TEAM PLAYER

LOGLINE

An expert physical therapist discovers the football player she is assisting has no real injury and has been faking it. When she confronts him about it, he asks her to injure him. What he doesn’t know is that this is what she is best at. Should they trust one another?

INTENTION

By Lucía Aleñar Iglesias

I have always been captivated by the work of physical therapists, chiropractors, and osteopaths. Walking into their space feels unlike any other doctor’s office. Their relationship to the body is fascinating, almost like they can see and feel beyond our skin. Physical therapy, in particular, is quite an intimate practice; it often feels like a journey of undergoing pain to come out feeling good, healed. There is a great deal of trust between a physical therapist and their patient, because the first thing one must let go of when lying on the massage bed is control.

TEAM PLAYER is a film that depicts a troubling power dynamic as it follows a physical therapist trying to heal an elite athlete from a knee injury. But sometimes fixing the problem will only make things worse. This project is a character study that bends the limits of what rehabilitation can look like.

Valentina, our protagonist, is a healer or a monster depending on how you see her. It is that ambiguity that I am fascinated by. She is a remarkable physical therapist, obsessive almost to a fault. But it is also what makes her so good at what she does – it is why Andrea, the top soccer player in the country, only wants her to touch his body. The heart of this project lies in their connection; they are each other’s drug. The trust between them, their body language, their dependance on each other– is what makes the atrocity they will commit almost, dare I say, loving. The challenge lies in establishing this connection they have with one another, and the paranoia that plagues Valentina’s mind every day in order for the audience to experience something dreadful and curative at the same time.

In parallel, I am interested in exploring the negative impact of being in the spotlight as a professional athlete. Andrea is young, rich, and has the perfect body. He has a net worth most can only dream of, yet he feels like his body doesn’t belong to him. It’s as if his limbs have become a commodity – worth more than his mind, his soul. There is a pressure he feels that keeps building the more famous he gets, and he wants to escape it. He feels as if he’s lost control of himself, and only Valentina can give that back to him.

There will be an austerity in the visual language of this film that will feed the paranoia that is ever present in Valentina’s day to day. No frills, nothing overly stylized, the camera will not call attention to itself. I don’t want to fetishize their bodies or their experience, rather approach it in a more poetic way – as these two individuals connect to their bodies, over shared pain, and help one another. We will primarily be with Valentina but will allow Andrea’s subjective to come in as they become closer and closer. I feel the real horror will come from the soundscape of this film. Sound will play a visceral role in this film as every crack of the body and every breath Valentina and Andrea take together will dictate a haunting rhythm. So, who is willing to be a team player?

SYNOPSIS

We open on SKIN. A MAN’S back, muscles, and spine are the playground for VALENTINA’S hands. We never fully see this Man, he is abstracted to the viewer. She runs her hands up and down, applying pressure on different points. Her thumb presses into his scapula, encouraging the bone to protrude, like a shark teasing its fin to us. Seconds go by. She releases, leaving a deep red bruise where her fingers pressed: her mark. She works with ease, eyes closed, letting her hands feel for pain or discomfort – like a pianist carried away by emotion. She helps the MAN turn around, now lying face-up. Valentina cradles his neck in her hands. She asks him to relax, as she feels the delicate vertebrae in his neck. He is nervous. She breathes in and out, encouraging him to do the same. She begins to count, Deep breath in...one....two...Suddenly the Man yells Wait! But Valentina continues...Three CRACK. We hear his neck cracking. To some a hair-raising, excruciating sound. To others the most pleasing vibration. Cut to black: Team Player.

VALENTINA (early 40s) goes for a run at night along the Castellana avenue in Madrid. She keeps a good, strong pace. Speeding past slow traffic and few passersby, she leaps back onto the sidewalk with a sprint and comes to a sudden stop as she feels a sharp pain in her back. She instantly clutches onto her lower back; this feeling is new. She squeals, then catches her breath – not wanting to bring attention to herself. She sits at a bench silhouetted by the streetlights, waiting for the pain to subside. She is able to sit up a little. Behind her a BILLBOARD that covers an entire building. A uniformed SOCCER PLAYER named ANDREA advertising a toothpaste. She stares at his pearly white smile.

Two pairs of legs underwater, moving in perfect sync almost like they’re dancing. We are in an olympic-sized indoor pool. VALENTINA and ANDREA (mid 20s) swim in the deep part of the pool. He holds onto her as they go through mobility exercises. TWO BODYGUARDS pace by the entrance of the pool. Their footsteps echoing in the enclosed space. Valentina jokes about his toothpaste ad. She is careful with him, coaching him through these movements. Andrea is inquisitive about Valentina’s other job as a junior coach. He is curious to know how her players are doing and tries to give her advice, but Valentina shrugs him off. Andrea has a foreign accent, his Spanish is not so good. As the bodyguards’ footsteps get louder, Andrea loses his patience. They remind him that his next appointment with his stylist is soon. Andrea begins to howl in pain, asks them to cancel his stylist appointment. The men leave; the room feels different now that they are alone, Valentina feels an intimacy. They resume their exercises; Valentina calls him out for exaggerating that scream. I know you better than you know yourself. Andrea is on a massage bed in a large equipment room. His leg is hooked up to an electromagnetic machine, making his thigh vibrate. Valentina comments on his ability to join the team for practice soon. Neither of them seem thrilled about it. Afterwards, she practices mobility exercises on his knee. She watches for his pain threshold. Then, she asks him if he trusts her. He says yes. Valentina takes a needle from her kit and tells him she’s going to relieve some of the deeper pain in his leg. She punctures his trigger point in Andrea’s leg with the needle. This sends Andrea squealing in pain. She takes the needle out and apologizes profusely. Holding him as he recovers.

