You Are Not Me (Tú no eres yo) is a feature film written and directed by Marisa Crespo and Moisés Romera. Their short films have been screened at many international film festivals and recognized for their talent with awards and nominations.
ABOUT THE FILM You Are Not Me:
Aitana returns home for the first time in three years, excited to introduce her wife and their adopted infant son to her extended family and celebrate Christmas together. The family villa in the Spanish countryside is precisely as she remembers – except for the addition of Nadia, a Romanian refugee who has claimed Aitana’s bedroom, her clothes, and her family heirlooms. Why have Aitana’s conservative parents, long suspicious of immigrants, embraced the mysterious Nadia with such uncharacteristic warmth? Who Is Nadia? A twisty thriller that locates the uncanny in the reflexive cordiality of the holiday season, You Are Not Me is a dark and disturbing dispatch from the most irrational realm: family.
Aitana (Roser Tapias) surprises her parents and disabled brother for Christmas with her partner Gabi (Yapoena Silva) and her adopted son. The surprise is not welcome when they arrive and is anything but warm. Her parents, Dori (Pilar Almería) and Oriol (Álvaro Báguena) are not excited to see her, but her brother Saul (Jorge Motos) is beyond excited. Aitana plans to stay in her former bedroom but finds a woman named Nadia (Anna Kurikka) who now lives there. The parents are evasive when Aitana questions them, and she is even more shocked when they address her as if she were a beloved family member. The parents took in Nadia, a refugee-turned-caretaker for Aitana’s brother. The filmmakers have created a great script to show the tension in this complex family relationship that has existed and is heightened by a few factors. What appears to be a holiday family drama slowly becomes a thriller to keep the audience glued to the screen. Aitana and Gabi are a committed couple, but neither the family nor visiting friends appear to exhibit any misgivings or prejudice about the family unit.
Dori and Oriol are hosting a mysterious dinner party, and it is obvious that they do not want Aitana to attend. Aitana’s clothes were donated while she was gone from her parent’s villa, so she has no fancy clothes to wear. Imagine the hurt, pain, and anger when Dori offers Nadia a ball gown. Fireworks! Family friend Pepita (Pilar Martinez) is a whiz at preparing a special cocktail to serve the guests. The little brother knows about it, but not Aitana and Gabi who indulge in the beverage. It calms Aitana but does not stop her, leading her to learn so much more about her parents, their guests, and herself.
This film was released in 2023 in Austin at Fantastic Fest. At the Fant, Bilbao Fantasy Film Festival, it was the 2024 Winner Jury Prize for Best Script (for Marisa Crespo/Moisés Romera). The film has had a theatrical release in limited theaters as of Friday, December 6, and on Digital. For the full list of theaters, visit musicboxfilms.com. The film is 99 minutes and in Spanish (with subtitles). Although it is unrated, some scenes are considered an R rating for smoking, drinking, and nudity.
Source: Doppelgänger Releasing, Music Box Films Label