The vast and iconic Torres Blancas building in Madrid is the physical representation of unbounded creativity in this critical fashion film by Nina Aaldering.

The film seeks to question what beauty means in our current times, through the portrayal of three women who have just bought a new appearance at an exclusive boutique in the city that sells faces.

The music wants to reflect this dystopian setting. The harsh string run gives an ominous air from the start of the movie, which slowly builds up through flamenco-style hand claps. The introduction of dark electronic swells adds a grittiness as well as an important contemporary element to the composition, whilst the Spanish guitar and hand claps root it in a locality and maintain authenticity.

Although you see beauty on the screen, the music helps deliver an ominous feeling of uneasiness that is critically important in the message of the film. To quote the director: “The film is about beauty, a subject with a polarising character, shrouded in taboos [...] Today, we live in constant conflict with all the possibilities beauty has to offer. It’s never been easier to buy a new face. You can simply choose your beauty now.”

The result is something dark yet beautiful, ominous yet romantic.