It’s evening and a neighborhood soccer field is barely illuminated by a few surrounding lights. A soccer game between two teams of GIRLS around 16-20 in age. They play fast, aggressively, with control. Coaching one of the teams is Valentina. She rubs her back, nursing her injury. She talks to PAULA, one of her players; they trust one another, there is a special relationship between them. Valentina shouts directions at her girls, but behind her there are louder voices. Voices of PARENTS, FRIENDS of the girls playing – they are riling the girls up, insulting the ref, trying to psych the opposing team, and shouting opposing directions to the girls. Valentina has enough and turns around to shut the worst of them all up. The MAN calls her a cunt under his breath. He threatens her, if I ever see you on the street, you better run. Valentina spits on the ground. A sterile, luxe boardroom. A team of 12 or so PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, NUTRITIONISTS, DOCTORS sit around a large table. Valentina is among them. She is quiet here, more docile than what we’ve seen of her before. Different doctors cover the health status of each soccer player in the team. It’s Valentina’s turn – the HEAD DOCTOR is in a rush to get Andrea in shape for the next game. Valentina tells them he’s not ready yet. The Doctor explains they are well past the projected treatment timeline; the X-rays look good, what’s the issue? He should’ve been ready a week ago. The fans cannot wait any longer. Valentina feels all eyes on her. After the meeting, she gets pulled aside by the head doctor. This is her ultimatum to get Andrea in shape, she is out of time. Since he will be playing again, they will move her to a different patient soon, to help on a secondary team. She will lose Andrea. Valentina feels the room closing in on her, the sound drowns out. She PRESSES her lower back against the corner of the table.

Valentina washes her hands furiously. Applies moisturizer meticulously. A ritual of sorts. She checks herself out in the mirror, trying to straighten her posture. It hurts. She hunches just slightly. Much better. Valentina watches a luxury car try to enter the facilities. It is swarmed by journalists and fans banging on the car window. She sees as the window to the car is rolled out, he signs a couple of autographs and a WOMAN lunges toward Andrea in the car. In a massage room at the same facility, Valentina works on Andrea. He has a LIPSTICK stain on his cheek from the crazed fan. She massages his leg, his knee, his injury. She tells him how it seems like his knee is feeling much better to her. He disagrees, it’s too dangerous to get on the field again. Andrea dismisses his bodyguards once again. There is a fearful sensation that invades Valentina now that she is alone with him. Is she in danger? He tells her nobody knows what that is like, what being on that field is like. She brings up the idea of playing again. Andrea gets upset, sitting up quickly. His sudden move sends Valentina to take a step back. This tweaks her back injury further. She crumbles in pain, crouching down. Her ears ring. She can’t move. Andrea gets off the massage table, tries to help her. This time he coaches her through breathing exercises, trying to calm her. She asks him not to tell anyone about this. He PICKS her up and puts her on the massage table. Valentina clocks how much weight he is putting on his injured knee. She asks him to put pressure on a specific point in her lower back. She asks for him to go harder, more. Her pain morphs into pleasure. She has control over this moment. He notices her change, the connection between them at this moment. He finally releases his thumb from the trigger point and leaves a reddish, purple mark on her skin – much like the lipstick stain on his cheek.

Valentina rides a crowded public bus. Her eyes are glued to her phone. On the screen, she replays Andrea’s injury. She watches him tumble to the ground, clutching onto his knee like his life depends on it. She plays it again. The PERSON sitting next to her steals glances at Valentina with a strange expression. The sound of Andrea’s screams playing over and over again. Valentina gets off the bus and dials Andrea’s number. Yes? She waits a moment, nervous, then tells him, I know you’re faking it. She hangs up before he can reply. Valentina walks home alone at night. The streets are more or less empty. She notices A MAN behind her. Is it the MAN who threatened her at the game? Is it Andrea’s Bodyguard? Valentina doesn’t dare stop to make sure. She tries to pick up the pace. Her back hurts, making her limp a little bit. She reaches a small, unsafe street. With nowhere else to go, she joins a GROUP OF GUYS coming out of a crowded bar. She asks for a cigarette; they are drunk, rowdy, menacing. Valentina does her best to appear interested in them, flirts and whatnot. She looks around, seems to have gotten the Bodyguards’ off her trail. But she has gotten herself in a new kind of danger. One of them puts his arm around her shoulders, getting close and comfortable. She winces in pain. She tries to leave but they don’t let her, they want her to come party with them. She tells them she can’t go anywhere, her back hurts too much. Valentina has an idea – she asks one of them to help her. Next thing we know, Valentina is coaching the guy into cracking her back. He is lifting her up and leaning back with her in his arms. After several tries, the guy gives up. He’s sobered up, lost interest. They leave her alone. Valentina sits on the curb hunched over.

