El Agua

Magic, mysticism, superstition, and youthful romanticism. ›El Agua‹ explores the myths of femininity and, in doing so, paints a portrait of a region caught between a lack of perspective and a desire for change.

A storm is brewing. The inhabitants of the small Spanish community where Ana lives with her mother and grandmother fear that the nearby river will soon overflow. It has done so many times before – and each time, legend has it, women disappeared. The young Ana also seems attracted by the destructive power of the water; for now, however, the river is still flowing within its banks. Ana falls in love with José, they dream of leaving together. We are shown the authentic image of a rural Spanish youth without prospects. Then, more and more, the young woman drifts away from her lover, like water slipping through one’s fingers.

›El Agua‹ doesn’t only combine sensitive romance with magical realism, but also documentary with fiction. The director thus succeeds in crafting a portrait, as poetic as it is persuasive, of the world she herself grew up in. With a feminist twist!

Director