Princesas (2005)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Writer:

Fernando León de Aranoa (writer)

Release Date:

2 September 2005 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Tough tricks on the Spanish streets . . . (DVD)

Plot:

Set in Spain, the story is about friendship and love in the world of prostitution. |

Plot Keywords:

Prostitution | Depression | Offscreen Rape | Blow Job | Princess

Awards:

10 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Candela Peña	...	Caye
Micaela Nevárez	...	Zulema
Mariana Cordero	...	Pilar
Llum Barrera	...	Gloria
Violeta Pérez	...	Caren
Mònica Van Campen	...	Angela
Flora Álvarez	...	Rosa
María Ballesteros	...	Blanca
Alejandra Llorente	...	Mamen
Luis Callejo	...	Manuel
Antonio Durán 'Morris'	...	Funcionario
Pere Arquillué	...	Carlos
Pepa Aniorte	...	Alicia
Alberto Ferreiro	...	Voluntario
Enrique Villén	...	Dueño bar

Also Known As:

Princesses (Australia) (video title)
Ksiezniczki (Poland) [pl]
Oi prigipisses ton dromon (Greece) (DVD title) [el]

Runtime:

Spain:113 min | USA:109 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Spain:18 | Italy:VM14 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:MA | Argentina:18

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Reposado Producciones

Quotes:

Zulema: Tonight we're not whores. Tonight we're princesses.

Soundtrack:

5 Razones

There are films which climb to great heights

"Princesas" is one of them. After seeing Fernando León de Aranoa's wonderful film "Los Lunes al Sol" (qv), I was hungry for more. I am a great lover of cinema which has either been taken from live theatre or which delve into the realness of the human condition, of human feelings, which explore the depths of what makes people tick, of what makes people think, feel, love, hate, of what makes people on celluloid be real live living people with character and personality and deep feelings. In this aspect "Princesas" is a beautiful, moving, thoughtful piece which deserves great accolade. I left the cinema with very very deep feelings running through my heart and mind, such that I missed the bus-stop, and in the end walked all the way home - about three kilometres!

Without any doubt, the young Spanish directors Amenábar and León de Aranoa are now well above the more famous Almodóvar. "Princesas" is about prostitutes. Well, forget that: it is about two beautiful people who find themselves working the streets - and the mobile (cell) phone - to get clients. But it is also about friendship, love between two women who have had to drop out into the seamier world of the big cities - in this case, Madrid.

León de Aranoa treats the subject matter with such poignant delicacy, with such understanding sensitivity, with such superb and tasteful exquisiteness, that towards the end of the film more than one little tear dropped from my eyes. And that does not often happen.

Candela Peña, (Todo sobre mi madre, qv) (Te doy mis ojos, qv), and Micaela Nevárez in her first film, offer us superb readings of their characters; both are superb; both won my heart. The chemistry between these two young women - Spanish and Dominican - was so magnificent, you would swear they had lived all their lives together. They had me feeling for them, for their situation, for their loves, and desires, and hopes, and Zulema wanting to get back to her child in the Dominican Republic.

The music by Manu Chao and Gato Pérez was at times a little over strident, but befitting the telling of the story. (There are also other pieces of music not yet mentioned in IMDb).

Ramiro Civita's photography, especially in the facial close-ups is astounding, bringing out the best of the actresses feelings, anguish, torments. Superb work, though some scenes with hand-held camera were at times chaotic. Nevertheless, I pass over this.

The same as in "Te doy Mis Ojos"(qv) we have here an important sociological document in the form of a film with a story to tell. Women find themselves in bad situations directly due to men's vain and stupid attempts at being superior over them. Men fail miserably; as I have said in "Te doy mis ojos": this film makes me feel ashamed of being a man. So does "Princesas". A beautiful, warm, tender, hard story, so wonderfully told.

I shall see this film again before it is taken off from the local multi -cinemas, and will buy the DVD as soon as it is in the shops.

Here is another film to add to the best six Spanish films of all times:

El Sur

Los Santos Inocentes

Mar Adentro

Princesas

Te doy Mis Ojos

A los que Aman (all commented on in IMDb)