Princesas

Director and screenwriter, Fernando Leon de Aranoa, gives us a moving yet sobering tale of two young prostitutes in Madrid. Caye (Candela Pena) and Zule (Micaela Nevarez) develop a friendship based on their desire for a better life. Initially they meet when Zule, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, steals one of Caye's customers for a lower fee, but when she finds Zule badly beaten in her apartment, they quickly become each other's support system. The consequences and depressing reality of life on the street are explored, as we learn that Zule is selling herself to support her young son back home. She is even willing to put up with an abusive and manipulative boyfriend who promises to get her legal working papers, while Caye is trying to save up enough money for a breast lift to attract more customers. Even in their grim circumstances, they like to pretend they are princesses, to offer them a glimpse of hope, even though they work in an industry where they are objectified and abused by men.