WORKERS

"A beautifully crafted, narratively constrained piece of Mexican minimalism." - Hollywood Reporter

The divergent realities of Mexico's employed poor inform the darkly amusing and distinctively shot Workers, the fiction feature debut of award-winning documentarian and short film director José Luis Valle.

In Tijuana, the parallel plights of impending retiree Rafael and housekeeper Lidia drive this meticulous and languid film - with the former unable to access his pension due to his illegal immigration status, and the latter suddenly working for the dog of her deceased employer. After 30 years of service, each should be relishing the end of their working days; instead, their contrasting but connected circumstances elicit heartbreak and hilarity.

Reminiscent of the films of Roy Andersson in tone, Workers combines wry comedy with political commentary, using deadpan observation, precision timing and arresting imagery to make a subtle but certain statement on the absurdities of the nation's extreme class inequalities.

"A biting commentary on near-anonymous employees… (with a) masterful sense of composition." - Variety