Prostitution and Immigration in Spain as Seen Through Two Films by Fernando Leon de Aranoa

Indianapolis, IN

This presentation will focus on various social problems that stem from Latin American immigration to Spain, with an emphasis on the factors that have led to and currently contribute to prostitution in Spain. The research will begin with an examination of the social and political forces at work before, during, and after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco and the correlation to the statistics regarding prostitution. It will also examine the difficulties that many immigrants face once they arrive in Spain and the decisions they are forced to make in order to survive. In order to demonstrate the social presence of prostitution in Spain, my presentation will analyze two recent films directed by the Spanish director Fernando León de Aranoa. In one of these films, Amador, we see a middle-aged woman who has been working as a prostitute for many years and the affects this has had on her life. In the other movie, Princesas, we see two young girls, one of whom is an immigrant from Latin America, and the choices they must make to support themselves and their families. By looking at these two films, we are given a deeper context for these social issues and are able to understand the personal and emotional, as well as societal, effects.