Images blend with personal thoughts. Life blends with the process of making films. The personal is political. Family, students, actors move in front and behind the camera in Meritxell Colell’s films.

To watch Meritxell’s films is to participate in a journey, a process that is yet to be defined. Meritxell Colell is a filmmaker whose enormous generosity invites us to join her in a search for the depths of expression, art practice, and human experience.

We are proud to offer a retrospective of the work of Catalan editor and director Meritxell Colell. Her award-winning debut film CON EL VIENTO premiered in Berlinale, and her second feature TRANSOCEÁNICAS was selected in Chicago, Nara and Gijón Festivals and is now coming to Scotland. Meritxell will join us in person for some of the in-person screenings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

A director that understands the artistic power of films and the nature of cinema in a constant dialogue with other art forms. In this retrospective, we follow Meritxell across the years as she approaches the work of great artists, from painters like Miró, poets like Verlaine, architecture masters like Le Corbusier, and contemporary dance pioneers like Mónica García.

Meritxell migrated to Buenos Aires when she was 23. Experiencing the distance, the rowdy Buenos Aires city, the immensity of the Atlantic ocean, she also discovered filmmakers like Chantal Akerman and Jonas Mekas, who have left a profound mark on her cinema and pushed her to capture the sheer emotion behind walking in a new city, contemplating humans and capturing small poetic acts of daily life.

Above all else, her films are a bold attempt to express something very personal, often dealing with the boundaries of language and words. Meritxell explores (mis)communication between humans through melodies, images, or even dance and the human body.

Life and film are one thing, never separated. Hence, the life/cinema of Meritxell Colell is deeply influenced by her early involvement in Cinema en curs, a revolutionary film education programme set up in Catalonia several years ago. A film pedagogy programme and a school of life for both teachers and students since its inception in 2015. Prestigious film directors like Jonas Trueba, Celia Rico, Xacio Bano, Mikel Gurrea, Nelly Reguera, and Carla Simón are actively involved in teaching filmmaking to young students in primary and secondary schools through the Cinema en Curs project, “fostering the discovery of cinema, understood as art, creation and culture, by children and young people.”

The experience of teaching moving image to young people in schools has changed Meritxell’s approach to filmmaking, and hence a Meritxell Collell retrospective wouldn’t be quite the same without including a special selection of Cinema en curs short films. We are proud to present a short film programme curated with Meritxell’s participation, consisting of films from her workshops with young Catalan students – films that celebrate the power of the collective and of humans of different ages coming together.

A roller coaster, not-to be missed experience (available online globally!) that will take us from the artist’s studio to primary schools, from the museum to the streets of Buenos Aires and Barcelona. A retrospective composed of feature films, documentary shorts, video essays, experimental shorts, and a special showcase of films made by young Catalan kids aged 11 to 18 under Meritxell’s supervision.

NEW SPANISH DIRECTORS is a project supported by  Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) through the PICE’s grants programme for the Internationalization of Spanish Culture, as well as Institut Ramon Llull, Instituto Cervantes London, Screen Scotland, Film Hub Scotland

 Meritxell Colell Aparicio, Barcelona, 1983

A graduate in Audiovisual Communication (University of Pompeu Fabra), she received a scholarship to study at the University of Cinema in Buenos Aires in 2005. As a film director, she was selected to present her debut film, CON EL VIENTO, to the Atelier of the Cinéfondation at the Cannes Film Festival. The film premiered at the 68th Berlinale and was screened at more than 40 international festivals. In 2020, her film TRANSOCEÁNICAS, co-directed with Lucía Vassallo, premiered at Nara IFF (Japan). She is currently in the post-production phase for Dúo, her second fiction feature, which has already been awarded at several international film labs. As editor, she has collaborated on 9 feature films and more than 40 medium-length films, which have been screened at prestigious festivals like IDFA, Mar del Plata, Documenta Madrid, and Chicago Film Festival. She has worked at the intersection of filmmaking and film pedagogy since 2007. She forms part of the project ‘Cinema en curs’ (A Bao A Qu). She is associate professor for Audiovisual Communication at the University of Pompeu Fabra and also teaches seminars and workshops at ESCAC, ECIB, EICTV, amongst others.

