Independence goes to the movies with "L'Endemà"

"L'Endemà" ("The Next Day") is here already. Surrounded by unprecedented media attention --for a documentary--, Isona Passola's movie on Catalan independence was presented to the public yesterday. Before coming to movie theatres this Friday --the official premiere will take place today at Cinema Aribau (Barcelona)-- the film can already claim a victory: the success of its crowdfunding project and the strategic premiere on the weekend before the Diada (Catalonia's national day) mean that "L'Endemà" has become one of the highlights of the film season.

The movie is a textbook example of what a documentary is supposed to be. Through the eyes of a myriad of interviewees, the film examines the pitfalls of a Catalan state: the fiscal deficit, infrastructures, pensions, dual nationality, the EU angle, the boycott on Catalan goods and so on. But "L'Endemà" hopes to be more than just a documentary and has some hidden tricks.

A political film, without politicians

The bulk of the interviewees are members of the public

Although it's clearly a political documentary, the active career politicians featured in the movie are few and relatively unknown. "I didn't want to include any political leaders, because they all have a party bias", says Passola. Most of the people interviewed are experts in the various fields that the movie deals with: economists discuss the fiscal deficit and sovereign debt of an independent Catalonia; researchers talk about the medical research needed in the new state; sociologists discuss demographics and so forth. The only exceptions are Maria Badia, member of the PSC and Raül Romeva of ICV.

It's a long list of participants (47 interviewees) but without celebrities: no sports people nor singers or cinema faces. The only media figures are RAC 1 journalist Jordi Basté and economist Xavier Sala-i-Martín.

"No" to confrontation

From "Cataluña Espanya" to "L'Endemà": avoiding confrontation

When Isona Passola directed "Cataluña Espanya" in 2009 she focused on the conflict between both nations and gave each side a chance to voice their own views, one versus the other. "My previous film was about confronting views", says Passola. "Now I give arguments for voting 'yes' to independence". This means that all the opinions given in the movie are in favour of independence. "I have desperately tried to find someone who could explain the "No" vote properly, to no avail", Passola says.

Fiction or documentary?

Four performers play out the conflict through metaphor

The first surprise about "L'Endemà" is that fact that it's not quite a documentary of talking heads. The movie starts with a dramatised row between a couple that becomes one of the running themes of the film. "I'm leaving you", says the girl to her boyfriend. "Don't. You are my other half", he replies. "The trouble is, I'm not a half, I'm a whole thing", she adds. Passola uses fiction because in her experience "a documentary needs a dramatic structure" and because "opinions are better understood when they are expressed through a character". In total there are four actors (two male and two female) who address some of the experts and act out metaphoric scenes about the independence conflict.

Singing for independence

A cover of "Que sera, sera" sung in Catalan is the movie's musical leitmotiv

Passola had already warned that "L'Endemà" would be a very musical movie. For a while there was a rumour that it might even become a musical. In fact, it just happens to have a very prominent soundtrack, written by pianist and composer Albert Guinovart and a cover of the oldie "Que sera, sera (Whatever will be)" adapted in Catalan by writer Miquel de Palol. The track is heard not only during the initial credits but it's also sung by a large choir in the last scene of the movie.

For "home consumption"

"L'Endemà" will be shown in Catalonia, Madrid, the Basque Country and Majorca

Passola referred to her movie as being for "home consumption" and not intended for the Spanish public. However, the film will be shown in Madrid's Metropol and later in the Basque Country and Majorca, besides Catalonia --where 50 copies will be screened--. "L'Endemà" will be shown in traditional theatres as well as smaller projection venues and clubs, with the director in attendance. Passola has nearly 100 gigs confirmed in the coming weeks. She won't be idle.

A collective effort

The movie received 8,163 donations and voluntary contributions

Passola emphasised the idea that "L'Endemà" is a "collective effort" of Catalonia's civil society, setting a new crowdfunding record in Europe for documentaries, thanks to 8,163 voluntary contributions. Despite this success, Passola recalls the 40 days that she spent travelling around Catalonia to explain her project as "an extremely hard campaign". "Now I understand why electoral campaigns only last 15 days", she joked yesterday. One hundred young people were cast to take part in the shoot and nearly 400 singers joined in the final musical number. None of the featured interviewees was paid and only one person, whose name Passola refuses to disclose, turned down the invitation because they work in public broadcasting.

Systemic corruption

Pujol's confession didn't alter the script of the movie

When you pick a topic like the Catalan process for your movie, there's always a danger that current events will render it obsolete. But Passola is certain that Jordi Pujol's confession hasn't changed the course of "L'Endemà". "Corruption features very prominently in my film", she says. "But Pujol's case is a problem of the Catalan and Spanish systems. We want a new country to resolve problems such as this one". Pujol's name is only mentioned during a puppet show that illustrates comically the historic conflict between Catalonia and Spain.