Slavery has never ended. It has just assumed other names and ways to conceal itself. Roser Corella’s film zooms in on Beirut, where the upper class on a large scale hires maids from countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and the Philippines through agencies that advise people how to cheat and manipulate the young women to work full-time (literally) for meagre wages. An upsetting revelation, but Corella keeps a cool head and tears the inhuman ‘kafala’ system apart piece by piece. She analyses the situation in both words and images, but it is the underpaid maids themselves who provide the conclusion in the form of demonstrations, protests and demands for proper working conditions. ‘Room without a View’, the title of which describes the rooms made available to the women, combines an artistic and an investigative approach to its exposition of the abominable monster that is modern slavery. A film that is highly topical in all parts of the world - unfortunately.
Reviews
Best movie ever!
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.