THE CHAMBERMAID
Director: Lila Avilés Run Time: 102 min. Release Year: 2019 Language: Spanish
Starring: Agustina Quinci, Clementina Guadarrama, Gabriela Cartol, Marisa Villarruel, Teresa Sánchez
In her feature debut, theater director Lila Avilés turns the monotonous work day of Eve (Gabriela Cartol), a chambermaid at a high-end Mexico City hotel, into a beautifully observed film of rich detail. Set entirely in this alienating environment, with extended scenes taking place in the guest rooms, hallways, and cleaning facilities, this minimalist yet sumptuous movie brings to the fore Eve’s hopes, dreams, and desires. As with Alfonso Cuarón’s ROMA, set in the same city, The Chambermaid salutes the invisible women caretakers who are the hard-working backbone of society. – New Directors/New Films
“It may feel less epic in scale [than ROMA], but THE CHAMBERMAID is just as emotionally potent and perhaps even more successful at questioning the power dynamics of a workplace that has lost its sense of compassion.”– Monica Castillo, RogerEbert.com
“Sublime. Moments of beauty, tenderness and freedom… provide flickers of humanity that feel almost miraculous.”– A. O. Scott, The New York Times
“Extremely moving. Quietly pulses with life. Brought to life with bristling sensitivity and dormant rage by Mexican actress Gabriela Cartol.”– Oliver Jones, Observer