Os fenómenos (Alfonso Zarauza, 2014): Spain

Reviewed by Erik Johansson. Viewed in metro 4 part of the Santa Barbara film festival 2015.

Os Fenomenos is a touching drama film about the Spanish working class. At the end of the world economic crisis (2007-2008) Spain got affected. This led to the beginning of the Spanish economic crisis which went on until 2014. And as with many economic crises the social group that got effected the most was the working class. As the countries unemployment grew and big companies went bankrupt the taxes got higher and higher which led to less stimulation on the market and therefore a more difficult place to live in for people like Neneta, the head character. Especially when you are a single mother with a child that is totally dependent on you.

The movie begins with Neneta walking around trying to look for a job. She walks with her son and some of her necessary equipment which shows the viewer that she doesn’t really have a settlement anywhere. She sees a sign saying “looking for employment”. She follows the sign and ends up in a building site. The site is dominated by men. Even though Neneta is the only woman and not at all suitable for the job she does not hesitate and argues with the employer  to get the job in her desperation to feed her child. She succeeds to get the job. In the beginning she has a really hard time getting along with the patriarchy prevailing at work. She meets a lot of challenges and becomes stronger and more confident in her new environment. The viewer gets to follow her struggle and development but also gets a part of her past. A climax is reached a bit after the middle of the movie as her hard work pays of and she affords an apartment, which she shows to her new romance.

The cinematograph Alberto Diaz is playing around with the colors rather than the music to create the mood of the movie. The colors change from gray and dark to light and playful. However, the tone is mostly grayish. He mostly uses a point of view angle together with shots in 3rd person.

What I see watching Os Fenomenos is a woman trying to get her life back together but also a woman who is battling against society. I would say that is the theme of the movie. I think the way the director Alfonso Zarauza has made her character makes it very easy for a big group of people to relate to her situation. She’s is a normal working class woman that we see everyday where ever we go in the world. This is what makes this movie so moving and gripping to a lot of people. However, that is not why this movie is necessary, it is because it is a tool for people to get a little bit of insight in the challenges and struggle of the working class that always exists, but that becomes much clearer in the economic state of Spain from 2008 to 2014.