'Far Away', starring Mario Casas, challenges the idea of a single masculinity

According to director Gerard Oms, who will be visiting several theaters in the Gaudí Cycle network to present 'Far Away' this December, the film has stirred consciences, and he has often encountered audience members who have confessed that they "still remain hidden and haven't dared to show themselves to the world in a completely free way." These witnesses confirm that although we live "in a world that has conquered many spaces free from hostility," it is still necessary "to continue creating spaces of love and safety to achieve visibility," the director observes.

One of the film's central themes is the critique of the idea of a single, monolithic masculinity. Gerard Oms acknowledges that breaking with this vision was central from the moment he wrote the script, since he himself has experienced hegemonic masculinity "as an imposed, sometimes unbearable, burden." The film has allowed him to explore other masculinities, and he acknowledges that the choice of Mario Casas as the protagonist was not accidental. He wanted to play with the image of an actor often associated with a very specific masculine model, portraying a character in the midst of transformation: "Shaking up this image and reflecting on how it impacts all those who don't fit the norm seemed interesting to us."

The film also focuses on the tension between what is inherited and what constitutes one's own essence. The protagonist's transformation also involves breaking ties and settling in another country. After traveling to the Netherlands to see a football match with his family and friends, Sergio decides to stay in the country alone. Unable to give his loved ones a logical explanation, he cuts off contact with his past. From that moment on, he will have to survive without money, without friends, without a home, and without speaking the language, until he is able to find himself. This, according to Oms, inevitably transforms identity: "Loneliness and distance give space to silence, and from this silence emerge questions that reinforce your identity."

One of the film's most crucial moments is the scene of the reunion with the brother. For the director, the story couldn't conclude without "bringing the group back together." This refrain highlights mutual responsibility: "We are not alone in the world, and what happens to the individual directly affects their closest circle."

A record-breaking year concludes at the Gaudí Film Festival.

'Far Away' is the film that puts the finishing touch on a year of absolute success at the Gaudí Cycle. In 2025, the Catalan Film Academy's project has brought 10 Catalan films to almost 140 theaters throughout Catalonia, with more than 52,000 viewers to date.

And in 2026 it launches with two major releases, A Portuguese fifth, by Avelina Prat, and Pilgrimage, by Carla Simón, persisting in its unique commitment to bringing Catalan cinema to cities and towns that do not have access to this programming on the big screen.