Princesas (2005)

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 | Offscreen Rape | Sadist | Female Full Frontal Nudity | Fellatio

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
Jesús Noguero	...	Cliente del restaurante
Carlos Bardem	...	Portero discoteca
José Juan	...	Dominicano
Javier Tolosa	...	Policía aeropuerto
Joaquín Llorente	...	Chófer coche oficial
Teresa Arbolí	...	ATS análisis
Liuva Toledo	...	Chica Chanel
Diego Molero	...	Compañero Manuel
Satur Barrios	...	Farmacéutica (as Saturna Barrio)
Trinidad Iglesias	...	Clienta farmacia
Kimbo	...	Dueño bar
José Ramón Pardo	...	Cliente Zulema
Celia Trujillo	...	Enfermera rayos X
Luis Fernández	...	ATS extracciones
Marco Martínez	...	Adolescente en el hospital
Alberto Amarilla	...	Adolescente en el hospital
Diego de Medina	...	Adolescente en el hospital
Víctor Sánchez	...	Adolescente en el hospital
Daniel Poza	...	Adolescente en el hospital
Marta Aledo	...	Amiga Caye
Berto Navarro	...	Profesor instituto
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mariano Llorente
Jemi Paretas

Directed by
Fernando León de Aranoa

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Fernando León de Aranoa		writer

Produced by
Sergio Aguero	....	executive producer
Fernando León de Aranoa	....	producer
Javier Méndez	....	executive producer
Carlos de Muns	....	executive producer
Patricia de Muns	....	executive producer
Jaume Roures	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfonso Vilallonga

Cinematography by
Ramiro Civita		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Nacho Ruiz Capillas

Casting by
Carmen Utrilla

Production Design by
Marina Ortiz

Art Direction by
Llorenç Miquel

Costume Design by
Bina Daigeler

Makeup Department
Manolo García	....	hair stylist
Carlos Hernández	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Luis Fernández Lago	....	production manager
Ana Parra	....	first assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yvette Gurza	....	second assistant director
Antonio Ordóñez	....	assistant director
Federico Untermann	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Carolina Hernández	....	assistant set decorator
Carolina Hernández	....	set dresser
Alejandra Loiseau	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Polo Aledo	....	sound editor
Jaime Fernández-Cid Buscató	....	boom operator
Ruth Márquez	....	assistant boom operator
Alfonso Raposo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Miguel Rejas	....	sound
Ricardo Viñas	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby

Visual Effects by
Eduardo Acosta	....	digital effects artist
Claudio Güell	....	digital colorist

Camera and Electrical Department
Ramiro Civita	....	camera operator
José Ramón Delgado	....	first assistant camera
Luis Lattanzi	....	second assistant camera

Other crew
Urko Errazquin	....	marketing
Elena Gil Nagel	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Javier Bardem	....	thanks
Francisco Boira	....	thanks (as Fran Boira)
Benito Zambrano	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Reposado Producciones
• Mediapro
• Antena 3 Televisión
• Canal+ España

Distributors

• ARP Sélection (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Atlantis Entertainment (2007) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• IFC First Take (2006) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Piffl Medien (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Swipe Films (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Sogefilms A.I.E. (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Xenix Filmdistribution (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Orlando Films (2006) (Israel) (all media)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Vivarto (2007) (Poland) (all media)

Other Companies

• Exa S.A.  sound post-production
• Molinare Studio  digital post-production

Also Known As:

Princesses (Australia) (video title)
Ksiezniczki (Poland) [pl]
Oi prigipisses ton dromon (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
Prinzessinnen der Straße - Princesas (Germany) (dubbed version) [de]

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:

Me llaman Caye

If life gives you more than 5 reasons to carry on...

We can say that Fernando León De Aranoa is a demagogue because he tells the truth and denounces the injustices of our society. We can say that he usually makes up such forced situations, but fiction will never be as rude and hard as reality. You may hate all that "social realism" stuff, the "Costumbrism" and so.. but still they are the base of many of the masterpieces in the history of European cinema.

After the kids of "Barrio", after the unemployed of "Los Lunes Al Sol", now it's the prostitutes' turn: their "day by day", their dreams and their hopes, the racism some of them have to suffer, and lots of urban philosophy (at the end of the day that's the most valuable philosophy, 'cause it comes right from people's guts). Is it too obvious to say that Fernando León is one of the best Ken Loach's pupils? Well, if it's obvious then it's true too...

Candela Peña said he was looking forward to work with F. León, that it was her dream, and I'm sure that Fernando have always dreamed of finding an actress like Candella: she's so real.

I don't know if this is the end of a "social trilogy", and maybe FLA will go back to comedy (as in "Familia") for his next movie... Whatever, I'm sure it will be such a great work.

PS: "Si La Vida Te Da" ("If life gives you..."), what a beautiful song. I don't like Manu Chao that much, but I love that tune...

*My rate: 8/10