Crime series “Women in Blue”: Hunt for a murderer of women

Female autism, menstruation and role expectations are just three of the many themes that appear in the series “Las Azules” (Women in Blue). While the main plot is dedicated to the hunt for a woman murderer in 1970s Mexico City, viewers can experience the personal struggles of four policewomen María (Bárbara Mori), Gabina (Amorita Rasgado), Ángeles (Ximena Sariñana) and Valentina ( Natalia Téllez) get excited in a society dominated by macho culture. During the ten episodes of the first season, each of the women goes through various shocking moments that are exclusively related to the fact that men are calling the shots.

The main characters find themselves in different life circumstances that determine their scope of action and the expectations placed on them as a woman in Mexican society. Housewife and mother María, who initially leads a conventional life, is expected to put her dreams aside for the good of the family. The police officer’s daughter Gabina is in the shadow of her brothers and under her father’s control, while the brilliant analyst Ángeles, who exhibits behavioral traits of Asperger’s syndrome, is confronted with a society that is insensitive to her differences. The fourth is a rebellious activist, Valentina, who has problems admitting feelings and likes to block things out, but puts all her energy into fighting social injustice.

The series is by no means limited to the perspective of women. The audience can also sympathize with the male actors, who also suffer from gender expectations. Emotional father figures and a lovelorn police officer who actually wanted to be a chef find a place in the series.

Director Fernando Rovzar devotes an entire scene to female menstruation. María’s husband is left to fend for himself when his daughter panics because she’s getting her period for the first time. Rovzar explains to »nd« that he gave this topic so much space for very specific reasons: On the one hand, he was able to experience this moment himself with his daughter. “It brings you closer to your children,” he says. It became clear to him that such a situation between father and daughter would have been “unthinkable” in the 1970s. In “Las Azules” it was important to him to create awareness for María’s husband. “He needed this moment,” reports Rovzar. “A woman’s absence because she decides to work does not always have to be an absence,” he emphasizes. Because it is an opportunity for other family members to experience special circumstances.

In “Las Azules” the audience gets insights into the challenges that must be overcome in order to establish something new. The fear of the unknown seems too great. At the same time, viewers are inspired by the tenacity of the young policewomen. “These women are intelligent, strong and had no fear,” emphasizes actress Amorita Rasgado.

The plot is based on true events and honors the formation of Mexico’s first female police force, which was created in the 1970s. This historical event has received little attention so far. Rovzar adds that nothing about the real events has been documented and that he mainly got information for his film from the head of the police unit at the time. This is because stories that could potentially embarrass previous governments were and are generally kept quiet. “This police unit was not founded to give women opportunities, but to distract the public because many women were killed at that time,” explains the 44-year-old, who also wrote the script.

In an interview with »nd«, the four leading actresses say that they themselves knew nothing about the history of their country’s first female police unit. The actress playing the rebellious Valentina, Natalia Tellez, also complains that in today’s Mexico, policewomen “sadly still cannot” do their jobs without resistance from men. Even in 2024, women in Mexico will go through similar moments and have the same experiences as half a century ago, adds the 38-year-old.

Rovzar covers a wide range of relevant social issues that are still relevant today. Mexico is one of the countries with the highest femicide rates in the world. Up to ten women are killed every day in this Latin American country. Which is why the series is intended less for entertainment and more for reflection on the realities of life. Although “Las Azules” follows in the footsteps of other productions in the true crime genre, in which fantasy and real events are intertwined and thus satisfy the audience’s desire for crime stories, this series gives the genre a previously unseen feminist touch.

Available to stream on Apple TV+ starting today

Mexico is one of the countries with the highest femicide rates in the world.

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