CON EL VIENTO
Online all Festival

Film title: Facing the Wind
Title in original language: Con el Viento
Director: Meritxell Colell
Cast: Mónica Garcia, Concha Canal, Ana FernÁndez, Elena MartÍn
Country of production: Spain
Year: 2018
Duration: 105 min
Language: Spanish
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Mónica, a 47-year old dancer, receives a call from Spain: her father is terminally ill. After 20 years, Mónica must return to the remote village where she was born. When she arrives, her father has already passed away and her mother decides to sell the family home asking Mónica to stay to help her. Winter is coming. The perpetual silence, the extreme cold and the difficulty of living with her mother are proving tough for Mónica, who takes refuge in what she knows best: dance. Con el viento tells the story of a family unable to communicate. It’s indeed a thoughtful and loving portrait of a traditional rural lifestyle, which is beginning to disappear. It’s a story about distances. But most of all, Con el viento is an inner journey to learn again how to live and love better.

Festivals & Awards:
Berlinale

Málaga Film Festival, Zonazine – Best Film, Winner
D’A Film Festival, Special Mention, Winner
2019 Gaudí Awards, Best Film Editing, Nominee
Chicago Film Festival

Trailer:

SENTIMIENTO OCEANICO
Online all Festival

Film title: Oceanic Feeling
Title in original language: Sentimiento Oceánico
Director: Meritxell Colell
Cast: N/A
Country of production: Spain
Year: 2013
Duration: 07 min

Synopsis: Musician Angelica Castello teamed up with filmmaker Meritxell Colell Aparicio for a video of her Tuba Piece released in 2013 on “Silvertone e il sentimento oceanico”. Touching upon the topic of the oceanic feeling in these underwater soundscapes and recordings, Angelica transposes us into the deep sea of feeling. Now, the cross-Atlantic film poet Meritxell, who recently finished her film ‘Transoceanicas’, co-directed with Lucia Vassallo, renders this in images. An ode to the percolating of memories and psychic landscapes, this music video mingles acoustic and visual impressions of what lies beneath the threshold of consciousness.

INTERIORS

Online all Festival

Title in original language: Interiors (Teatro Lliure)
Director: Meritxell Colell
Country of production: Spain

Synopsis: Double screen installation for the work ‘Mi nombre es alguien y cualquiera’ by Laura Vago. With sound creation by Clara Aguilar.

ARQUITECTURAS EN SILENCIO. DIÁLOGO ENTRE ANTONI BONET Y LE CORBUSIER
Online all Festival

Film title: Architectures in silence
Title in original language: Arquitecturas en silencio. Diàlogo entre Antoni Bonet y Le Corbusier
Director: Meritxell Colell
Country of production: Spain
Year: 2014
Duration: 10 min
Language: Spanish, French
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Dialogue between Antoni Bonet and Le Corbusier based on the work of ‘Canódromo Meridiana’: a rationalist building in Barcelona. For many years it was a meeting of residents and citizens. In 2006, it closed its doors.

MANUSCRIT A LA CIUTAT
Online all Festival

Film title: Manuscript to the city
Title in original language: Manuscrit A La Ciutat
Director: Meritxell Colell
Cast:
Country of production: Spain
Year: 2006
Duration: 35 min
Language: Catalan
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Manuscript to the city is a portrait of the city of Buenos Aires that starts from a personal experience: a trip in search for a life away from home. This film is not a record of the city, but an approximation to the everyday life seen through a poetic look. The day by day of the city is built as the streets, the corners and the spots of the city are discovered. In this way, the spectator is invited to go over the corners of Buenos Aires and to analyze the difficulties of getting closer to people through the camera. In short, this film is a reflection of the difficulties of building a new life in an unknown city and the difficulties of filming it.

