Rohan Jain
Netflix’s ‘Glitter’ is a drama series that revolves around the lives of a few sex workers who have certain aspirations and strive to fulfill them. However, the patriarchal society, class system, and socio-political climate are such that the sex workers have to fight against all odds to surmount their challenges and get what they want. Helena and Pola are sex workers who wish to leave the profession behind and lead a different life. Marysia is a young girl who will soon be out of college and wishes to make a lot of money.
The series essays Helena, Pola, and Marysia’s journey but also portrays various events that do not seem to take place in the current times. People’s clothes and hotels’ interiors exude a vintage aura and pique the audience’s interest. A few political events in the series and people’s conversations around them make the audience wonder when and where Netflix’s ‘Glitter’ takes place. Well, allow us to appease your curiosity.
Glitter is Set in 1976
‘Glitter’ takes place in 1976. In the beginning, before the series begins, we see that the film is set in 1976 and mentions how being a sex worker is a woman’s choice. A majority of the movie takes place in a luxurious hotel whose architecture and design lend themselves to the previous era. Another striking feature of the overall setting is the clothes people wear. Almost every woman who goes to the hotel wears something bling and dazzling, and several men wear bell-bottom pants, which was the trend in 1976.
Apart from appearance, the way women are seen and treated is reminiscent of the 70s. During the time, men could easily exploit women even in public, and no one would bat an eye. In addition, despite sex work being a legal profession, sex workers are not given the most basic rights, and officials do not treat them the same way. For instance, in the beginning, an inspector comes to Pola’s shop unannounced for regular inspection. He says there are a lot of discrepancies, and he can take care of them only if Pola sleeps with him. Later, Pola goes to Wladek, a higher officer, he has the same response too. Overall, these are a few facets of the series which add authenticity to the narrative by depicting the 70s era realistically.
Glitter Takes Place in Sopot, Poland
Netflix’s ‘Glitter’ takes place in Sopot, Poland, a seaside resort city in Northern Poland. In several scenes, we see beaches, oceans, and bridges built around water bodies, seamlessly blending in with the narrative. On the socio-political front, we see characters talking about workers’ rights and how they must be treated the same way as upper-class citizens.
In another scene, Helena reveals how Prime Minister Jaroszewicz raised the prices for essential edibles such as sugar. At one instance, when Helena plays the radio, we hear the broadcaster talk about vandalism at Radom. Although these events happen at different points in the movie and feel disjointed, they all point toward a specific historical event in 1976.
In real life, in 1976, the Prime Minister of Poland, Jaroszewicz, raised the prices of butter, sugar, and meat. As a result, workers protested in several places, including Radom, where the government tried to quash the demonstrations using aggressive means. The series’ portrayal of these events indicates the time and place the story is set. Thus, to reiterate, Netflix’s ‘Glitter’ takes place in 1976 in Sopot, Poland. Several elements, such as the surroundings, the attire, the architecture, and the political events, are leveraged to make the series authentic and grounded in reality.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Glitter Based on a True Story?
