially after they drag her out of bed to continue their lovemaking in her room. Add to the scene a visit by the provincial governor (Borau), who comes to hunt and taste the old woman's stew and who may or may not be related to Angel. Borau is less interested in following a coherent story line than in watching the sparks caused by his characters' fateful encounters. The result is powerful political allegory that focuses on the sensibility of the fascist mentality and resists easy interpretation, yet is overwhelming in its impact. Richard Peña