28/03/2025 - Gala Gracia's debut film carries the scent of the countryside and the taste of truth, telling the story of two sisters with contrasting lives who must readjust after the death of their father

Presented in the official section of the 28th Malaga Film Festival (where it won the Silver Biznaga for Best Music by Portuguese artist Filipe Raposo), The Remnants of You [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the debut feature film by Spanish director Gala Gracia, further highlighted the high standard of this year’s competition.

Shot in the Aragonese Pyrenees, every frame of the film exudes authenticity as it tells the story of Sara (played by Laia Manzanares), a promising jazz pianist in New York, when she returns to her hometown after the death of her father. As she tries to reconnect with her roots, make up for lost time and keep her memories of her father alive, she clashes with her sister, played very convincingly by Ángela Cervantes (who won the award for Best Actress in this same competition for her chilling performance in Fury [+see also:
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However, let’s not fall into the trap of pigeonholing The Remnants of You as Spanish neo-ruralism, because –like other titles such as The Beasts [+see also:
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interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Isabe…
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interview: Mikel Gurrea
film profile]– it goes much deeper than reflecting a way of life. The film delves into belonging to a territory, reconnecting with one’s roots and the attempts to recover what is impossible to salvage. In addition to the guilt of having been absent.

All this troubles the protagonist of a film that also perfectly captures the demanding nature of livestock farming, the unique codes of the countryside and the human and business relationships that are formed there. It's a far cry from like living in New York. The central character, a woman reuniting with her past, attempts to fit back in, much like she did when she was a child.  Past emotions resurface in the form of forgotten objects and the group of friends left behind, with whom reconnection proves difficult.

Gala Gracia portrays these internal conflicts using the bluntest truth, drawing from her own upbringing in a village much like the one depicted in her debut film. Above all, it illustrates how fate can separate people who were once close, depending on the paths they choose: the sister who stayed in her birthplace and built her life there, while the other leaves to pursue her talents and ambitions, which were impossible to cultivate there. This clash between sisters, although underpinned by deep affection, and the remarkable performances of its actresses, powerfully elevate the restrained emotion of the film. It serves as a magnificent introduction to a new filmmaker.

The Remnants of You is a film by the Spanish companies Potenza Producciones and Bastian Films, the Italian companies Sajama Films and Garbo Produzioni and the Portuguese company Fado Filmes. Karma Films will release the film in Spanish cinemas on 16 May, while Beta Cinema will manage international sales.

(Translated from Spanish)