Soy Nevenka tells the harrowing story of Nevenka Fernández, the first woman in Spain to dare to accuse a politician of sexual harassment: Ponferrada’s mayor, Ismael Álvarez. Although she won the case, the sentence was minimal, and Nevenka was forced to leave her country, unable to find work and under the constant scrutiny of a society that judged her harshly and distrustfully. Meanwhile, Álvarez, a popular mayor, received support from his party and much of the local community, leaving Nevenka utterly defenseless.
The film focuses not only on the trial but also on the long and painful process of harassment, a phenomenon often misunderstood as an isolated incident. Soy Nevenka reveals how harassment is a constant drip, a form of emotional violence that eventually strips the victim of their identity and paralyzes them. Director Icíar Bollaín invites us to reflect on harassment in all its dimensions, highlighting Nevenka’s courage, who paid a heavy price for standing up to power.
Inspired by real events, Soy Nevenka turns its protagonist into a pioneer of the #MeToo movement in Spain, being the first to bring an influential politician to justice for sexual and workplace harassment. A powerful and highly relevant story for today, it reminds us of the importance of fighting against silence and impunity.
On April 11th, the screening of Soy Nevenka at Pathé Tuschinski will be accompanied by a special gala, where ASFF will present the inaugural Honorary Gieling Award to Icíar Bollaín in recognition of her impactful filmography and commitment to transformative storytelling.
The gala will feature the award presentation and an audience discussion with the director, and with Ramón Gieling personally presenting the honor.
On Saturday, April 12th, a screening of the film at Filmkoepel Haarlem will be followed by a Q&A with Icíar Bollaín.
