Program Note
Carolina meets a 16-year-old boy named Leo in an online chatroom and decides to finally meet him in a park in Madrid. However, when a man appears in the park, it turns out to be Leo, a middle-aged man. The early scenes of the film, resembling a typical online sex crime scenario, take unexpected turns that captivate the audience. What unfolds between the two characters?
Based on Paco Bezerra’s play Grooming, Pablo Maqueda’s second feature film, Girl Unknown cleverly plays with the audience’s expectations regarding the concept of online grooming. The film refuses to adhere to the clear boundaries of perpetrator and victim, instead delving into the complex and multidimensional desires and psychology hidden beneath the surface of the characters’ faces. It skillfully navigates between thriller, horror, and black comedy, reconstructing the narrative boundaries. The film confronts us with the underlying fear that lurks in everyday moments, as well as the masks we wear to hide it, challenging us to question ourselves. (Jin PARK)