Festivals & Awards:
DocMarket Thessalonik Film Festival
Docúpolis

ÉLUARD, CRAMER, MIRO’ — «À TOUTE EPREUVE», MAS QUE UN LIBRO
Online all Festival

Film title: Éluard, Cramer, Miró — «À toute épreuve», more than a book
Title in original language: Éluard, Cramer, Miró — «À toute épreuve», más que un libro
Director: Meritxell Colell
Cast:
Country of production: Spain
Year: 2017
Duration: 35 min
Language: Catalan, Spanish
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Since 2017, Meritxell has worked with the Miró Foundation realizing pieces of the collections and expositions of the museum.

MERITXELL COLELL & CINEMA EN CURS

About Meritxell Colell and the international project “Cinema en curs”

“Cinema en curs” is a structured programme of film pedagogy at schools. Initiated in 2005 in Catalonia, it is currently also run in Galicia, Madrid, Basque Country, Argentina, Chile, and Germany. There are also collaborations with Mexico, Lithuania, and Slovenia.

“Cinema en curs” has two main objectives:
Facilitate the discovery of cinema as art, craft, and culture for children and adolescents
Develop the pedagogical potential of cinematic creations in an educational context.

We are proud to offer a very special selection of films made by Cinema en Curs students tutored by Meritxell Colell:

ELOGI DE L’ESCOLA
Online all Festival

Film title: Praise of the School
Title in original language: Elogi de l’Escola
Director: Students from P3 to 6th of the Bordils School
Monitoring and support: Meritxell Colell, the teachers of the school and the counseling of the Association A Bao A Qu.
Country(ies) of production: Spain
Year: 2009-2010
Duration: 53 min
Language: Catalan
Subtitles: English

Age certificate (or suggested age cert if the films have not gone through BBFC):

Synopsis: The Escola de Bordils was built 75 years ago in its current location. Photography and film are taught in all courses at the school. Students and teachers have decided to make a film to celebrate the anniversary. Students, from P3 to 6th grade, have researched, photographed, filmed, documented, written, remembered and reflected on the school.

CAMINS, SILENCIS I SOMRIURES
Online all Festival

Film title: Paths, Silences and Smiles
Title in original language: Camins, Silencis I Somriures
Director: Lua Anaya, Chris Bardi, Ariadna Barragan, Guillem Batlle, Irene Batlle, Violeta Burrisse, Joana Busquet, Martina Busquet, Estel Costa, Anna Cros, Alba Deider, Àlex Galeote, Júlia Hamburg, Samira Krini, Judit López, Judith Marcé, Ferran Oliver, Anamaria Paiu, Marta Perxés, Mar Pou, Elena Samper, Mahamadou Sillah, Marc Suñer, Sergi Vidal, Cristina Vilà
Under the supervision of: Meritxell Colell (filmmaker), Carme Congost and Ramon Rocher (teachers)
Country of production: Spain
Year: 2009-2010
Duration: 10 min
Language: Catalan
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Irene’s parents go to work in another town. Irene and Mar have to separate. These are the last days.

MIRAR ENDAVANT
Online all Festival

Film title: Looking Ahead
Title in original language: Mirar endavant
Director: Pau Arbusé, Pau Bancells, Tura Casero, Guillem Falgàs, Idoia García, Enric Giménez, Óscar Lucea, Emili Montañez, Estel Moré, Mia Oliveras, Andrea Petre, Anna Pruenca, Albert Puig, Pol Ribas, Hamido Sillah, Bruno Suñer, Aina Trullàs, Paula Valenzuela, Alexandra Vasilache, Nora Vicens
Under the supervision of: Meritxell Colell (filmmaker), Carme Congost, Núria Salvatella (teachers)
Country(ies) of production: Spain
Year: 2014-2015
Duration: 14 min
Language: Spanish, Catalan
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Marc’s parents split up and his father left home. Marc is having a hard time and he finds in his grandfather’s words and company, the refuge and love he needs.

