Spanish comedy 'El último mono' arrives in cinemas on August 7. Susana Abaitua and Juan Dávila star in a satire of gender roles and the so-called 'machosfera', a term for certain male-dominated online communities and attitudes. The film takes an unapologetic approach to Spain's ongoing 'war of the sexes'.
Abaitua plays a feminist comedian, while Dávila takes the role of a self-styled seduction guru. Their on-screen rivalry lampoons entrenched gender stereotypes. Dávila says the film aims to ridicule the extremes of the 'machosfera'. Abaitua has said she was previously unaware of this segment of society, adding that reality often surpasses fiction in its strangeness.
The actors discussed the film’s production and the dynamic between their characters during a recent appearance on 'Cuerpos especiales'. Abaitua highlighted the support she received from Dávila, whose comedy background helped her handle the film’s satirical tone. Comedian Charlie Pee also contributed to the project, bringing further depth to the script’s humor and critique.
The producers say the film avoids trivializing its subject matter and steers clear of tired clichés. It aims instead for genuine laughter, including in a scene featuring a full striptease by Dávila, which the actor reportedly approached with impressive seriousness. The creators believe that exaggerating and mocking behavior associated with the 'machosfera' can spark conversation about the persistence of outdated gender norms in contemporary Spain.
The film’s comedic style may divide opinion, but its release comes as Spanish cinema increasingly takes on controversial social issues. Debates over gender equality and representation have also become more visible in Spanish society in recent years. Using humor as a tool for critique, 'El último mono' reflects a growing appetite for films that challenge audiences to reconsider familiar narratives.
Those debates unfold against a backdrop of officially recorded violence against women. Spain’s Delegation of the Government against Gender Violence reported 43 women killed by current or former partners in 2026 as of October 22, bringing the cumulative total recorded since 2003 to 1,384. Of the 43 cases, 31, or 72.1%, involved no prior police complaint; in 10 cases, or 23.3%, the alleged perpetrator later died by suicide. These figures track killings by intimate partners or former partners and are distinct from measures of online misogyny or the wider 'machosfera'.
Judicial data also show the scale of reported intimate-partner violence. Spain’s specialized courts recorded 55,712 complaints in the second quarter of 2026 and provided assistance to 50,106 women, increases of 9.81% and 7.64%, respectively, compared with the same quarter of 2025. The national rate was 20 reporting victims per 10,000 women. In Andalucía, the region with the highest number of officially recorded killings in the 2026 figures, the courts recorded 11,607 complaints and assisted 10,170 women; its rate was 22.6 per 10,000 women. These judicial measures describe reported cases and assistance, not the prevalence of online male-dominated communities.
Satire has long addressed sensitive subjects in Spanish cultural life, but the film’s direct focus on the 'machosfera' sets it apart. That focus aligns with a broader movement in Spain to question and dismantle harmful stereotypes in media and public discourse. As the country continues to grapple with gender equality, productions like this contribute to a national conversation extending beyond the screen. The recent surge in civic engagement during emergencies, including the mobilization seen after the Venezuelan earthquake, offers a parallel to the collective reflection prompted by films like 'El último mono'. More on community-led responses in Venezuela can be found in this detailed report.
As 'El último mono' prepares for its debut, it joins a long tradition in Spanish cinema of using humor to address complex social realities and provoke thought. The film’s reception will indicate how ready Spanish audiences are to confront the lingering influence of the 'machosfera' and embrace new perspectives on gender and identity.
