The Sagals of Osona immortalize in a documentary the season that made them dream again

TarragonaThere are seasons that are remembered for the castles achieved and others for the path that must be taken to reach them. Els Sagals d'Osona wanted to record this journey with Aixecar-se, the documentary they produced jointly with Canal Taronja and which was presented on June 28 at Espai ETC in Vic. The audiovisual offers an inside look at one of the group's most special campaigns, in which collective effort, emotions, and perseverance culminate in a season that is already part of its history.

The documentary follows the day-to-day rehearsals and performances of last season, but also focuses on the values that define the casteller tradition: commitment, trust, and the ability to get back up after difficulties. It is no coincidence that the work ends with a phrase that summarizes the group's spirit: "I choose to dream".

For Els Sagals, the context of recent years has made this journey even more valuable. The pandemic caused a significant drop in participants in all casteller groups, but its impact was particularly intense in groups from non-traditional areas, where it is harder to establish a stable social base than in historic places like Tarragona, Valls, or Vilafranca del Penedès. Many people left castells during those months, discovered new hobbies, or simply got used to weekends without casteller activity, which made the subsequent recovery difficult.

Despite this scenario, Els Sagals have managed to regroup without losing their ambition. Former group leader, Albert Molina, highlights in the documentary that in recent years the group has registered "one of the lowest drop-off rates in the casteller world, and that is a source of pride." A solidity he attributes to a way of working based on prudence and consistency. "We are very clear that we need to go step by step," he assures.

Recovering the 2de8f

This philosophy has allowed the basic eight-person castles to be consolidated in recent seasons. In the last two years alone, the group has completed ten 4d8s, ten 3d8s, and fourteen 2d7s, a consistency that has served as a basis for looking towards more difficult constructions again.

Among the great objectives was to recover the 2d8f, a castle that had been a reference for the Sagals in 2017 and 2018, when they completed it up to six consecutive times. In 2024, rehearsals suggested it was possible to recover it, and the group brought it to the Concurs de Castells de Tarragona. However, they were unable to complete it.

The season's big event, however, arrived months later, on a day that the Sagals assure they will remember forever. The performance began with the solid completion of the 3d8. In the second round, they faced the 2d8f again, which this time they managed to load, although it eventually gave way before being completed. Far from affecting them, the fall became an incentive. The group emotionally recovered, and in the third round, they completed the first 7d8 in their history, culminating a day that symbolizes the meaning of the documentary's title better than any other.

Thus, Aixecar-se is not just the story of a castle season. It is also the story of a group that, after some particularly complex years, has managed to rebuild itself, regain social momentum, and demonstrate that great goals can also be achieved away from traditional castle squares. The documentary can now be seen in its entirety on Taronja TV's YouTube channel and becomes a testament to a season in which the Sagals d'Osona confirmed that, even after falling, one can still dream again.