"La estrella" (The Star), a vitalist dram

The film debut of Alberto Aranda is set in his home town, Santa Coloma de Gramenet. This humanist drama tells the tale of Estrella, an optimistic but solitary girl and her partner, Salva. She works in the local cemetery and listens to her favourite radio programme host, Justo Molinero, while Salva struggles for a promotion in his workplace that would allow them to move out of the suburbs. On the very night that Salva celebrates his hard-earned promotion, his colleague, Trini, arrives at their home fleeing the abuses of her husband. In her attempts to help Trini, Estrella realises that she must also take stock of her future.
 

Based on the novel by Belén Carmona, from the same area, Aranda’s debut is full of familiar characters and locations from the Les Oliveres district of Santa Coloma. La Estrella, starring Íngrid Rubio, Carmen Machi, Fele Martínez and Marc Clotet, is a vitalist drama that tells the story of courageous, tenacious women – a reflection of the heroines that Aranda has known throughout his life.
 

The first screening was held in the Biblioteca Singuerlín, in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. The nation-wide release takes place this Friday, the 24th of May.