Caye is a young prostitute whose family is unaware of her profession. She meets her striking Dominican neighbour Zulema, an illegal immigrant, after she finds her in the bathroom, badly beaten up. They strike up a close friendship unbeknownst to Caye's xenophobic co-workers.
Acting
Peña and Nevárez carry entire lives in glances.
Direction
Aranoa shoots Madrid's margins with unflinching compassion.
Director
Fernando León de Aranoa
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Micaela Nevárez was a non-professional actor discovered in Madrid's Dominican community; her raw performance won her Best New Actress at the Goyas.
The title's bitter irony—'princess' is what the johns call them—reflects how the film weaponizes romantic language against economic reality.
ES
