El Planeta

Two women, two fur coats, an empty refrigerator: mother and daughter cling to the remnants of a lifestyle they can no longer afford. Amidst the economic desolation of a Spanish coastal town, they fight against impending homelessness with humor, charm, and shameless audacity. Between attempts at fraud and shopping sprees on credit, not only their desperation is revealed, but also an unusually close bond. What begins as a series of bizarre everyday observations develops into an astute commentary on poverty, female self-assertion, and the tricks people use to save themselves from social decline. EL PLANETA is the feature film debut of Spanish artist Amalia Ulman, who not only directed and wrote the screenplay, but also starred in the film alongside her real-life mother, Ale Ulman. The film premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and has been screened at New Directors/New Films, the Istanbul International Film Festival, and BAFICI, among others. There it won several awards, including the FEISAL Award for Best Feature Film, a Special Mention for Acting, and the award for Best Director. The stylized black-and-white aesthetic meets pointed wit, making this film an extraordinary example of Spanish independent cinema.