La Mami

“The men here are good for two things: nothing and money.” This is just one of the many words of wisdom that Doña Olga, known as “Mami”, has in store for the dancers and hostesses of the Barba Azul Cabaret in Mexico City. As the nightclub’s kind soul and guardian of the women’s wardrobe, she looks after their deposited belongings, always has enough toilet paper at hand and is the primary contact person for the women plagued by worry and problems. She is also there for the likes of the shy Carmen who, with some trepidation, takes up her new job at the cabaret to pay for her son’s cancer treatment. In Mami’s dressing room, she finds an urgently needed retreat from her chauvinistic working environment. LA MAMI follows the dancers from wardrobe to dance floor with a steady camera. Director Laura Herrero Garvín proves to be a patient observer and provides a sensitive insight into a community of women who have to prepare themselves every day afresh for a harsh reality.