Synopsis
Yasna, the leader of this ragtag group, is a short blond with a lot of character. Elizabeth is a beautiful and flirtatious brunette who dreams of becoming a TV star. Nicole is the naïve one, even though she is six months pregnant. All of them are 13 and live in an illegal slum settlement in the outskirts of the city called “La Toma”. They wish they could afford what is shown on TV and in the fancy shopping malls. To this end, they climb into fancy apartments in the upscale part of town. They steal, not to resell and turn some money, but to have pretty things.
To Yasna, the main protagonist, this climbing and stealing, this social ascension, is something more personal. In a country were all the poor people are brown, her blond hair and blue eyes make her stand out. She doesn’t know who her father is and this has made her the butt of jokes. Many ask if her mother slept with her boss or if she turned tricks for money. For Yasna, breaking into wealthy houses is a way of trying to make sense of her life, of attempting to understand why people that look like her live in opulence and she lives in squalor. Life at home for her isn’t easy. Her mother is an alcoholic and their stay at “La Toma” is at risk because they haven’t paid their dues. The community is raising money to avoid a massive eviction. Eugenio, the community leader of the “La Toma” has warned Yasna and her mother several times that they must pay their dues or face getting expelled. They need to buy the property they live on. But Yasana’s mother doubts Eugenio will ever be able to obtain this goal and refuses to comply. This puts Yasna and her mother at constant odds.
The bold and creative thefts from the three girls soon grab the national spotlight. The media nicknames them the “Spider Thives”. Fame will change them forever. They become heroines for the downtrodden, true celebs within the illegal settlement of La Toma. Men begin to ask them out and they embark on new romantic relationships. Professional criminals also take notice and want in on their thefts. The media frenzy is not well received by all. Particularly by Eugenio, who is trying to legitimize in court the legal standing of “La Toma”. These thefts, broadcast into the national spotlight, stomp his years of work to win public opinion and the trust of the courts. Eugenio expels the Spider Thives and their families.
But the three girls manage to blackmail and so they are not expelled.
This story is based on real events that happened in Santiago, Chile, in 2005.
Playwright Luis Barrales wrote the play "Spider Girls", from which the script is adapted. The play was nominated for Best Drama for the Chilean Arts "Altazor" 2008. “Spider Girls” won Best Play by the Art Critics Circle in 2008.