END OF THE CENTURY/ FIN DE SIGLO

Spain, 2019, 84 minutes, Colour.
Juan Barberini, Ramon Pujol, Mia Maestro.
Directed by Lucio Castro.

The end of the century, months in 1999, is one of the settings of the action (plus contemplation) of this drama about two men and their relationship. In fact, this film seems to be about what was, what is, and what might have been.

The setting is Barcelona, a poet from New York, Ocho (Juan Bareberini), visiting and after 20 years. The first long minutes of this short feature, have him arriving, settling into an Airbnb, wandering the city, gazing, photographing, going to the beach, reading, having a swim. While this is a rather poetic introductory portrait of Ochi, a number of viewers, becoming more impatient, have left the cinema at this stage. But, they have missed the relationship, the portrait of the two men, Ocho and his imagination.

The question arises, how much of this narrative is real and how much is in Ocho’s imagination. The encounter with the man at the beach, Javi (Ramon Pujol), the sexual encounter in his room, discussions, each man explaining what has happened to him during the last 20 years, leads to real or imaginative flashbacks as to their meeting 20 years earlier, their drinking, touring the city, going to art galleries. Have they really known each other before?

Then there is a dramatisation of their staying together over the 20 years, Ocho as a teacher, Javi and his media work, the relationship with the little daughter. Images of a rather idyllic life.

This is a film with a very strong gay sensibility, in its portrait of the men, their sensitivities, their lives.

1. The title? The episodes in 1999? 20 years on?

2. The Barcelona settings, buildings and apartments, streets, gardens, monuments, beach, galleries…? The musical score?

3. The timeframes? 2019? 1999? The 20 years in between? What if?

4. How much realism? How much in chose imagination?

5. Ocho, age, New York poet, magazine, 20 years partner, taking a break, the experience of freedom? Airbnb, settling in, walking around Barcelona, observing, photographing? The audience contemplating him contemplating?

6. Observing Javi, the Kiss T-shirt, at the beach, the swim, Javi on his bike, outside the window, coming up, the talk, the intense sexual encounter, the conversation?

7. The conversation, the memories of the past, on show and Javi and their past Ocho’s friendship, her singing, on show learning of her death, her success and career, accidental
death? A glimpse of her singing in the square and people giving money?

8. The what if? Staying in Spain, Ocho as a teacher, the delight in the daughter, playing with her, Javi and his work? A happy life?

9. The importance of the gay sensibility of the film? Sensitivities?