DOCUMENTARIES
STAY HOMAS. THE BAND THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST (81’)
“Lights and shadows of a musical phenomenon.”
In the midst of the 2020 pandemic, three musician friends –Rai, Guillem and Klaus– are under lockdown in Barcelona. To avoid getting bored, they create a daily song on Instagram and suddenly become a viral phenomenon. They even collaborate with artists like Rubén Blades or Michael Bublé. In this exclusive and intimate journey, we follow them for three years to find out if, doing things their Gen Z way, they will manage to establish themselves as a band or, instead, they remain forever marked as a one-hit wonder.
Direction: Oriol Gispert, Nick Bolguer, Ramon Balagué
Screenplay: David Casademunt, Oriol Gispert, Nick Bolguer, Ramon Balagué
Production: Marta Palacín, Alejandra Céspedes
Editing: David Casademunt
Music: Stay Homas
Production Companies: La Lupa Produccions, Icon International, Minifilms TV, 3Cat
I NEVER PLAN TO DRINK AGAIN (65'')
"The alcoholic is more like you than you think"
Journalist Flora Saura underwent treatment for alcohol addiction. Now, after four years of sobriety, a conversation bluntly, with a number of people, famous or unknown, who have been rehabilitated, are in the process of doing so, or who have simply had a complicated relationship with drinking. Alcohol is the most consumed psychoactive substance in Catalonia and the one with the greatest social impact.
Direction: Marta Palacín and Oriol Gispert
Screenplay: Marta Palacín, Oriol Gispert and Flora Saura
Photography: Oriol Bosch Castellet
Executive production La Lupa Produccions: Marta Palacín and Oriol Gispert
Executive direction TVC: Montse Armengou Martín
Executive production TVC: Sílvia Pairó Vilia
Year: 2023
Broadcast: 'Sense ficció' TV3
POLIAMORY (58’)
“Healthy relationships are built from uncomfortable conversations”
Jessica and Pau, who just had their second child, are looking for someone to form a triage. Joel sleeps for three days with Alfredo and four with Llorenç. Joan and Gloria spread polyamory throughout Catalonia. Iris, Jaume and Jesus define themselves as interchangeable pieces in constant motion. The twins Marta and Judith contrast their ways of loving. Through the intimate witness of these and other people, we explore what's beyond monogamy.
Direction: Marta Palacín and Oriol Gispert
Script: Marta Palacín, Oriol Gispert and Carla Moreno
Director of photography: Oriol Bosch Castellet
Executive production La Lupa Produccions: Marta Palacín and Oriol Gispert
Executive director from TVC: Montse Armengou Martin
Executive production from TVC: Sílvia Pairó Vilia
Year: 2022
Broadcast: Sense Ficció (TV3)
I WANT A DIVORCE (68’)
“When I told my mother that I was separating she said to me: who will raise the butane gas cylinder at home?“
A choral reflection on the best and worst aspects of divorce. About twenty testimonies explain, in first person and openly, their experience, usually traumatic. A documentary full of curiosity and intense moments, with a varied range of cases and situations.
Director: Marta Palacín and Oriol Gispert
Script: Francesc Orteu, Marta Palacín and Oriol Gispert
Photography director: Oriol Bosch Castellet
Executive production La Lupa Produccions: Marta Palacín and Oriol Gispert
Executive director from TVC: Montse Armengou Martín
Executive producer from TVC: Sílvia Pairó Vilia
Year: 2021
Broadcast: Sense Ficció (TV3)
Finalist for the ProDocs Award for Best Television Documentary of 2021
PALLIATIVE (52')
“My sister Emma has been working in palliative care for 25 years; I´ve always been impressed by her work.”
A story about dignity, love, and hope, following a team of palliative care workers in the district of Nou Barris, made up of 7 women who apply a pioneer program created in Vic almost 30 years ago and which has become a world reference.
