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THE DEATH OF ANTONIO SANCHEZ LOMAS (2019)

Documentary, 86 and 55 minutes
Written and Directed by Ramón Gieling and Salvador Gieling
Producer: Pieter van Huystee Film
Director of Photography : Salvador Gieling
Editor: Diego Gutiérrez, Ramón Gieling
Composer: Marc Lizier
Sound : Wouter Veldhuis

Sinopsis:
On All Saints’ Day, the residents of the southern Spanish village of Frigiliana gather to remember their dead. Villagers who have come together—people who all know one another—bring flowers and candles. Yet beneath this serene scene lies a community that is deeply divided. When local resident Antonio Sánchez Lomas was murdered by the Guardia Civil in 1952 during General Franco’s regime, a collective trauma was born. Elderly witnesses, those involved, and their descendants conceal grief and feelings of revenge beneath a paper-thin veneer of civility. A resolution seems far away—just as it does in countless other places across Spain, where similar tragedies, missing persons, and an unresolved past continue to resonate every day.
Ramón and Salvador Gieling settle in the picturesque village to interview its inhabitants about this history. Their testimonies paint a vivid picture of the painful events of 1952, which still stir strong emotions. In the hope of fostering healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation, the caretaker of the local school and the Gielings decide to reenact the events together with the villagers. But not everyone is enthusiastic. Why reopen old wounds?

Nomination at the IDFA Award for Best Film 2019
Selection at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2020