Netflix’s Spanish political thriller film ‘She Walks in Darkness’ or ‘Un fantasma en la batalla’ chronicles the happenings in the life of a young woman named Amayo Mateos Ginés. She is an undercover officer for the Spanish Civil Guard who is tasked with infiltrating the terrorist organization called ETA. The group wreaks havoc across parts of Spain and France in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite an initial agreement between the Government of Spain and the group, more hardliner factions within the group find it difficult to abandon violence. Due to an increase in violence against the public, the Civil Guard assumes the responsibility to safeguard the interests of the people by putting an end to the reign of the terrorist-separatist organization.
Amayo is called in to risk her life and somehow find out secrets about the group that could help law enforcement authorities put an end to the violence. However, when the protagonist manages to become a member of the group through deception and lies, she begins to realize that she may have taken a huge risk. Directed by Agustín Díaz Yanes, the film explores the ideas of political extremism and violence poignantly. SPOILERS AHEAD.
She Walks in Darkness is a Fictional Take on Political Reality
Written by the aforementioned director, ‘She Walks in Darkness’ reflects political reality, despite containing a fictional storyline. The nucleus of the film is the events that take place within the spaces of a terrorist group. ETA, or Euskadi ta Askatasuna, is a Basque separatist organization founded in 1959. Designated a terrorist group, it sought an independent Basque homeland, using violence that led to 843 deaths by 2016. ETA emerged in response to the historical oppression of the Catholic Basque people and their unique language, Euskara, especially under Francisco Franco’s dictatorship from 1939 to 1975. In 1980, 94 people were killed by ETA. The group’s increased activities were meant to emphasize its role during this period of Spanish political reorganization.
The film explores the happenings within this organization as it tries to achieve independence from Spain. Though the names of the characters are fictional, the reality of Spain’s political scenario during the 1980s and the 1990s is poignantly covered in the narrative. As Amayo infiltrates the group of extremists, she finds that they are committed to the goals they hope to achieve. The opening credits of the film talk about the violence carried out by the ETA and the efforts of the Civil Guard in countering the activities of the group. However, the credits also make it clear that Amayo’s journey reflects the struggles of those who risked their lives for the security of the country. Amayo is not a character based on a single real-life individual, but a symbolic representation of the experiences of many such people.
In reality, ETA announced a ceasefire in September 1998, but it only lasted 14 months. Despite another “permanent” ceasefire in March 2006, ETA bombed Madrid’s airport in December 2006, killing two, and officially ended the ceasefire in June 2007. Increased policing weakened the group, but violence continued. In May 2018, ETA formally disbanded, ending fifty years of violence that led to horrific instances of violence in the country. The film’s layered narrative looks at the reality of political extremism, which is mainly narrated through the perspectives of the protagonist Amayo. Though the narrative doesn’t take a side or make value judgments on the group’s quest for independence from Spain, it manages to capture the reality of political violence. Ultimately, the objective of the film is not to promote or glorify violence, but to entertain the viewers with a dramatized take on reality.
The Narrative Humanizes the Experiences of Undercover Agents
One of the central themes of the film is the arduous journey undertaken by the protagonist, Amayo, when she infiltrates ETA. She takes the alias “Amaia” and builds relationships with members based on a made-up story of her life and origins. Despite the dramatic elements that paint the screen, the film’s core is the humanization of Amayo’s character. Not only does she take a different identity, but she also gives up her safety, her romantic interests, and her privacy in the process of bringing ETA to justice. In a way, the movie is a subtle tribute to those who work away from the limelight to keep others safe.
According to the National Library of Medicine, undercover work can severely impact agents, leading to low self-esteem, depression, anger, and a need for recognition. Some may even develop dissociative symptoms, retaining their false identity due to extreme psychological stress, which impairs their normal identity. Though Amayo is able to work undercover in ETA, she finds herself facing challenges that blur her sense of real identity and assumed identity. She develops extremely emotional and personal relationships with members of the organization that she is secretly working to bring down. This makes her mission more complicated. Thus, the story looks at the human cost of secrecy and the unusual scenarios that it can lead to.
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