Perplexed Ants

Perplexed Ants may be Mercedes Moncada’s most realistic film, although her poetic trademarks remain present. It approaches a specific conflict (several workers’ protests that took place in the Bay of Cádiz) and ultimately offers a broader reflection on contemporary labor struggles within an ultracapitalist framework.

Synopsis: The specter of closure looms over an aircraft factory. Meanwhile, its workers—both men and women—are stunned to discover that their greatest threat is the loss of direct jobs and their labor security. They already know what awaits them, because they have seen it: the subcontracting labor model has been affecting the bodies, souls, and lives of people working in the naval shipyards of this bay for decades.