Los Domingos

When Ainara announces that she wants to become a nun, her family panics. Is this truly her own decision, or has she been influenced by the spiritual guidance at her school? Or might this drastic choice stem from her father’s lack of attention or her mother’s absence?

Los domingos is a film about faith and devotion, certainty and doubt. Seventeen-year-old Ainara lost her mother at a young age. As is customary in her family, she attends a religious school. One day, she tells her family she wants to spend a week in a convent—she is considering becoming a nun. This unexpected news turns her family’s life upside down, bringing old wounds, resentment, and disagreements to the surface.

Los Domingos by Spanish director Alauda Ruiz de Azúa (Dicen, Cinco Lobitos) invites discussion and explores both the positive aspects and the darker sides of Ainara’s religious calling. At the same time, it raises questions about tolerance, indoctrination, conformity, and personal freedom. Through subtle observations and sharp dialogue, the film creates a compelling portrait of a young girl trying to find her own path.

The film was a major success in Spain and had its world premiere at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, where it won no fewer than five awards, including the Golden Shell for Best Film. In the Netherlands, it premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.