PAOLA, a short documentary made as part of a non-fiction exercise in the first year of undergraduate studies, has won the Best Documentary Award in the DOC-U section of DOCS BARCELONA, the section that promotes an exhibition space for Film and Audiovisual Communication students from universities, training courses and film schools all over Spain.
PAOLA was born from an original idea by Claudia Solano and is directed by Claudia Solano, Marta Martín, Daniela Rey and Pere Neila, under the supervision of the graduate (Vitals).
At the age of 20, Paola escaped from her abuser with her daughter in her arms. Sex work was what got her through. Now, at 23 and after two years in the profession, she receives an invitation from Maria Riot, a sex worker and activist for the rights of whores, to a meeting between fellow sex workers. At this tribal meeting, Paola meets prostitutes who give her a politicised vision of their work. At the same time, the protagonist begins a love affair with a young man from her neighbourhood who will also try his luck in sex work. This intimate portrait of Paola immerses us in her day-to-day life and gives a voice to these sex workers who struggle against the stigma inherent to their profession.
Photography by @paoladocumental