El Planeta

"[Amalia] Ulman’s black and white freshman feature is an absurdly and assuredly packed jack-in-the-box that’s short, sweet, and, incidentally, a quirky sharp, vainglorious commentary on these post-crisis, Robinhood Redditor times." —Andrew Bundy, The Playlist

El Planeta is a dark comedy exploring contemporary poverty, female desire, and the always complicated filial relationships of mothers and daughters. A daughter (played by the film's writer/director Amalia Ulman) forced to return home to the seaside town of Gijón after the death of her father reconnects with her eccentric mother (played Amalia's real-life mother, Ale Ulman), hustling to maintain the semblances of their middle-class lifestyle in the face of an impending eviction. Over the course of the week, we watch as the daughter’s hopes are tested as she attempts to use her sexuality as a means of escape. Meanwhile the mother grifts her way to certain security — the care of a jail cell. Shot in evocative black-and-white and brimming with deadpan humor, El Planeta marks the debut of a fresh, young voice who showcases her considerable talents both in front of and behind the camera. Official Selection Sundance Film Festival and New Directors/New Films.

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