Directed by: Oriol Gispert and Marta Valls
Script: Oriol Gispert, Marta Valls and David Casademunt
Executive production: Marta Palacín
In co-production with Televisió de Catalunya
In collaboration with Obra Social “la Caixa”
With the support of Generalitat de Catalunya, Culture Department
Year: 2018
Broadcast: Sense Ficció (TV3)
FRAGILE (65')
“In 2005 we witnessed the birth of 4 girls that we will follow for life”
In 2005 and 2006 we filmed the birth and the first year in the lives of 4 girls in 4 continents. They all had in common their fragile situation of extreme poverty.
In Liberia, Secret was born at home because her mother Esther was afraid of going out onto the streets at night. Noelia in a little rural dispensary in the south of Bolivia, where her mother Hilaria arrived on a motorbike; Alaishri, in Northern India, after a very tough night of delivery by her mother Dukushri; and Daniela on the floor of an apartment in the outskirts of Stockholm because her mother Micheline, and undocumented migrant, was afraid to go to hospital and get reported.
Now, 10 years later, we return to see how those girls are doing and the situation faced by their families and countries.
Direction, script, and executive production: Lluís Jené, Amanda Sans and Oriol Gispert
In co-production with Televisió de Catalunya
With the support of Generalitat de Catalunya. Culture Department
Year: 2017
Broadcast: El documental (TV3)
THE PEACH BLOSSOM GARDEN (77')
“Two former students brought us this beautiful and curious story about happiness in a textile colony”
Qian Anhua is a wealthy businessman in the New China: a philosopher, a poet, a musician, eccentric and unorthodox. He is obsessed with his workers’ happiness. He invests a lot of money for this purpose. Now, Qian has found something extraordinary to offer them: and old tradition from Southern Europe: ...human towers.
Written and directeb y: Oriol Martínez and Enric Ribes
Executive production: Oriol Gispert and Marta Palacín
In co-production withLIC China and Televisió de Catalunya
Year: 2015
Broadcast: Sense Ficció (TV3)
REUSING POSIDONIA (30')
“A commission from IBAVI, Balearic Institute for Housing. A good excuse to go to Formentera”.
The island of Formentera is surrounded by the largest posidonia meadow in the world. This marine plant is key to the island's ecosystem.
In Sant Ferran architect Carles Oliver has designed officially protected houses that use posidonia as an insulating material, as was done in the traditional buildings of the island.
A series of human histories intertwine on the island, all of them linked by posidonia.
Reusing Posidonia is a look at new ways of living, more aware of what surrounds us, more respectful, more resourceful, and more humane.
Script, direction, and executive production: Marta Palacín
Year: 2017
Broadcast: IB3
ROCKIN' OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE (53')
“Do you want to direct a documentary about a Metallica concert in Antarctica?”
In December 2013 the legendary heavy metal band Metallica gave a concert in Antarctica in order to beat the record of playing in all continents in one year. We directed this documentary showing how this crazy adventure was made possible”.
Directed by: Oriol Gispert
Year: 2014
Broadcast: Internet
GLANCE UP (60')
“While we were making the documentary in the Chinese factory, a newspaper article directed our attention towards Joan, an incredible person”
Joan Pahisa is 27 years old and 1 metre tall. He’s a writer, a musician, and an IT professional. His great passion is, paradoxically, basketball, but he cannot find anyone to play with. In the summer of 2013 he takes part in the World Dwarf Games that take place in Michigan. He plays ping-pong there, but also looks for people willing to form a basketball team with him.
Written and directed by: Enric Ribes and Oriol Martínez
Executive production: Oriol Gispert
Year: 2014
Broadcast: Sense Ficció (TV3)
FORMENTERA, WINTER OF THE LIZARD (60')
“Another good excuse to go to Formentera, also in the winter”
The island of Formentera, next to Ibiza, is getting increasingly well-known. In the summer it is one of the most popular tourist destinations, especially for Italians. But what happens in this little paradise over the winter? Where do lizards hide?
