The Mole Agent was premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020. An achingly moving study of loneliness and heartbreak, The Mole Agent is, nevertheless, underlined by a delightful, gentle humour and a particularly captivating film song: ‘Cada Vez’. After a very unusual casting session with other equally aged candidates, 83-year old Sergio is hired by Private Investigator Rómulo (Rómulo Aitken) who was formerly a policeman, to check up on the treatment of Sonia, an elderly lady in an old people’s home. Sonia’s daughter, convinced that her mother is being mistreated and abused, has hired the Private Investigator, Rómulo, to investigate.
Sergio Chamy and Rómulo Aitkin, The Private Investigator
Sergio (the charismatic Sergio Chamy) is no ordinary 007. He takes his task extremely seriously, having agreed to be interned in the home for the duration. He takes copious notes and films with his spy cameras, though he finds the IT skills required somewhat challenging. Once there, he finds that despite being in an old people’s home, he is delighted to have the chance to do something useful to avoid dwelling on the recent death of his own wife, finding himself, ironically, rejuvenated by the experience.
Sergio Chamy at the anniversary party
However, this unusual mole, once inside, becomes ever more involved with the residents he meets there, growing close to them by varying degrees and becoming quite a celebrity in a home dominated largely by an interesting mêlèe of elderly women. Through keenly observed conversations and interactions, Alberdi (through Sergio the spy) uncovers the real truth that lies beneath the assumptions of misdemeanours, with compassion and empathy.
Maite Alberdi started out in journalism, so the present and its reality has always held a fascination for her. From the start, her contemplative observations of real life have focussed mainly on the ‘invisible’ people, those out of the public eye or marginalized for one reason or another. Her first short films won many prizes, in particular Los Niños (The Grown-Ups-2016) that highlights the lives of a group of people living with Down’s syndrome. They live alone and are now adults. Finally, with their parents gone, they think they will be finally allowed to live on their own, have sex, get married and be parents. But they find these doors closed to them and despite being in their 50s, they have to tolerate being treated as if they were still 10-year olds.
Los Niños (The Grown-ups- 2016)
Through these various films, largely produced through Micromundo, her production company, Maite Alberdi has developed an individual and original way of achieving astonishingly intimate portrayals of people locked in their own small-scale worlds.
“I feel that my methods as a documentary film maker are similar to Rómulo’s. Documentary work resembles that of a private detective… he does field observations and follow- ups to find what he needs. He spends days waiting to find his evidence, as I have to wait to have my scenes… I was interested in filming the elderly because they’re a group that allow us to build both universal and individual stories. I think that from microworlds, one can learn about our larger society.”
Maite Alberdi
Alberdi was careful to have a small team of only four people in the crew to minimize the intrusion, but as she herself points out, people can pretend for a while, but not for long. After the three months it took to film this production, everyone had got used to the cameras. The crew shot over 300 hours of material and that was in addition to the takes on Sergio’s spy cameras, so the biggest challenge took place in the editing suite: -
“…the film is like the sculptor's trade, which has a huge rock (which in this case would be [300 hours of] reality) and you have to chisel the stone away until the figure appears.
Alberdi’s approach meant that they were able to achieve a level of intimacy and honesty that is beguiling at all levels. As she points out, even at 84: “Sergio taught me to be open to experience without prejudice… he was willing to live a new life, meet new people, and listen”, so, it was no surprise that Sergio turned out to be a big hit with the ladies, who make up the largest percentage in the home. Some of the residents in this particular home had lived there for up to 25 years, which meant that they would already have been residents in their fifties.
Sergio Chamy and love- sick lady at the home
This gentle and reflective film is nevertheless, mesmerizing. The audience is held in suspense, constantly worrying that Sergio’s role will be uncovered , while the love, pain and loneliness of his new friends is gradually revealed. To get the necessary authorization to film in the home, Alberdi told the Home Director they were making a documentary about the elderly and that they planned to record everything, including new residents (knowing that Sergio would soon be just that). Despite that, they did not film all the time, but focussed on the relationships that Sergio was establishing. This new ‘resident’ so revitalized the long- term residents that they fawned over him and divulged their secrets. Leading to both Sergio and the crew finding themselves more and more emotionally involved as well.
Sergio Chamy and Rómulo Aitkin
Alberdi points out that it is “documentaries that bring us closer to those worlds that we do not know.” She found it sad to discover the level of mistrust that leads to similar investigations, even bosses investigating their employees or parents investigating their children. She wondered how far such investigations are led by guilt, such as a daughter who fears that her mother is being ill-treated, yet she never visits. These microcosmic worlds reveal a mirror image of the world outside, and under Alberdi’s masterly and empathetic direction, her documentaries go far beyond an initial report of results, that moved everyone who participated. When a resident died, it became everyone’s loss, so much so that Alberdi commented: -
“When the camera and crew left, they missed us and we missed them!”
‘Cada vez, cuando te miro,
cada vez,
es como descubrir el universo’. (Every time I look at you, every time... it’s like discovering the universe)
The Mole Agent (2020) will be available on digital platforms from Dec 11th 2020
Written & Directed by Maite Alberdi
Producer Marcela Santibáñez
Executive Producers Julie Goldman / Christopher Clements/ Caroline Hepburn
Editor Carolina Siraqyan
DOP Pablo Valdés
Cast: Sergio Chamy/ Rómulo Aitken/ Marta Olivares/ Berta Ureta / Zoila Gonzalez / Petronila Abarca/ Rubira Olivares.
Original music Vincent van Warmerdam
Producer Daniela Sandoval
Sound Designer Roberto Espinoza
Field Sound Boris Herrera / Juan Carlos Maldonado
Songs: Cada Vez/ Te Quiero - songs composed by Jose Luis Perales sung by Manuel García.
