Gaulana

synopsis

Light signifies knowledge and progress; darkness denotes ignorance and danger. But what if we were to turn this seemingly self-evident contrast on its head? Light and darkness in the film are not merely metaphorical principles, but direct physical phenomena whose relationship evolves alongside society. As capitalism advances, light pollution increases, the number of places from which one can observe the stars dwindles, and artificial light interferes with natural cycles – what will become of a landscape from which fireflies are gradually disappearing? Darkness, on the other hand, provides a refuge for those who need to hide. In this visually captivating, contemplative essay, the stories of prisoners who escaped from the Ezkaba fortress in 1938, Portuguese migrants from the mid-20th century, and people who cross the River Bidasoa today all come together. The film neither explains these individual layers nor weaves them into a linear narrative. Through images of the night-time landscape, songs, texts, memories and archive photographs, it creates a mosaic of a place where light signifies both progress and control, while darkness represents uncertainty and the possibility of disappearing safely.

“Those flying free are only birds and banknotes.”

biography

Pablo Casanueva (1995) comes from the autonomous community of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. He studied audiovisual communication at the University of Burgos. He makes both feature-length and short films, which have been screened at a number of international film festivals. As well as film, he is also involved in photography and multimedia art.

film details

director:	Pablo Casanueva
producer:	Pablo Casanueva
script:	Pablo Casanueva
photography:	Pablo Casanueva
editing:	Pablo Casanueva
music:	Amets Arzallus, Aitzol Basaldua, Josu Amundarain
sound design:	Óscar de Ávila

contact

Pablo Casanueva
fotopablocasanueva@gmail.com