A THIEF’S DAUGHTER/ LA HIJA DI UN LADRON

Spain, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.

Greta Fernandez, Eduard Fernandez, Alex Monner, Tomas Martin.

Directed by Belen Funes.

A Spanish slice of life, a modest film, but screened successfully at many festivals, winning awards.

The setting is Barcelona, the focus on Sara, young, wearing a hearing aid, with a young child, the father absent working in France but not wanting to follow up on his relationship with her. She lives in accommodation provided by official social services, friendly with others in similar situation. She applies for various jobs, is seen in various cleaning jobs, working in kitchens, hard-working with the possibility of permanent employment in a kitchen.

There are several family complications, the return of the father of her son, his friendliness, support but not a relationship. There is the younger brother, disabled, at school, needing care, her wanting to get official custody and going to court for this. The complication is that of her father, his absence, getting out of jail, his return, his erratic attitudes towards his children, some happy moments, some harsh moments, a celebration of the young boy’s first communion and a party afterwards. But, the father is harsh, makes promises to Sarah which he will not fulfil, threatening her, and the case, ultimately going to the court, Sarah trying to make a presentation, answer the questions from the lawyers, but the audience left in uncertainty as to the verdict.

The film stops, relies on the impact on the audience up to this point, their sympathy for Sarah and her application to have custody of her brother – but, the camera looking at her, the situation open.

1. A Spanish slice of life, ordinary people, lives of hardships?
2. The Barcelona setting, the city, the suburbs, social housing and apartments, school, church celebrations, cleaning jobs, kitchen work, the courts…? The musical score?
3. Sarah’s story, her age, background, relationship with her father, his time in jail, absence, getting out? Her relationship with Dani, his being away working in France, his return, kind but not loving, no relationship? Her devotion to their son, continued care? Her disability with her hearing, her hearing aid? The prospects?
4. The work scenes, the women working, the jobs, cleaning, kitchen work, Sarah and her eagerness, carrying the fruit cases, the possibility of a full-time job, accepted? Accommodation, Dani and his promises, her father and promises and his not fulfilling them?
5. Martin, his age, her brother, the absent father, his being in care, his disability, his moods, relationship with Sarah, his father’s return, the first communion, the party and celebration? Sarah wanting custody of him? Defying her father?
6. The scenes between father and daughter, the past tensions, his reaching out, yet his selfishness, lying to his daughter and his promises, with Martin? The confrontation at the kitchen, Sarah walking away, her decision to contender custody?
7. Her going to court, the lawyer, the preparation of the questions, her nervousness, the judge, her father not appearing, the questions, her hesitant answers, not knowing what to say?
8. The final image, the film not giving a final solution, over the audience, looking at Sarah, knowing her, the situation, the audience opinion as to what the judgement should be?