Open City Documentary Festival presents Dressed in Blue (Vestida de azul) Wed 15 Apr

Filmed in 1981, as Spain was navigating its transition to democracy after Franco’s death, this powerful documentary follows six transgender women living in Madrid, speaking openly about their lives in a country still redefining itself. Moving between conversations held around a table and moments drawn from everyday life, questions of work, desire, family, visibility, and survival surface with humour, tension, and honesty.

We see the women at home and with their families, preparing their bodies, navigating love and sex work, and confronting a police presence that continues to shape their daily lives. Their conversations are direct, sometimes confrontational, and often playful, resisting any single point of view.

Premiered at the San Sebastián Film Festival in 1983, the film was released successfully in commercial cinemas across Spain before later disappearing from circulation. Now restored, it has begun to re-emerge, returning to cinemas and festivals as a work that continues to speak across time.

With an introduction by Marta Calderón. Followed by a Q&A with Nacha Sánchez. With the support of Instituto Cervantes.