The Mole Agent (2020)

This is a documentary that takes place largely within the confines of a Chilean skilled nursing facility, where residents are not allowed to leave the premises. The mission is to investigate whether or not there is wrong doing afoot there. The question is who to beleive, the resident, who may or may not have her wits about her, and the story told by the facility. The uniqueness comes from the reporter. Sergio, and 83 year old who has just lost his wife of many years, applies for the job of undercover agent to go in and investigate the claims. He is armed with a pen and a pair of glasses that he can film with, but he starts off not knowing how to work his iPhone properly. This is warm and disarming. Not all is perfect in the facility, but it is not bad. Sergio's reporting gives some context to what might explain some of the complaints, but he is also giving the residents an audience to speak to. The film viewer who also gets to learn about various residents, including Perdita’s poetry, Bertita’s love of autonomy, and Marta’s kleptomania. The documentary does not rely on a talking head interview format, and yet it has the same effect when it comes to what the viewer takes away from the film—-here are the thoughts and anxieties of different residents, thanks to Sergio's conversations with them. This is short listed for the Academy Award in both International film as well as documentary film.