El Documento / The Document (2004)

El Documento (The Document) By José Alvarez, David Palazón and Kaho Kohima 2004 UK 53' Colour DV 4:3 Film Spanish & English (English Sub.) This experimental documentary provided the Spanish community in London with a platform in which to express their views, dreams and creative expectations. During the process of making this film we interviewed more than 80 Spaniards and other individuals related to the Spanish community, including dancers, photographers, performers, designers, painters, musicians, filmmakers, squatters. . . and a long list of really interesting people. Most of them were aged between 20-35 years old, and somehow part of the first generation to leave Spain in the 90's not due to financial or political problems, but rather pursuing dreams that they could NOT reach in Spain. This documentary portraits the desires and frustrations of this particular generation, born after 40 years of dictatorship and now able to explore Europe since Spain joined the EU. This film has been funded by UnLtd*, an English Trust for social entrepreneurs and is the first documentary of its kind to be previewed in London on the 29th of September 2004 at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square. 'David and José wanted to make a film that would empower the people that were to be featured in the film, by creating a democracy of production. This meant that the participants would set the pace. It would be their film.' (p.15, Documentary in Practice by Jane Chapman)