In Her Place (El lugar de la otra)

Chile’s entry to the Academy Awards of 2025.

Chile, 1955.

When the popular writer María Carolina Geel kills her lover, the case captivates Mercedes, the shy secretary of the judge in charge of the case.

After visiting the writer’s apartment, Mercedes begins to question her life, identity, and the role of women in society as she finds an oasis of freedom in that home.

As stated in the film, “the art of today is inspired by the art of yesterday.” Continuing in the vein of “The Mole Agent” and “The Eternal Memory,” “In Her Place” encourages the viewer to engage in contemporary themes from worlds of the past.

It looks as if it might be heavy going, but, on the contrary, Alberdi keeps the tone consistently light, helped in no small measure by Zulueta’s central performance as Mercedes.

Crime, Drama, History
Chile (Spanish) 1h 29min