This is a choral portrait of winter on the island of Formentera. A mix of natives and newcomers tell us and show us how they spend the winter season. Bartolo and Manoli have a snack bar; Jaqueline from the Netherlands makes dolls to sell in the market and has a very painful past; Eric is an Indonesian musician still living as a hippy; Maria is a grandmother who looks after land and her grandson; Juan is a farmer who has been given the job of killing Ernesto the pig for the Carnival celebrations; Pep Toni is a host on Ràdio Illa, ‘l’home des senalló’ is a funny character who moans about everything; Ekki is a German guitar-maker, and Jose is an Argentinean musician who has a very special band.
Directed by: Laura Carulla and Marc Martínez.
Executive producer: Oriol Gispert
In coproduction with IB3 and the collaboration of Televisió de Catalunya
Year: 2011
Broadcast: El documental (TV3) and IB3
THE BANDERAS OF PORN (41')
“We met Marco when making Rebeca´s documentary and we didn´t miss the chance to make a spin-off”
Marco Banderas is a Spanish actor who started out performing in Barcelona’s Sala Bagdad and now lives in L.A., California where he earns a really good living in the porn film industry. He is highly regarded in the competitive North American market, notably because he’s always ‘ready for action’. He’s very enterprising, and produces his own reality TV show. However, Marco’s true passion is singing –he recorded an album and some music videos, and he’s waiting for his big break. He’d like to go back to Spain, but he can’t because of visa issues. He’s stuck in his Californian bubble.
Directed by: Amanda Sans
Executive producer: Oriol Gispert
Produced and broadcast for Canal +
Year: 2010
COME TO LAS VEGAS, BABY (46')
“I am not in this fucking business just to pay bills…”
Rebeca Linares was born in Donosti. When she was 21 she worked in a cable factory in Igualada. She left her job to try her luck in the porn film industry. She finally made it as a porn star in the USA. She lives in Los Angeles, California and every year she is nominated in various categories for the AVN Awards in Las Vegas, the Oscars of the porn film industry, and Rebecca aspires to win the Award for Best Actress.
This documentary has another version, ALL ABOUT REBECA. This story focuses more on the personal crisis that Rebecca Linares is going through in L.A. She realises that she’s not working as much as she was, that she’s not getting enough recognition and she’s feeling frustrated and sad. Through her, we witness the cruellest side of the porn film industry.
Both versions directed by: Amanda Sans
Camera: Oriol Gispert
Produced and broadcast for Canal + and TVE
Year: 2009
MINED LIVES (52')
“I capture it with my camera, but it would be good to have a documentary made about this long and ambitious project I´m undertaking”
The documentary follows photographer Gervasio Sánchez in a journey to find three of the young victims of anti-personal landmines he photographed 10 years previous, and to find out how they´re doing. Through their everyday lives we understand the difficulties of these young people to make a life for themselves in countries that have been ravaged by years of war. Adis in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sokheum in Cambodia, and Sofia in Mozambique. Despite the serious sequels that they carry with them, they have managed to leave their accidents behind and think about their future.
Written and directed by: Lluís Jené and Oriol Gispert
Year: 2008
Broadcast: TV3, Aragón Televisión, Euskal Telebista
Awards: Best Photography at Festival International Grande Reportage d’Actualité et Documentaire de Societé (FIGRA 2009).
THE AMERICAN (52')
“You´ll see how a few photos can change the entire life of a village”
In 1950 American magazine Life published a10-page reportage about a Spanish village. Its name is Deleitosa. Americans discovered rural, poor, miserable post-war Spain.
Over 50 years later, we discovered that through the publishing of those photos, a series of surprising events took place in Deleitosa which changed the lives of some of its inhabitants.
It´s the case of Josefa, a 20-year-old girl that featured in one of the photos, holding a wake over her deceased grandfather. A young American man saw Josefa´s photo in the magazine and fell in love with her, and started writing love letters to her.
Directed by: Lluís Jené
Executive producer: Oriol Gispert
Year: 2007
Broadcast: TV3 and TVE
RETURN TO TERRA LLIURE (70')
“Three former students wanted to tell a very unknown and taboo story”
30 years ago, an armed group was formed with the goal of establishing independence for Catalonia. The group was called ‘Terra Lliure’ (“Free Land”) and carried out various attacks during the 1980s, but they didn’t succeed, and some of the members were killed along the way. Now, three young university students seek out the founders of Terra Lliure to ask them why they did what they did.
