Release: 19 oktober 2023
Cast: Pol López, Vicky Luengo, Ilyass El Ouahdani
Regisseur: Mikel Gurrea
Lengte: 116 min.
Synopsis (in het Engels)
Helena and Ivan’s friends toast their departure from Barcelona for an old stone farmhouse and adjoining 1,200-acre cork forest Elena’s aunt left her. As both are architects, their new life is full of promise; but it soon emerges their views of how to take up life on the land could not be more divergent.
Old Enric arrives with the donkey, Poum, who lived in the enclosure when Elena’s aunt was alive. He is low maintenance but should have a companion. Enric outlines a plan to harvest the cork that would yield 10,000 euros; but Helena and Ivan don’t know how they would be able to pay the workers before cashing in.
Enric invites the couple to a meeting in town about preparing for fire season. Their water tank must be rebuilt and new hoses purchased. A local man, Maurici, proposes to hire a team and manage the harvest. He estimates the couple’s net profit at 20,000 euros. Ivan is skeptical, but Helena argues that they must use the money they have to renovate the house before the baby arrives. They cannot consider paying harvesters and must accept Maurici’s offer.
Helena undertakes putting the house in order. Instead of joining her, Ivan sets out before dawn to work alongside the harvesters and learn the trade. When Helena comes to the site to bring him home for lunch, he refuses, as the crew would lose respect for him. Helena impresses the crew as a quick learner with the axe, even as Ivan discourages her because she is pregnant.
Helena shows Ivan their new workspace and the look book she composed to renovate their house. She imagines one smart renovation will attract new clients. Ivan finds her vision a bit posh but offers no alternate thoughts. He is concerned that Maurici has several clandestine Moroccan workers on site, even as Maurici maintains that he knows the ropes and how to steer clear of trouble. Helena suggests it is not their problem.
First time clandestine Karim lives in an abandoned house until Ivan invites him to live in the stable, then to join Helena at their table. Elena’s astonishment gives way to derisive laughter. Karim returns from the harvest to find Helena working the land by herself. Ivan stayed behind to talk with Maurici. Karim helps Helena. She asks Maurici for permission to hire him to help rebuild the water tank.
After Ivan leaves the gate to the enclosure open, Poum is discovered a the bottom of a ridge. Ivan cannot wield the rifle, but Helena puts Poum out of his misery.
A strong north wind stirs up the threat of wildfire. The harvest must be speeded up.
J&J Films 