In Her Place (El lugar de la otra) is a drama from Chile. Set in 1955, it’s a fictionalized version of something that really happened. It’s Chile’s Best International Feature Film of 2025 Oscar submission.
In Her Place is the kind of film men watch and say, “Nothing happened.” Women watch it and say, “Oh, I get it.”
The true part of the story is that well known Chilean writer María Carolina Geel (Francisca Lewin) shot her lover in a hotel dining room. She made no effort to deny what she’d done and was arrested.
Mercedes (Elisa Zulueta) worked for the judge trying the case. She was a competent but unappreciated woman, taken for granted by her husband and two sons.
The judge sent Geel to a convent instead of putting her in a prison. Mercedes was given the keys to Geel’s apartment and told to get her some clothing and other things she would need while held in the convent.
Mercedes snapped when she saw Geel’s apartment. It was quiet, spacious, beautiful. And empty at the moment. There were books and music. Mercedes began going there again and again. She wore Geel’s lipstick and perfume, tried on her clothes, soaked in her tub. It was heaven. She was free. She knew it was temporary and that she would have to give it up, but she kept visiting until the last possible moment.
Mercedes was the fictional part of this true story. The real story about Geel’s almost-scot-free murder is interesting. But any woman who has been at the beck and call of men who never once noticed or appreciated what she did for them will understand where the idea for this story came from. I’ve felt the same longing for quiet and freedom that drove her character and I don’t think I’m the only one.
If you had the keys to a posh place where no one was living at the moment, would you steal away a few moments of peace for yourself?
The film was directed by Maite Alberdi. She’s an award winning documentary director, but this is her first “fiction” film. It’s actually part fiction and part documentary. Both parts feel real for women’s lives.
The film is streaming on Netflix.
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Wow. Don’t know much about this movie, but…
Your writing, your article, gave me pause. I felt an odd mixture of thoughts or emotions; am not sure what, not exactly.
One answer to your question, if we had the keys, near the end of your review:
Of course, yes!
Moments of peace are not readily available to us; they are a precious commodity, to be appreciated.
But I’ll be especially careful,
try not to disturb anyone
or anything
that doesn’t relate or belong to me; not during my occasional, PERSONAL search for peace
{contrast, between selfishly evil and some measures of kinder consideration for others}.
Thank you so much,
for sharing your writing and some feelings with us (the rest of the world, and OAD readers).
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Thanks for being here and reading the reviews.