The Shame (Spanish: La vergüenza) is a 2009 Spanish film directed by David Planell [es] in his feature debut. It stars Alberto San Juan and Natalia Mateo [es].

An upper-middle class couple formed by Pepe and Lucía decide to "return" a child originally from Peru (Manu) whom they have fostered.^[1]

The film is an Avalon Films production, with the collaboration of TVE and support from ICAA.^[2][4]

The Shame screened as the first film in competition at the 12th Málaga Film Festival in April 2009.^[5] Distributed by Avalon,^[2] it was theatrically released in Spain on 30 April 2009.

Jonathan Holland of Variety deemed the "thought-provoking" debut film to be a "solid drama" "buoyed by a well-observed script and alert perfs", although "much good work is undone by a rushed, soapy final reel".^[2]

Irene Crespo of Cinemanía rated the film 3½ out of 5 stars, writing that Planell manages to "stir with anger our social and family conscience".^[6]

Pere Vall of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, deeming it to be a "lucid naturalistic chronicle of a couple in ideological crisis".^[7]

• List of Spanish films of 2009