Woyzeck is a 2019 film directed by Olivier Laxe and inspired by the play by Georg Büchner. Set in a remote Spanish village, the film follows Franz Woyzeck (played by non-professional actor Amador Arias), a former soldier who works as a laborer and occasionally takes on odd jobs to support his lover, Marie (played by Inazio Abrao).
The film explores themes of class, power, and mental illness, as Woyzeck struggles to make ends meet and maintain his dignity in a society that seems stacked against him. He is constantly humiliated by his superiors and bullied by the drum major, who flaunts his affair with Marie in front of him.
The experiments conducted by the local doctor (played by David Moreau) serve as a catalyst for Woyzeck's descent into madness. He is put on a strict diet of peas and subjected to other bizarre tests, which only worsen his already precarious mental state. Meanwhile, Marie becomes increasingly frustrated with Woyzeck's inability to provide for her and is drawn into the arms of the drum major.
As his world crumbles around him, Woyzeck is pushed to the brink. The film builds towards a violent climax, as Woyzeck exacts a bloody revenge on those who have wronged him.
Overall, Woyzeck is a haunting and visceral exploration of a man pushed to his limits by a cruel and unjust world. The film is anchored by Arias' powerful and affecting performance, and Laxe's direction creates a dreamlike atmosphere that is both beautiful and disturbing.