The latest film from visionary filmmaker Albert Serra is his most overtly documentary work. While his recent fiction features Pacifiction, Liberté, and The Death of Louis XIV contain elements of hybridity and documentary-like textures, Afternoons of Solitude is a visceral plunge into the world of real-life famed matador Andrés Roca Rey. The camera follows Rey, chronicling the solitude of his hotel room and the meticulousness of his preparations as he steps into the charged spectacle of the arena. The cinematic experience is monumental and transcendent as Serra captures the controversial centuries-old ritual through his formal rigour. The film had its World Premiere at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, where it won the Golden Shell. This screening is the Toronto Premiere.