Workers

Workers exposes Mexico’s social class struggles with sharp wit and emotional resonance. Rafael prepares for his retirement after cleaning floors for 30 years; Lidia desperately awaits the passing of the owner whose house she has been cleaning for too many years. However, nothing goes according to plan, and the two of them have to deal with a very unexpected situation. Director José Luis Valle borrows elements from the early work of the Coen brothers, mixing it with distinctive cinematography, intelligent editing, and a solid dose of dark surrealism to produce a film that is a biting commentary on today’s Mexico. ess

José Luis Valle was born in El Salvador, but lives and works in Mexico. Valle has written children’s books and directed documentaries and short films. His documentary El milagro del papa (2009) was shown at many festivals, including the Locarno Film Festival. Workers is his feature film debut.