In competition for the FIPRESCI Prize.
film synopsis
He’s the soft-spoken, caring type of boss who wants his employees to know they’re truly valued. But behind the benevolent dictator act, Mr. Blanco (Javier Bardem), owner of Blanco Scales, isn’t above tipping his own scales to get exactly what he wants. As he rallies his employees in preparation for an inspection that could earn him a coveted industry prize, Blanco is confronted with the emotional breakdown of right-hand man Miralles, whose disastrous home life has him slipping on the job; recently fired José, whose protest camp outside the factory is attracting unwanted attention; and new intern Liliana, who’s not the demure pushover Blanco expected. As Blanco’s manipulations go awry and the scales of justice tilt away from him, the mask of the “good boss” comes off, leading to a dizzying climax in this razor-sharp satire from writer-director Fernando León de Aranoa.