# The Red Virgin

The Red Virgin (Spanish: La virgen roja) is a 2024 biographical drama film directed by Paula Ortiz from a screenplay by Eduard Sola and Clara Roquet. It stars Najwa Nimri and Alba Planas as respectively Aurora and Hildegart Rodríguez. Set during the Second Spanish Republic and based on a real-life story, the plot follows the tortuous relationship between a child prodigy, pundit on female sexuality and lodestar of sexual revolution (Planas) and her obsessive mother (Nimri), who groomed her and keeps her under a tight grip. Patrick Criado, Aixa Villagrán, and Pepe Viyuela appear in supporting roles.
The film is a United States-Spain co-production by Amazon MGM Studios alongside Elastica Films and Avalon PC. It world premiered at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival on 22 September 2024, ahead of its 27 September 2024 theatrical release in Spain by Elastica. It was nominated for nine Goya Awards (including Best Director).

## Plot

An affluent woman, Aurora Rodríguez, copulates with a clergyman. The result is the birth of Hildegart, who Aurora homeschools and grooms to become a girl prodigy able to change the world.
In 1931 Madrid, against the backdrop of the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic, Aurora and 16-year-old Hildegart go to the editorial office of a newspaper to seek the publication of a piece on female sexuality by Hildegart, needing to convince the editor, Guzmán, that it was actually written by the teenager.
Hildegart is introduced to Socialist activist Abel Vilella who shows a keen interest in her. Hildegart and Aurora live in a well-off apartment together with maid Macarena while Hildegart continues her training. Due to her successful writing, Hildegart also corresponds with Havelock Ellis. Macarena provides Aurora with a gun due to the menace posed by misogynistic graffiti appearing on the wall of the staircase landing and reveals to Hildegart that Aurora had only loved a man (as a son) in her whole life, her nephew Pepe, of whom Hildegart knows nothing. Hildegart and Abel meet again during a meeting of socialists in which Hildegart delivers an impassioned speech supporting women rights and participation in politics as well as during a signing session of her book, after which Hildegart falls for Abel. As Hildegart secretly confesses her infatuation with Abel to Macarena, Aurora overhears from behind the door and plots to separate the two young love birds, determined not to let Hildegart stray away from her purpose.
Aurora receives a letter of invitation to a piano concert by her nephew and music prodigy Pepe Arriola, who was also groomed by Aurora and was separated from her before she decided to embark on Project Hildegart. She meets him after the concert backstage and finds out that she was not actually invited by him, and the whole thing was a ruse so Hildegart could have a date with Abel free from the maternal surveillance. Aurora invites Abel to dinner, and Abel and Hildegart tell her about their disenchantment with the Socialist party ranks and their interest in the positions of the Federal Party, which Aurora deems to boast an anarchist stance. Police agents break into the room and arrest Abel on charges of being a serial rapist and feminicide. To Hildegart's despair, Macarena is replaced by another maid. It is eventually revealed to Hildegart that Aurora had blackmailed Macarena into framing Abel for the crimes that were actually committed by Macarena's husband.
Hildegart visits Macarena's humble residence and threatens to frame her as an accomplice to the crimes unless she clears Abel's name of her own volition. With help from Guzmán, Hildegart manages to get a travel ticket to London and convinces Abel to go with her. During a family dinner, Hildegart tells her mother that she is a woman free from anyone, says good night and leaves the room. Aurora acknowledges that Project Hildegart has failed, gets the gun, goes to Hildegart's bedroom and shoots her daughter through the crotch, through the chest, and finally, through the forehead. Hildegart's dead body is paraded in a glass casket through the streets of Madrid under the twilight.