With the benefit of hindsight, they analyse what Terra Lliure was. We speak to Carles Sastre, Josep Serra “Cala”, Carles Castellanos, Carles Benítez, and Quim Pelegrí, who has never previously spoken to the media about those actions.
Directed by: Oriol Gispert, Marc Balfagón, Jordi Sanglas and Marc Perramon
Co-produced with Mallerich Films Paco Poch and La Quimera Audiovisual for Televisió de Catalunya
Year: 2008
Broadcast: TV3
THE FIRST YEAR OF THE GIRLS (52')
“What will have become of the girls we saw being born a year ago?”
The first year of the girls that we saw being born in our previous documentary “A life ahead”
Written and directed by: Oriol Gispert, Lluís Jené, Amanda Sans
Co-produced with Cuatro, with the participation of Médecins sans Frontières
Year: 2006
Broadcast: Cuatro
PREVIOUS DOCUMENTARIES
LIZANIA (25')
“¡If only all philosophers had gotten on the carousel!”
“...and they think they are bishops, plumbers, milkmen, members of parliament. Members of parliament? I see mammals”.
Journey to Lizania, the universes of poet Jesús Lizano. Various artists such as Jaume Sisa, Enric Cassases, Jordi Bertran have the passport to the real, poetic world and we we follow them on this one-way trip to utopia.
Written and directed by: Marta Palacín and Elisabet Sort
Year: 2007
Broadcast: TVE
GO PAFADNAM (57')
“Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true”
When we filmed the documentary HONEST MEN ON BIKES, Hamado Pafadnam, then the best cyclist in Burkina Faso, confessed he’d like to go to Europe and be a great racer. A businessman from Durango, in the Basque Country, saw the film and invited him to be part of his team. We filmed this experience and what happened, surprised us all.
Written and directed by: Lluís Jené and Oriol Gispert
Executive producer: Joan Úbeda-Media 3.14
Year: 2003
Broadcast: Canal +, Euskal Telebista, RTBF i ARTE
NO SÓLO E.S.O. (52’)
“When you spend a year in a secondary school , you can clearly see the lack of resources in public education”
This documentary follows three teachers and the principal of the secondary school Marqués de Suanzes in Madrid over an academic year. On screen all sorts of things happen: from a boy who’s unknown to all, to a stressed young teacher who leaves her classroom in tears.
Written and directed by: Oriol Gispert
Year: 2003
Broadcast: Canal +
I HAVE A HYPERACTIVE CHILD (52’)
“We should talk about the abuse of the child towards the parents”
The film follows various cases of children with ADHD to talk about the problem and the possible solutions.
Written and directed by: Maria Ruiz and Oriol Gispert
Camera: Oriol Gispert
Year: 2001
Broadcast: Canal +
HONEST MEN ON BIKES (52')
“In Burkina Faso there’s an annual cycling race, like the Tour de France...but a bit different”
For three weeks we follow this spectacular race across Burkina Faso, where African and European teams compete with solidarity but in a very intense way. White participants have good equipment and better food, but black participants are able to better handle the hard conditions of the course, the extreme heat, and they await their chance…
Written and directed by: Lluís Jené and Oriol Gispert
Executive producer: Joan Úbeda-Media 3.14
Year: 2000
Broadcast: Canal +, TV3, ETB, TeleMadrid, RTBF, RTP, Tele +, TSR, YLE
BUENAPISTA, CUBA YEAR 2000 (50’)
“Youth should be for those who want to be young of their own free will”
“This film invents the “sensory documentary”
Teresa Cendrós. El País.
In 2000 two cinema cameras, 16 mm and Super 8, travel across the island of Cuba following the imaginary trail of the musicians from Buenavista Social Club.
And in this way they portray the Cubans at the turn of the century with their ever-present music and poetry.
Direction and camera: Toni Mateu and Oriol Gispert
Year: 2000
Broadcast: BTV