PRIMER DIES
Online all Festival

Film title: First Days
Title in original language: Primers Dies
Director: The Students
Under the supervision of: Meritxell Colell
Country(ies) of production: Spain
Year: 2012-2013
Duration: 12 min
Language: Spanish, Catalan
Subtitles: English
Synopsis: Amad has just arrived in Barcelona from Pakistan. He hasn’t started school yet and the days are long: he spends many hours alone and his friends and most of his family are far away. He is worried about his father who is unemployed. He discovers the city on his own.

LA SOLITUD
Online all Festival

Film title: Loneliness
Title in original language: La Solitud
Director: Mahmuda Aktar, Esthefanie Canales, Félix Carvajal, Valentin Dumitrache, Jordi Gómez, Nisha Gurung, Aneeq Irtaza, Marian Kharmich, Darell Laoang, Tayab Malik, Alex Mendez, Rocio Molina, Carmen Esther Ogando, Jose Manuel Perez, Melfy Rashel, Dilawaiz Sajid, Muhammad Waleed Tufail, Muhammad Zain Ul Abadin, Angie Zambrano
Under the supervision of: Meritxell Colell (filmmaker), Pilar Farrés, Miquel Llaràs and Blanca Munarriz (teachers)
Country(ies) of production: Spain
Year: 2013-2014
Duration: 13 min
Language: Spanish, Catalan
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: Rocío, a 14-year old girl is always home alone, plus she can’t find her place in highschool. She starts missing classes and mixing up with bad company.

RERE EL MACBA. RETRAT D’UN MUSEU
Online all Festival

Film title: Behind Macba. Portrait of a Museum
Title in original language: Rere El Macba. Retrat D’un Museu
Director: Dayana Alava, Júlia Alejandre, Yasmina Allué, Marina Amadó, Marta Antelo, Ainhoa Arjona, Cora Barbié, Julia Calero, Sara Carbonell, Aila Carol, Jéssica Cortés, Blanca De la Cruz, Helena Delgado, Andrea Guerra, Lúa Martínez, Josefa Maureira, Angela Mkrtichyan, Alba Monfort, Maria Muñarch, Oscar Olmedillas, Laia Pagès, Alba Panyella, Júlia Piñana, Cira Pujol, Cristina Reig, Adrià Rosell, Palmira Sabaté, Pau Sanchez, Julia Sariego, Iván Segura, Alba Serrano, Laia Vallespi, Elena Vicente
Under the supervision of: Meritxell Colell (filmmaker), Fanny Figueras (teacher)
Country(ies) of production: Spain

Language: Spanish, Catalan
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: A hidden portrait of the MACBA: the spaces, the jobs, the people. A visual and sound exploration that shows the other face of the museum, beyond its architectural beauty. Inspired by “La Villa Louvre” de Nicolas Philibert.

ABSENCIES
Online all Festival

Title in original language (if applicable): Absències
Director: Mia Arias, Nahia Arnau, Judit Aroca, Anaïs Tiare Balboa, Gina Barón, Clara Barriuso, Manuel Benito, Lua Carteron, Wen-Li Díaz, Laura Espinet, Aina Estévez, Selam Fierro, Berta Frías, Laia Gamiz, Alina Gené, Judit Grande, Ruth Jiménez, Carla López, Carles López-Signes, Pere Mauriz, Ayumi Nakamatsu, Èric Pérez, Andrea Pérez, Laia Pesquer, Clara Polo, Ainhoa Rodríguez, Pau Ros, Nerea Rubies, Thalia Urgell, Lluís Vicente
Under the supervision of: Meritxell Colell (filmmaker), Fanny Figueras and Estel·la Clopés (teachers)
Country(ies) of production: Spain

Language: Spanish, Catalan
Subtitles: English

Synopsis: After the death of her grandfather, Gala feels lonely. She misses her brother, who has moved to study abroad. Despite being accompanied by her family and friends, she feels disconnected from everything, including herself. The mourning, the feeling of isolation, loneliness, insecurity, and absence. And living in a pandemic for a year now.

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NEW SPANISH DIRECTORS is a project supported by  Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) through the PICE’s grants programme for the Internationalization of Spanish Culture, as well as Institut Ramon Llull, Instituto Cervantes London, Screen Scotland, Film Hub Scotland