LA JEFA/ UNDER HER CONTROL

Spain, 2022, 109 minutes, Colour.

Aitana  Sanchez-Gijon, Cumelen Sanz, Alex Pastrana.

Directed by Fran Torres.

While the Spanish title is clear, with reference to the boss, all the English title is much more ambiguous. The question arises who is the controller and who is controlled?

This is a film about ambition, business, pregnancy, surrogacy.

The initial focus is on Sofia, young Argentinian woman who is ambitious, in a relationship, but presenting herself to the boss of a fashion firm, interviewing well, giving good advice, being employed and promoted. She is played by Argentinian actress, Cumelen Sanz. The sophisticated, self-made, manager of the company Beatriz, is played by Aitana Sanchez  Gijon.

When Sofia becomes pregnant, it seems an opportunity for Beatriz to fulfil a longing, to have a child her own. She offers her quite a financial deal to Sofia (who bargains for an even greater amount of money). Sofia will stay in Beatriz’s mansion, secluded, thought to be in London and incommunicado. A lot of attention is given to Sofia’s life in the mansion, the contract drawn up by a lawyer friend, his partner, a doctor, giving her all kind of care.

Time passes, Sofia feel somewhat imprisoned, has hormonal moods. And her boyfriend tries to contact her.

Ultimately, there is a confrontation between the two women, a violent confrontation, the ambitions of the boss completely thwarted – and Sophia walking away

1. The title? Relating to Beatriz? To the ambitions of Sofia?
2. Spain, the business world, fashion? The ordinary world of work?
3. The city settings, apartments, fashionable homes, business offices? The musical score?
4. Sofia’s story, age, experience, studies, relationships, with Naccho, yet her ambitions, admiring Beatriz, the interview, her credentials, creating them, making a good impression? Beatriz employing her, her taste, good advice? Promotions? Confidante? Sharing Beatriz’s experiences? The effect on her life, on her relationship with Naccho?
5. Beatriz, age and experience, self-made woman, business sense, achievement, her staff, manner of dealing with the staff, peremptory, fashions, taste, impressed by Sofia, employing her, making her something of a companion?
6. The workers in the office, advisors to Beatriz, suspicions of Sofia?
7. Naccho, ordinary young man, his work, promotions, relationship to Sofia? Hopes?
8. The pregnancy, the effect on Sofia, as regards her ambitions? The effect on Beatriz? Her being unable to have children, her friendship with the doctor and lawyer, social, advice? The idea for the pregnancy, the surrogacy, the lawyer and the document, the agreement, Sofia and her hard bargaining about money, the doctor and her promise to supervise the pregnancy?
9. The cover of Sofia going to London, the phone cut off, Naccho becoming more desperate, the phone calls? Sofia and the mansion, confined, surveillance, the exercise, the meals, Beatriz and her supervision? The doctor coming?
10. The gradual effect on Sofia, some resentment, wanting to contact Naccho, the phone calls? Reacting against Beatriz? And the surveillance? In the room with the cloths?
11. Beatriz, sharing the life with Sofia, the luxury, the meals, the swimming pool, supervising the exercise? At work, the reaction of her staff?
12. The buildup to the confrontation, Naccho, going to the office, getting the information, driving, the car, his being hit by Beatriz, her concealing the body? Beatriz going to the house, Sofia and her attempts at leaving, the confrontation, Sofia and her bashing Beatriz?
13. Beatriz, searching for Naccho, going down the road, imminent birth…?