The 22nd Spiritual Film Festival returns to Barcelona, from November 15 to 30, to invite viewers to reflect on the human condition and respect for diversity. The selected films, such as The Miracle Club, Bonhoeffer, The Glimmers or How to Become a Millionaire Before Grandma Dies, invite us to look at the world with new eyes. They are stories that cross borders and beliefs to remind us of the fragility and greatness of the human experience, and the need to recognize ourselves in the other.
With the motto All different, all equal, the festival champions the essential equality among people and the value of differences as collective enrichment. In venues such as the Filmoteca de Catalunya and other cinemas or facilities in the city, the exhibition offers a journey through films from all over the world that invite reflection on love, friendship, justice, and redemption.
Since its founding in 2004, the Spiritual Film Festival of Catalonia, promoted by the Directorate General of Religious Affairs of the Generalitat, has consolidated itself as a unique space for dialogue between cultures and beliefs through the seventh art. As for the price, some screenings of the festival are free and others require purchasing a ticket.
Stories that make you think
Among the most anticipated titles, The Miracle Club (Thaddeus O'Sullivan, 2023) proposes a journey full of humor and emotion, in which four friends embark on a pilgrimage to the sacred city of Lourdes to escape the domestic life of 1960s Ireland. In Bonhoeffer (Todd Komarnicki, 2024), Protestant pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer becomes involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. Divided between faith and conscience, he will have to choose between maintaining his principles or risking everything to stop the genocide.In Los destellos (Pilar Palomero, 2024), Isabel's life takes an unexpected turn when her daughter asks her to visit her sick father. After fifteen years estranged from her ex-husband, Isabel is forced to confront the past. Conclave (Edward Berger, 2024) explains how after the sudden death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading the conclave to choose his successor, and secrets and intrigues come to light.
For lovers of inspiring stories, Cabrini. Una mujer italiana (Alejandro Monteverde, 2024) recounts the life of an Italian immigrant who arrives in New York City in 1889 with a brave mission: to convince the mayor to guarantee housing and medical care for the most vulnerable.
Asian cinema
The Asian gaze arrives with Lahn Mah. How to become a millionaire before grandma dies(Pat Boonnitipat, 2024). This is a Thai comedy in which a young manstreamerobsessed with fame and money, he sees in his grandmother's illness the perfect opportunity to secure an inheritance. His plan sinks and the womanit will give you the most valuable lesson of your life.The exhibition will also screen the film Konnichiwa Kaasan. A Mother from Tokyo (Yôji Yamada, 2023). The film delves into the relationship between an estranged son and his mother. Akio Kanzaki, head of human resources at a company, is at his breaking point. The pressure of work and the imminent breakup with his wife lead him to visit his mother.
The local stamp
Catalan cinema also has its own voice in the exhibition. Hospital de campanya, by Jordi Roigé, portrays the solidarity work with homeless people carried out by volunteers at the Santa Anna basilica, in the heart of Barcelona. And Natura sagrada, by Joan Salicrú, reflects on the relationship between spirituality, territory and natural heritage, a journey that connects nature, heritage and transcendence.
A look at Soviet cinema
This year, in addition, the Filmoteca dedicates a special retrospective to the Russian film director, Andrei Tarkovsky, with works such as Andrei RublevorThe Sacrifice,known for his profound humanism and his exploration of human existence in the face of nature and the mystery of life.In parallel, the Mostra de Cinema Espiritual de Catalunya will have a virtual program with 26 titles provided by FilminCat and educational activities in penitentiary and juvenile justice centers. There will also be parallel activities linked to the screenings of Solo Javier, accompanied by a discussion with the director at the Universitat Abat Oliba, and the preview and conclusion of the animated film Rey de Reyes, at the Verdi cinema, among others.