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22 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :- Great portrait of the lives of prostitutes, showing the pain, the joys, everything, in a way it has never been showed before., 5 September 2005 Author: visolb from Norway
I watched this movie in the cinemas in Madrid, and I was pleasantly surprised. Not haven seen or heard anything about the movie, except for the posters, I did not know what to expect.This movie is about the lives of prostitutes, and is not groundbreaking in selection of topic. The manner, in which it is portrayed, however, is perfect. Not being caught up in the American standards, Fernando León de Aranoa has gone his own way, making Princesas a great, original movie. When that has been said, it does contain a few clichés that keeps this movie from reaching it's full potential.Candela Peña fits perfectly in the role of Caye, and she does an amazing job conveying the emotions of her character to the audience. Even more so this time than she did in 'Todo sobre mi madre'. In one of the last scenes, she is on a date with a guy she hit it off with (that does not know what she do for a living), and the feelings she displays... It makes you wonder how the crappy Hollywood actresses (of course not all of them) got their jobs, considering there are others out there, who just leave them in the dust.If you're looking for a realistic movie about prostitution, or just a story to live yourself into - take a look at this.
23 out of 29 people found the following comment useful :- There are films which climb to great heights, 24 September 2005 Author: Keith F. Hatcher from La Rioja, Spain
"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)
14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :- If life gives you more than 5 reasons to carry on..., 5 March 2006 Author: Henry Fields (kikecam@teleline.es) from Spain
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
6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :- We do Exist Because Someone Recalls Us, 17 February 2008 Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
In Madrid, Cayetana (Candela Peña) is a call girl that lives with her dysfunctional mother, who does not accept the death of her husband three years ago, and send flowers with anonymous cards to herself as if they were sent by an admirer. Caye spends the day with other prostitutes at a beauty salon waiting for phone calls from clients, is saving money for a surgery to increase her breasts with silicon and has a crush on the computer programmer Manuel (Luis Callejo) that does not believe she is a whore. When Caye meets the illegal whore from the Dominican Republic Zulema (Micaela Nevárez), who works in the local red light district, they become close friends, spending their spare time together and making confidences to each other."Princesas" is an entertaining movie about prostitution, friendship and love. Candela Peña and Micaela Nevárez have great performances, but the story neither has the glamour and redemption of "Pretty Woman" nor is too dramatic or harsh, except with the positive result of the HIV test of Zulema. The revenge of Zulema and the open conclusion gives a perfect grand-finale for this enjoyable movie. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Princesas" ("Princesses")
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :- The first Puerto Rican to win Goya Award, 26 July 2008 Author: operez3 from Puerto Rico
Micaela Nevárez is a Puerto Rican actress who has achieved great fame in independent and European films. She made her film debut in the acclaimed Spanish film Princesas which was directed by Fernando León de Aranoa, in which she played Zulema, an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic trying to make a living as a prostitute on the streets of Madrid, Spain. Her strong convincing performance in this film earned her a Goya Award for Best New Actress in 2006, making her the first Puerto Rican thespian to win this prestigious award.By winning this award, Nevárez became the first Puerto Rican performer to win this prestigious film honor and one of the few Latin American actresses to do so as well. She is preparing to launch her film career in the United States in 2008 with a supporting role in the independent film The War Boys starring Victor Rasuk and Peter Gallagher.
5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :- Princesas ( a good movie), 21 September 2007 Author: saturn5534 from United States
This is a very well written movie based on reality. Actor's performances are great,I really enjoyed this movie it kept me glued to the TV screen until the end. I like the movie because is a drama of an immigrant whom driven by the bad economic situation of her country, was forced to leave the homeland and work as a prostitute in Madrid, Spain. She was sexually abused by a Spaniard bureaucrat with the promise of a visa to stay legally in the country. She mets a Spaniard girl whom just to be a prostitute too (Caye) they understand each other creating a true friendship until Zulema has to leave the country because her HIV results came back positive. A very human story that is worth to see it.
3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :- All About Prostitution...but not really, 2 September 2008 Author: arielljackson from United States
In America, everything is about what you do and not who you are. If you are a prostitute, somehow your job title answers both.Yes, these women do walk the streets. They do in fact trade money for sexual favors but that is definitely not who they are.Caye and Zulema are very different but so much the same as they explore the intricacies of the human condition and just how raw and gritty life can be regardless of race, nationality, familiar status, or any other label that we use to separate ourselves from the rest of the world.Those two are not the only ones "hooking" in the film but they both struggle with body image, insecurities, fear, discrimination, and regret for all the things and johns they have done.Zulema is a beautiful outsider, Black in a world that hates Black people. She is also a mother, no matter if she and her child don't share a home. She is also an illegal immigrant which seems to be a bigger problem than her occupation or skin color.Caye is officially Spanish but dealing with an emotionally blind family and seems she never fully developed her self-esteem. She wants breast implants as some sort-of fix all but everyone knows it won't work. Everyone thinks Zulema is stealing all of the business in that block but Caye wants her as a friend. Her relationship with Zuleyma might be the only real thing around her.The two help each other. That is what friends are supposed to do. The gossip and clamor of the beauty shop do nothing for the deep-seeded issues that both women struggle with.I won't officially spoil the ending but watching this flick is well worth the time and the subtitles.
