“A radiant medieval manuscript brought to shimmering life, Silvestre weaves two traditional folk tales into a study of revenge which transcends earthly parameters. An aging noble, Dom Rodrigo, has two daughters, Silvia and Susana. One day, while Rodrigo is off at the royal court, the girls allow a wandering pilgrim to enter their castle. The stranger drugs and rapes Susana, but Silvia manages to escape and to cut off his hand; when Dom Rodrigo returns, the two decide to reveal nothing about the incident. Weeks later, (an unknown) knight appears at their doorstep, asking for Silvia's hand in marriage....
“As in Eric Rohmer's Perceval, no attempt is made to accurately re-create a historical epoch. Exquisitely photographed, Silvestre effectively renders the flavor and magically charged atmosphere of the genre of literature upon which it is based, with its fantastic creatures, outrageous revelations of secret identities, and miraculous conclusion.” Richard Pena, The Film Center