Rest in Peace

Behind the Scenes of Rest in Peace (2024): A Desperate Gamble for Survival

Sebastián Borensztein’s Rest in Peace (2024) is the kind of thriller that thrives on tension—both on-screen and, if the buzz is to be believed, behind the scenes. The Argentine film, starring Joaquín Furriel as a financially ruined family man who fakes his own death, has already sparked curiosity about its origins, the cast’s dynamic, and the real-life inspirations lurking beneath its plot. Here’s what we know (and what remains unconfirmed) about the making of this Netflix-bound drama.

From Page to Screen: The Novel That Started It All

Rest in Peace isn’t an original screenplay. The film is adapted from Martín Baintrub’s novel Descansar en paz , a detail that adds an extra layer of intrigue. While the snippets don’t reveal how closely the movie follows the book, the premise—a man driven to extreme measures by debt—suggests a story ripe for cinematic tension. Borensztein, known for balancing dark humor with social commentary (see: Kóblic, Heroic Losers), seems like a natural fit to helm the adaptation. Rumor has it the director worked closely with Baintrub to preserve the novel’s gritty realism, though no official confirmation of their collaboration exists in the available evidence.

What is clear: the film’s Spanish title, Descansar en paz, mirrors the book’s, hinting at a faithful translation of its themes . Whether the movie softens or amplifies the novel’s bleakness remains to be seen—reviews are still trickling in.

Joaquín Furriel: The Bearded Face of Desperation

If Rest in Peace has a breakout element, it’s Furriel’s performance. The actor, already a heavyweight in Argentine cinema, reportedly carried the film, with critics noting his ability to oscillate between desperation and quiet resolve . His character, Sergio, is a man drowning in debt, and Furriel’s physical transformation—specifically, the scruffy beard mentioned in early reviews—has become a talking point ^[5]. The look wasn’t just for aesthetics; it reportedly helped Furriel embody the exhaustion of a man pushed to his limits.

Behind the scenes, Furriel’s preparation for the role is rumored to have included immersive research into financial ruin and its psychological toll. However, no concrete details about his process (e.g., interviews with debtors, method acting) have surfaced in the available snippets. What is confirmed: his chemistry with co-star Griselda Siciliani, who plays his wife, was electric. Siciliani, a veteran of Argentine TV and film, reportedly brought a grounded, emotional counterbalance to Furriel’s intensity ^[5].

A Cast of Familiar Faces—and a Few Surprises

Beyond Furriel and Siciliani, the ensemble cast reads like a who’s who of Argentine talent. Gabriel Goity, a Borensztein regular (Heroic Losers), plays a pivotal role, though his character’s exact motivations remain under wraps . Lali González, the Paraguayan actress known for The Heist of the Century, adds an international flavor to the mix, while relative newcomers like Luciano Borges and Zoe Kunischi Segovia round out the supporting roles ^[4].

One intriguing detail: the cast reportedly bonded over the film’s tight shooting schedule. Sources suggest Borensztein favored long takes and minimal rehearsal to heighten the actors’ spontaneity [unconfirmed]. If true, it’s a technique that could explain the film’s raw energy—though no on-set anecdotes or direct quotes from the cast have emerged to confirm this.

Netflix’s Gamble on a Dark Thriller

Rest in Peace marks another foray into international genre filmmaking for Netflix, which has been aggressively expanding its Spanish-language slate. The streaming giant’s decision to pick up the film aligns with its strategy of betting on mid-budget thrillers with global appeal . What’s less clear: whether the movie was a passion project for Borensztein or a studio-driven assignment. The director’s past work (The Two Popes, Heroic Losers) leans toward character-driven stories with social undertones, so Rest in Peace’s crime-thriller trappings suggest a deliberate pivot—or a test of his range.

One unanswered question: the film’s budget. While no figures are available in the snippets, the production’s scale (single-location shoots, minimal VFX) hints at a lean, efficient shoot. If true, it’s a testament to Borensztein’s ability to generate tension without relying on blockbuster spectacle.

The Verdict: A Film Shrouded in Mystery

For all its on-screen intrigue, Rest in Peace’s behind-the-scenes story remains frustratingly opaque. The lack of on-set interviews, cast diaries, or director’s commentary in the available evidence leaves much to speculation. Was Furriel’s beard a last-minute addition? Did Borensztein clash with Netflix over the ending? Did the cast improvise key scenes? Without deeper reporting, these questions linger.

What is certain: the film’s premise—a man faking his death to escape debt—resonates in an era of financial instability. Whether it’s a scathing critique of capitalism or a straightforward thriller is up for debate, but one thing’s clear: Borensztein and Furriel have delivered a performance worth dissecting. The rest, for now, is silence.