The world of «Princess» is a road without prejudice (score 8) – Corriere.it

The new film by Roberto De Paolis,
Princessasks the viewer first a availability to eliminate the possible prejudices that we also involuntarily bring into play in the face of a reality such as that of Nigerian prostitutes. And he asks why in the first place is the film that does it, addressing a topic a risk
moralism (if not worse) as you absolutely do not expect it, with such a total and absolute adhesion to the protagonist that it ends up displacing every possible temptation to voyeurismof prudence or conformity.

Born after a long confrontation with GloryKevina young Nigerian forced like many of her compatriots to prostitute on the streets to pay whoever had smuggled her into Italy, De Paolis’ film chooses to fully share the way she and her friends have chosen to face this reality. somehow the same method with which director had approached the repelling environment of Pure hearts (there was the poverty and moral misery of certain suburbs) recounting that desire not to be contaminated bymarginalization and from marginality which was the strength of the two young protagonists and consequently of the film. With Princess (the title is also the name of the protagonist played by Kevin) the same method of observation and the same will not to do to contaminate from the squalor of reality they become the cornerstones of a decidedly film out of the norm.

The beginning of the work practically slams us in the face where the short ones headlines
drawn that seem suitable to tell a fairy tale it almost brutally follows Princess’s morning prayer that the good Lord asks to be blessed with many good customers. Her prostitute is her job, at least until she has welded his debtand faced with something to which she sees no alternative, it seems just as inevitable to erase everything possible moral concern or moralistic. Everything has a price and money they become the only one yardstick of value which he can adopt.

Of course, a lot also depends on the good or bad customers and the film shows us a fair number of them. In front of Princess passes most of men’s sample national: nice, clever, pathetic, horny, extravagant, eccentric, all in any case who treat Princess exclusively as a sex dispenser and for this they are repaid with the same coin: do ut des. Without ever asking some scruplenot even in front of the octogenarian old man accompanied by his son to whom one can easily slip out of pocket the money he claimed he didn’t have. Only the naive Corrado (played by Lino Musella) seems to be looking for something different, for a relationship that it’s not based on money, but his behavior ends up achieving the opposite result.

That’s not to say Princess’ portrayal doesn’t have moments of sincerity which makes it look like one different womanfor example when it happens by chance to birthday party of a stranger where invited to sing or in the moments in which they exchange confidences with girlfriends about Nigerian men or families who pretend not to receive the money they send or in times of festive prayer with community members. Or even when she explains the rules of hers to Corrado amazing theology or tell your friend the ritual thanks to which she does not feel pain when prostituting herself. But without all of this ever looking like some kind of possible self-justification. And without any temptation miserabilist. Because in a film that programmatically avoids attributing guilt or acquittals, the staging style that redeems a risky topic.

De Paolis films his protagonist sharing it totally the point of view, he tells about it misadventures and tantrums, ingenuity and cunningwith an approach free from any preconception and together without no pretensions to give judgments or convictions. Thus inviting the viewer to look at her with her own free look.