The Mole Agent

The Mole Agent is a warm and funny docudrama and a spy story with a difference. When a client engages him to investigate suspected elder abuse in a nursing home, Private Detective Romulo recruits an 80-90 year old ‘mole’ to go undercover using a hidden camera in his spectacles. Sweet natured but befuddled 83-year-old widower Sergio gets the job. He struggles with the technology and the details of his assignment but excels at befriending the other residents, gaining newfound purpose as a confidante to a range of engaging characters.

‘I wanted to make a documentary about private detectives. I’m a super fan of film noir and pulp fiction, and I realized that I never saw a documentary that centered around a detective agency. That was my starting point. I researched agencies, which is how I met Romulo, a retired police officer who had his own shop. He handled several “mole” cases… I feel Sergio’s job is super-similar to my job as documentary filmmaker. Because when I’m shooting, I spend a lot of time, waiting, waiting, until I have the scene. Documentary filmmaking requires a lot of patience. Some days I never press “rec” because nothing interesting is happening. For Sergio it’s the same, he’s waiting, following people, waiting, waiting until he takes the pictures or until he gets the proof that he needs. I’m always spying on people. They know I’m there, that’s the big difference. I observe people without participating.’

Maite Alberdi, Director