The tradition of historical films, known as 'historical reconstructions', remains alive within contemporary cinema, albeit in an ambiguous way. Most productions presented as echoes of human history are designed for small screens and streaming platforms. Therefore, the cinematic revisiting of the convulsive memories of a historical figure like Gilles de Rais is a narrative adventure that justifies our attention—as is the case with 'The Massacre of Gilles de Rais', the first feature film by Juan Branco. The film rejects the formal and moral pitfalls of traditional reconstruction, using an aesthetic that feels refreshingly out of fashion, reminiscent of 1960s and 70s experimentalism. Starring Inês Pires Tavares and João Arrais, the film functions as an essay on the mechanisms of historical truth, exploring how viewers form beliefs through the cinematic experience.