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Nadie Habló de Ellas
(The Girls No One Spoke Of)
19’ - Spain - 2026
Democracy arrived, but the doors stayed locked.
From 1941 to 1985, over 80,000 women and girls were confined in religious centres across Spain, having committed no crime. They were held under the Patronato de Protección a la Mujer, the longest-lasting repressive institution of the Franco dictatorship.
In 1985 the State officially dissolved the Patronato, but for decades afterwards, many of the centres kept operating.
Elena, Mayte and Cristina entered in 1987, 1989 and 1993. The same buildings, the same staff and the same treatment, in a Spain that was formally democratic. This is the first record of their experiences.
How long does a dictatorship outlive its dictator?
CREDITS
Director - Olivia West Álvarez
Cinematographer - Agnes Marie Kristiansen
Editor - Maria Alonso Araujo
Composer - Odina
Sound Designer - Tom Bosher