I Am Nevenka Highlights The Value Of Dignity And Self Worth

Icíar Bollaín’s 2024 biopic I Am Nevenka shows audiences the importance of speaking up for yourself, even when it seems impossible.

Set in Ponferrada, Spain during the 1990s, the film tells the story of Spanish economist Nevenka Fernandez , who was sexually harassed by the city’s mayor, Ismael Alvarez. 

Fernandez is a young graduate who, despite her lack of experience and political affiliations, is given the high-ranking position of finance councillor for the city. Conveniently, this position’s excessive workload includes being in close contact with the mayor. 

As the new hire works diligently to prove her potential, Alvarez began to approach her in the workplace with inappropriate insinuations that crosses boundaries. 

Those insinuations soon turn into manipulative schemes, and the harassment turns into humiliation. Through his abusive behavior, Alvarez slowly destroys Fernandez’s character and self-worth. 

The mayor of Ponferrada uses his political power to disguise his true nature and exploit others to his convenience. That puts Fernandez in a complicated situation where she is forced to stay silent about the abuse. 

Spanish actress Mireia Oriol delivers a compelling performance, vividly bringing the pain and anguish endured by Fernandez to the screen.

Close-ups are used in scenes where Oriol’s character feels insecure, visualizing for audiences the way the harassment affected her. 

“To help the audience understand sexual harassment we had to put them under the skin of the victim”  Bollaín’ told Hoy por Hoy, one of Spain’s top radio programs during an interview about the movie.  

In the beginning of the film, she looks youthful and full of life. Toward the end, she appears skinny and fatigued, with a face characterized by a lack of sleep. 

After repeatedly refusing the mayor’s advances, Fernandez seeks refuge in those close to her. She is discouraged from speaking out against the abuse by her parents and co-workers, and only receives support from her boyfriend, Lucas.

The film receives its name from a pivotal moment where the protagonist stands up to her boss and reclaims her identity: “I Am Nevenka,” the declaration, puts an end to the abuse she has endured. 

With the help of her partner, Fernandez quits her job and files a report against the mayor, despite the repercussions she faces. A public trial takes place, and most people in Ponferrada side with Alvarez—including workers from the city council who witnessed his behavior.

The then 26-year-old wins the trial and becomes the first woman in Spain to help convict a politician for sexual harassment. 

However, the outcome of the trial generates a lot of backlash in her personal and professional life, forcing her to leave the country. The reaction from the public and the manipulation of the media reflects the stigma around reporting sexual harassment, which is prevelant to this today. 

I Am Nevenka highlights the ongoing struggle women face when reporting sexual harassment. The courage she displayed when testifying in front of a courtroom was a stepping stone toward larger progress like the Me Too movement.