Princesas (2005)

Friendship and love in the world of prostitution in Madrid.

Director:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Writer:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Stars:

Candela Peña, Micaela Nevárez, Mariana Cordero

10 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Candela Peña	...	Caye
Micaela Nevárez	...	Zulema
Mariana Cordero	...	Pilar
Llum Barrera	...	Gloria
Violeta Pérez	...	Caren
Mònica Van Campen	...	Ángela (as Mónica Van Campen)
Flora Álvarez	...	Rosa
María Ballesteros	...	Miss Metadona
Alejandra Lorente	...	Mamen
Luis Callejo	...	Manuel
Antonio Durán 'Morris'	...	Funcionario (as Antonio Durán Morris)
Pere Arquillué	...	Carlos
Pepa Aniorte	...	Alicia
Alberto Ferreiro	...	Voluntario
Enrique Villén	...	Dueño del bar

Storyline

In Madrid's bustling streets, two perfect strangers, Caye, a thirty-year-old single woman, and Zulema, an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic, struggle to make ends meet working as prostitutes, of course, unbeknownst to their families. Under those circumstances and by an unforeseen twist of fate, the two rivals will quickly bond, and even though they are worlds apart, Caye and Zulema will soon realise that they have so much in common, and in reality, their coincidental and somewhat improbable encounter will be the beginning of a beautiful and profound friendship.

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Plot Keywords:

prostitution | friendship between women | female nudity | sadist | off screen rape | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

2 September 2005 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Принцеси

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

€740,666 (Spain), 4 September 2005, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,147, 27 August 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$28,866, 5 November 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Reposado Producciones,Mediapro,Antena 3 Televisión

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Caye: [subtitled version] Can you feel nostalgic over something that hasn't happened yet? Because sometimes I do. I sometimes imagine how things will turn out, with boys, for example, or life in general. And I feel sad when I remember how nice they were going to be, because they were going to be beautiful, really beautiful. Then I get nostalgic when I remember. Because they were going to be so beautiful. And when I realize they haven't happened yet and that they might never happen, I get really sad.

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Connections

Referenced in Aída: Los trilocos (2005)

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Soundtracks

5 Razones
Performed by Manu Chao

User Reviews

This movie will find a softspot in your heart

Fernando Leon De Aranoa has created a film showing the realistic struggles that might be experienced by anyone existing in society, particularly the lower class. Princesas follows the life of Caye (Played by Candela Pena), which I find interesting because "Caye" means "street", and Caye works the streets, and her friend Zulema (played by Micaela Nevarez). Caye is a citizen of Spain, raised in a middle-class family, and Zulema is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. Zulema has come to Spain hoping to obtain a working license, and tries to save money to bring her son to Spain. There are other prostitutes who have immigrated to Spain and turned to prostitution as an occupation, and this creates tension with the prostitutes that are Spanish Citizens. Caye Spanish friends are all prejudice against the immigrant prostitutes, accusing them of stealing their jobs, and Caye struggles to maintain her friendship with both the Spanish prostitutes and Zulema. The friendship between Caye and Zulema grows stronger as the movie progresses, and their friendship helps them overcome obstacles.

During the day, the lighting in this movie seems very natural, as if the sun is the sole source of lighting. This gives an authentic feel to the movie, instead of Hollywood dramatization that can be caused by artificial lighting. The obstacles that the characters face are also realistic. They are not far fetched, and their situations could potentially happen to anyone in their shoes. This adds to the realistic feel of the movie. Most of the shots in Princesas are done at an eye-level angle, which allows the viewer to get absorbed into the movie, forgetting that it is just a movie and not reality. Whenever the characters have an emotional scene, the camera zooms in, showing a close up of their faces. This really emphasizes the emotion, whether it's sorrow, joy, or anger, and allows the viewer to feel more connected to the characters.

The authenticity of Princesas will draw you in, and the strong bond of friendship between two women as they struggle through life will keep you captivated, feeling their joy and sorrow as you follow their journey.