18/03/2025 - The Catalan director reveals what is behind his new documentary, which explores the contrasts between science and magic, encouraging viewers to question their own beliefs

(© Thessaloniki Film Festival/Studio Aris Rammos)

With extensive experience in both fiction and documentary filmmaking, Ventura Durall has just released his latest cinematic adventure, Supernatural [+see also:
interview: Ventura Durall
film profile], at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The documentary delves into the fascinating life of André Malby, a “shaman” and folk healer from recent Spanish history, examining his complex and controversial relationship with his son Mathu, as well as the legends about his supernatural abilities.

Cineuropa: During the discussion with the audience, you mentioned that it all began when you met the actress Anna Alarcón and became interested in her story of how she was cured of anorexia with the help of André Malby. But what did you know about Malby at that time?
Ventura Durall: I knew him only very superficially. In Spain, he is known for a viral scene with the screenwriter Fernando Arrabal, where he kisses Malby. I was taken aback when Anna, who is a very close friend of mine, shared how she almost died. She had been in hospital for two months, weighed just 20 kilos, and her parents didn't know what to do. Then, they sent a photograph of her to Malby. Without seeing her in person, he connected with her telepathically, and two days later, Anna started to eat. Later, we spoke to many others who shared similar stories. My rational mind couldn't comprehend it, so I decided to investigate. It became a process of trying to understand what was happening, as more and more people are turning to therapies such as ayahuasca, hypnosis, and family constellations. I wanted to understand what was behind it all.

So, do you identify more with his son Mathu, who believes in pure science?
Yes, I have a scientific background. I studied geology, and my hobby is reading science books. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not open to things that I can’t fully comprehend. I wanted to understand what I could find in this world.

So, has your perception changed?
I’ve learned a lot about the power of suggestion. We have an “internal pharmacy” that can be activated through various mechanisms. Magical thinking has an evolutionary sense, as it triggers this pharmacy through the placebo and charismatic figures. I also discovered the tools used to activate this, such as rituals and family constellations. There’s nothing magical about it; it’s a psychological mechanism. Religion itself is a ritual that activates something within us, and since we’ve lost religion, we seek out other rituals to trigger that response. André Malby was a person with great strength, charisma and the ability to persuade. If he told you that you were cured, your “internal pharmacy” would kick in. People were drawn to him because of his powers of persuasion and the rituals he performed.

Speaking of the father-son relationship, is it possible to avoid toxicity when one of them is so exceptional?
Mathu always says that his father was a hero; he saw him as such, especially when he was younger. It was only when he moved to the United States that he realised he needed distance to find his own identity. The most painful part was discovering his father's weaknesses—his alcoholism, the unhappiness it caused his mother, and so on. However, Mathu has always been aware of his father’s exceptional abilities.

Supernatural includes a significant archive of the television programmes in which Malby participated. How did you approach the selection process with so much material?
It was a challenging process. I had to watch all the programmes, which were many, and listen to hours of cassettes that he recorded. I transcribed everything, organised it by subject and we decided to use only the material that had images. The editing process, which lasted almost ten months, involved finding the right balance to make the character credible—showing his theories and personality without it becoming too tedious.

How long did you work on the film?
We started in September 2020 with the initial shoots and research, when Anna told me the story. In total, it took us almost four years from start to finish. The main filming took place in May and June 2023, but we then spent a year on the editing process. During that time, we realised that the protagonist should be Mathu, not Anna, so we altered the structure of the film.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)