CRACK! Valentina wakes up in the middle of the night. A strange, cracking sound coming from outside her bedroom. She gets up, arms herself with the empty glass of water by her nightstand and walks out to the dark living room. Her open window makes the creaking sound. She closes it, standing in the eerie quiet.

Valentina is alone in the indoor pool. She looks at her watch, it’s past 10PM. She stares at the door, Andrea is nowhere to be found. As she is about to leave the facility, Valentina walks into the equipment room and finds Andrea sitting on a bench holding a DUMBELL over his head, pointed at his knee. They see one another, like helpless deer. Put it down, Andrea. He is bloodshot, nervous. She inches towards him. Finally Andrea lowers the dumbbell, giving up. He cries, ashamed of himself. Valentina holds him like he is her child. There is a sense of enjoyment in her expression, of purpose. This position of cradling him begins to hurt Valentina’s back. She cannot help but wince. She lets go of him and lays on the bench trying to control her pain. Andrea kneels by her. They both breathe together. They are close to one another, intimate. Valentina manages to clear her mind from the pain, the room becomes clear again. He begins to position her body to crack her back. Valentina protests but he says she’s done it to him a million times, he knows what to do. She is in position, bracing herself. You could kill me. He says, So could you. She lets him take over, directing her breathing, how to move. Then, crack! Valentina lets out a huge sigh of relief. She walks around, making sure everything feels right. She takes his hand, thanking him for helping her. He says, You are a good coach. She looks at him, I can make it look like an accident, your injury.

Moments later, Valentina is teaching Andrea the exact movement he needs to make during the game in order to tear his ACL in his knee. They practice the movement slowly. Andrea doubts his ability to make it look accidental. You will hear a pop when it happens, but you must twist your body like you’re changing running directions, leaving your foot planted on the ground.

It’s evening again and we are at the neighborhood soccer field watching the girls play a soccer game. Valentina is on the sideline with one headphone in her ear. She listens to Andrea’s game through the radio. The radio narration matches what is going on in the girls’ game as well. Valentina is nervous, pacing – for Andrea more than the game she is coaching. Come on, she says under her breath, then screams it for the girls – like she’s talking to Andrea. The girls’ game takes on the same intensity that the RADIO announcer is infusing in his speech. Paula, one of the soccer players we met earlier, has the ball in her control. Andrea has the ball in his control. Valentina screams directions at Paula, almost as an impulse to speak with Andrea. The energy between them is electric. Paula hears the screams and plays more aggressively. Valentina claps, the crowd claps too. The moment culminates when the radio commentator stops abruptly, Valentina turns around to look away from the girls’ game. The announcer says that Andrea is down on the ground, he really hurt himself. In the background, we see a similar scene behind Valentina.

Paula collides with another girl on the field and is on the ground. Valentina cannot help but smile at what she’s listening to; the commentator makes it seem like Andrea is really injured. She is proud of this moment, proud of him. But Paula’s screams begin to cut through her private celebration. She sees Paula on the ground – runs toward her. She tries to wipe the smile off her face but somehow she cannot contain her joy. Valentina covers her own mouth in shock. Everyone is running toward Paula who is screaming in misery. Valentina finally makes it to Paula who is clutching onto her dislocated shoulder. She looks down at the poor, young girl suffering. Paula cries, her pain is piercing into our ears. Valentina stares at her for a moment, taking in the scene, the girl’s limp arm. HELP ME! Help me please! Her caretaker instincts kick in. She kneels down with a serene look in her eyes. You did so well. Paula is calmed by Valentina’s composed attitude. Valentina smiles at her, now breathe with me.

DIRECTOR

Lucía Aleñar Iglesias is a Spanish film director from Madrid who has been studying and working in the United States for almost ten years. FORASTERA, presented at the 59th edition of La Semaine de la Critique, is a journey back to her homeland told as a languishing fantasy, where family legacy is a matter of spirit possession, like a garment that would wear us as much as we wear it. In October 2022, she was awarded the Arte Kino Prize at the Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo for her feature FORASTERA, the adaptation of her short.

Watch Forastera

PRODUCER

Marta Cruañas Compés is a film producer working between Barcelona and New York. She graduated from Pompeu Fabra University and did her MA in Film Production at Columbia University. Before leaving for the US, Marta worked for Neo Art Producciones, Distinto Films and the Catalan Academy of Cinema. In 2017, she wrote and produced her first feature JULIA IST directed by Elena Martín Gimeno. In New York, she worked on various features as well as commercials. She is currently part of the development team of S/B Films. TEAM PLAYER is her next collaboration with Lucía Aleñar Iglesias after FORASTERA.