Madrid, Bad Life 2021

Directed by Ignacio Ruiz

Over a hundred years since the publication of the sociological text, La mala vida en Madrid, that coined the term in Spain, what does it mean to be a ‘lowlife’? Eye-catching, almost otherworldy and unashamedly provocative, this commentary on class, sexuality and urban stratification appropriates the pathologising label of ‘Other’ to shine a light on the explosion of ‘lifeforms’ in the Spanish capital today. Featuring the clever use of 8mm to create a surreal, pseudo-documentary look that draws in and distances simultaneously, Madrid, Bad Life is a sophisticated and thought-provoking high-concept work.