In 1994, the seemingly normal Andrés Rabadán suddenly derailed three trains, then went home and shot his father through the head with a crossbow. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and committed to a psychiatric institution for 20 years. Now, almost 15 years later, his case is being reexamined. The Forgiveness unravels the events in question using archive footage, home videos, and interviews with his lawyers, psychiatrists, and the journalists who reported on the grisly murder at the time. In particular, the revelations of his sister and the drawings Rabadán himself has made while in the institution expose a dysfunctional family and show the deeds of "El Loco de la Ballesta" ("The Crossbow Madman") in a different light. Now cured of his psychological condition but still in detention, Rabadán himself provides insight into the world as he experiences it. His drawings are used in The Forgiveness as the basis for animations, which not only depict everyday life in the institution -- including escape attempts and torture -- but also illustrate his quest to deal with the past.
Spanish subtitles are available for download only in DVD format.
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