The film’s greatest strength lies in its subversion of the biblical reference. In the Gospel of John, Jesus challenges the accusers of an adulterous woman: those without sin should throw the first stone. The accusers, one by one, drop their stones and leave. In La primera piedra , however, everyone throws a metaphorical stone. The priest throws his by sermonizing about “purity of the flock.” The mayor throws his by declaring Don Ricardo an “enemy of the people.” The mothers throw theirs by whispering accusations to their children. The film’s irony is devastating: the community that invokes God’s justice refuses God’s mercy. There is no figure in the narrative to say, “Neither do I condemn you.” Instead, the only character who hesitates is a twelve-year-old girl, Lucía, who was Don Ricardo’s favorite student. She asks her mother, “What if it’s a lie?” The mother slaps her and tells her to be silent. The “first stone” is thus not a physical object but an act of speech — an accusation that, once uttered, makes all subsequent stones inevitable.
It is important to distinguish this 2018 short from a also titled La primera piedra , which differs significantly: Genre : Western drama. Directors : Daniel Ramírez and Ángel Alegría. Cast : Adrián Viador, Emilio Linder, and Eva Redondo. la primera piedra 2018 short film