## Cast

* Najwa Nimri as Aurora
* Alba Planas as Hildegart
* Aixa Villagrán as Macarena
* Patrick Criado as Abel Vilella
* Pepe Viyuela as Eduardo de Guzmán

## Production

The screenplay was written by Eduard Sola and Clara Roquet. An Amazon MGM Studios, Elastica, and Avalon production, the project, then titled Hildegart, was disclosed by Amazon Prime Video at the 'Prime Video Presents España' event in April 2023. The platform pitched the film as a mix of "historical drama, romance, thriller and a touch of true crime". Main cast additions including Najwa Nimri, Alba Planas, Patrick Criado, Aixa Villagrán and Pepe Viyuela were announced on 14 June 2023. Shooting had already begun by July 2023. Production wrapped on 19 August 2023. Shooting locations in Madrid included the Congress, Puerta del Sol, and Ateneo de Madrid.
The score was composed by Vetusta Morla members Juanma Latorre and Guille Galván, also including the song "La virgen roja" by Maria Arnal.

## Release

Selected for a special screening in the official selection of the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival, The Red Virgin was presented on 22 September 2024. The film was released theatrically in Spain on 27 September 2024 by Elastica.

## Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.0/10.
Juan Pando [es] of Fotogramas rated the film 5 out of 5 stars, highlighting Najwa Nimri as "she alone fills the whole film" as the best thing about it.
Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 75 points ('good'), mentioning the visual allegories, the care with the mise-en-scène and the quality of the performances as the film's best.
Rubén Romero Santos of Cinemanía rated the film 3½ out of 5 stars, writing that the film "dialogues with the present through the director's usual aestheticizing gaze", carrying in the ending "one of the best and most ambitious scenes of the year".
Javier Ocaña of El País wrote that the film "is artistically impeccable in all areas" and brings in "the sum of great production and an elegant mise-en-scène".

## Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 2024 | 30th Forqué Awards | Best Actress in a Film | Najwa Nimri | Nominated |
| 2025 | 12th Feroz Awards | Best Director | Paula Ortiz | Nominated |
| 2025 | 12th Feroz Awards | Best Main Actress in a Film | Najwa Nimri | Nominated |
| 2025 | 12th Feroz Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Film | Aixa Villagrán | Nominated |
| 2025 | 12th Feroz Awards | Best Screenplay in a Film | Eduard Sola, Clara Roquet | Nominated |
| 2025 | 12th Feroz Awards | Best Trailer | Marta Longás, Jesús Fernández García | Nominated |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Film | Best Film | Nominated |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Director | Paula Ortiz | Nominated |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Original Screenplay | Clara Roquet, Eduard Sola | Nominated |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Actress | Najwa Nimri | Nominated |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Supporting Actress | Aixa Villagrán | Won |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Cinematography | Pedro J. Márquez | Won |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Editing | Pablo Gómez Pan | Nominated |
| 2025 | 79th CEC Medals | Best Music | Guille Galván, Juanma Latorre | Nominated |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Director | Paula Ortiz | Nominated |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Aixa Villagrán | Nominated |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Original Song | "La virgen roja" by Maria Arnal | Nominated |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Art Direction | Javier Alvariño | Won |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Costume Design | Arantxa Ezquerro | Won |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Makeup and Hairstyles | Eli Adánez, Paco Rodríguez Frías | Nominated |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Sound | Coque F. Lahera, Álex F Capilla & Nacho Royo-Villanova | Nominated |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Special Effects | Raúl Romanillos, Juanma Nogales | Nominated |
| 2025 | 39th Goya Awards | Best Production Supervision | Kati Martí Donoghue | Nominated |
| 2025 | 33rd Actors and Actresses Union Awards | Best Film Actress in a Leading Role | Najwa Nimri | Nominated |
| 2025 | 33rd Actors and Actresses Union Awards | Best Film Actress in a Secondary Role | Aixa Villagrán | Nominated |
| 2025 | 33rd Actors and Actresses Union Awards | Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role | Patrick Criado | Won |
| 2025 | 33rd Actors and Actresses Union Awards | Best New Actress | Alba Planas | Nominated |
| 2025 | 12th Platino Awards | Best Art Direction | Javier Alvariño | Pending |