It is Women’s Month and this International Women’s Day ushers in the release of Valeria Vallejos’ short film Me También (Me Too). Set in Los Angeles, Vallejos’ film raises questions of how many victims are silent, how many are unwilling bystanders, and ultimately who gets a voice? Brilliant acting and artful directing tell a powerful story and give strong social commentary in the seventeen minute short Me También.
Me También, tells the story of two women working for a living in the City of Angels. Monica is a white woman who has just been promoted to an executive role in a marketing company and Cristina is an undocumented Mexican immigrant working as a nanny for a wealthy family. Their stories are bridged together as they have both been sexually assaulted at their respective jobs.
Vallejo’s writing and direction makes masterful use of the short film structure. An entire history of these two women is delivered in less than twenty minutes. The brevity of the film manages to show the value of their current professions while illustrating how quickly circumstances can change and that nothing is certain. The lighting in Me Tambien is particularly notable. The majority of the film is set in the daytime. Monica is shown in a bright sun lit board room and Cristina is shown walking down a street in an affluent neighborhood during the day. Both of these scenes are shot with a frantic feel showing how danger can be present at any given moment and in the public eye.
In addition to writing and directing Vallejo plays the part of Cristina and she stars alongside Katherine Romine who plays Monica. Vallejo and Romine bring an intensity and depth to their characters with seemingly natural ease. Regen Wilson gives a sinister performance as Mr. Reynolds, bringing discomfort to the screen. The characters are realistic and there is a fervency in the performances that magnifies the tone of the film.
Me También is a film with strong acting and directing that tells a powerful story that will resonate with many viewers. Feel free to check it out for yourself.
WATCH ME TAMBIEN ON YOUTUBE OR VIMEO
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