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- I wish people with less money and connections could make films..., 30 November 2009 Author: Filmi3578 from Greece
...Because almost all the ones that do have money and connections are shallow and gutless and that's why you have to dig and dig and dig to find a good film.Another reviewer got a 0/11 out of the eleven gracious contributors to this film fro saying this is boring. He was right in saying that the acting is indeed very good, the main actress does seem to overact a bit, but the domenican girl is a joy to watch, and the minor characters are very well acted too.So, big love to the actors here, great job.Big boos to the directors and screenwriters. What a shallow sophomoric story, no twists, no turns, and that could be acceptable if at least there was some semblance of a cinema verity, a gritty reality portrayed. But there's none of this.The film doesn't build up, doesn't explore characters, doesn't even have one single story to tell. Forget imagination or plot. I am not a blockbuster Hollywood viewer but give me something more than some shallow musings on "someone exists because you remember them" and about princesses being too sensitive. Any way you cut it, under any sympathetic light you might want to view the film it fails miserably and that's because of the flat, dirt poor story and characterisation.It's more than obvious that the director and writer are clueless when it comes to prostitution and that's why this is reduced to boring stereotypes.Unfortunately very few real prostitutes rise from the gutter to tell their story. Let me rephrase that because I 've read some wonderful insightful books about prostitution from prostitutes. Very few real prostitutes actually get that big chunk of money to make a film. I tell you whatever little contact I had with working girls as a man, some of those short rushed discussions were far more honest and heartbreaking than any of this boring trite. Let's be frank prostitution exists because men are horny and men have power, and prostitutes do what they do because some of them are lazy and want an easy way out, and most of them have been abused and are tortured souls, they are also poor girls and some are stupid girls. It's not a happy subject matter because it reflects on the atrocious nature of people, mostly men. It might not even be an interesting matter. But if you are going to tackle it, there's stuff there for sure, if you are to make a movie of it there's so much there to avoid banality and clichés. The sheer number of which here are mind blowing. But of course that's happens when people with money make films about issues they have neither the sensitivity nor the intellect to handle, and that they've not lived through for sure. So we get clichés: hiv, the bad pimp, the junkie, the college kid, the immigrant, uuuggghhh...And what's with 15 manu chao songs in a single film? Straight from an "anti globalisation" march.
2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :- All around crowd-pleaser, 22 March 2007 Author: Christian (christian94@hotmail.com) from Montreal, Canada
I saw this at the Montreal ibero-Spanish film festival (Festivalissimo) and this won the Audience Prize, with reason. This Spanish treat deals with themes of family, love, self-perception, racist, the acceptance of some times harsh reality and the nurturing of dreams. This all takes place in a dim world of prostitution where humour is splashed by a friendly bunch of prostitutes in the hopes to accept their less than stellar role in society. Candela Peña is great in her role. Her character, Caye, is torn between many things and she is able to portray that delicate balance and captivate the audience, drawing them in like one of Caye's client.The acting is good, but it is also based on a great script. It is at once witty, touching and revealing. We delve quite a bit into the prostitution world, but manage to stay mostly in the light side of it, while being able to imagine the darker aspects. The inner voyage, the search, the subterfuge and the constant questioning are all very well woven into the story and the ending leaves us on a high note, after so much intense moments.The editing puts it all together and the original music makes us feel and think. A genuine crowd-pleaser. Go and enjoy!
3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :- Tonight we're not whores. Tonight we're princesses., 14 November 2007 Author: lastliberal from Florida
To my recollection, I have only seen one other movie about the lives of prostitutes. Sure there was Pretty Woman, but that really didn't get into the actual work. This film is different and really does a great job showing the less glamorous side.Fernando León de Aranoa wrote and directed the film and it moves along well. It certainly keeps your interest. The soundtrack is also a big plus.Candela Peña (All About My Mother) is Caye, who rarely smiles as she deals with her mother, who seems to be losing it, and tries to establish a real relationship that keeps bumping up against her occupation.A new actress, Micaela Nevárez is Zulema, who is consumed with the child she left in the Dominican Republic. She is trying to get papers to get out of Spain, and is taken advantage of by a sleazy public official. She gets revenge in an unusual way.Together Caye and Zulema are friends and they try to survive in spite of their occupation. It is a times funny, and certainly sad as they try to find that opening to a better life.
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