Antonio de la Torre Stars in New Film About Serial Killer Juan Díaz de Garayo

Spanish actor Antonio de la Torre stars as Juan Díaz de Garayo, a 19th-century peasant who became known as the country's first documented serial killer, in a new film directed by David Pérez Sañudo. The feature film centers on the horrific murders that took place in Álava during the late 19th century and examines the pursuit of justice by Ángela Berrosteguieta, the sister of one of the victims.

Known historically by the moniker 'Sacamantecas,' Garayo carried out at least six murders over a decade starting in 1870, primarily targeting women and sex workers in the Vitoria region. His crimes provoked widespread panic and inspired dark folk tales, though historians note that many aspects of his notoriety grew into exaggerated myths over time.

Director David Pérez Sañudo explained that the film adopts a naturalistic and observational tone rather than a purely historical one. According to the filmmaker, the production seeks to faithfully capture the atmosphere of a fractured and impoverished post-war Álava that inadvertently fostered such violence, rather than focusing solely on the killer's personal life.

Co-star Patricia López Arnaiz portrays Ángela Berrosteguieta, describing her character not merely as a feminist leader ahead of her time, but as a woman bound by the rigid social and religious expectations of her era who is driven by a deep need to redeem an immense sense of guilt and achieve justice.

Reflecting on his role, Antonio de la Torre noted that portraying an illiterate character with limited linguistic resources required an intuitive physical approach and a reliance on silence. The actor praised the director's atmospheric storytelling, which uses the chilling ambiguity of the character to evoke tension and unease.

Both the director and the lead actors have drawn parallels between the themes of the movie and modern society. They argued that structural machismo and gender-based violence remain deeply entrenched, and cautioned against the modern tendency to romanticize or mythologize violent figures in contemporary politics and culture.

Juan Díaz de Garayo was eventually arrested in 1880, convicted of multiple murders, and executed by garrote vil. While his exact victim count remains a historical mystery, the new cinematic project brings the dark chapter back into public view, examining the social decay and systemic failures that allowed a serial killer to operate in northern Spain.