Director Meritxell Colell’s latest film, “Far From the Trees,” premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in the international competition category. The Spain-Italy-Peru co-production follows Adela, a 50-year-old sound artist who journeys through the Peruvian jungle and Andes mountains to document languages facing extinction. Adela’s mission parallels her grandfather’s work, a Catalan Republican who fled into exile in Mexico. The narrative takes an unexpected turn when news of her grandmother’s potential death surfaces, prompting Adela to confront childhood memories and unresolved family grief.
Colell drew inspiration for the project from personal experience, beginning development following the death of a close family member in 2020. Rather than directly chronicling her own family history, the director created a fictional protagonist whose identity embodies the complexities of migration and displacement. The filmmaker collaborated with composer Angélica Castelló, whose grandfather had similarly experienced exile, deepening the film’s exploration of inherited silence and fractured identity across generations.
At the heart of the production lies an artistic commitment to sound as a primary storytelling vehicle. Colell emphasizes that languages represent distinct worldviews and ways of experiencing reality, deserving preservation and recognition regardless of comprehension. The film employs Super 16mm cinematography for sequences depicting memory and imagination, layered with independently recorded vocal performances and environmental audio. This sonic approach transforms the work into what Colell describes as a “body of memory,” celebrating multilingualism and the cultural significance of vulnerable indigenous languages.
Originally reported by Variety →
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