In a greenhouse in southern Spain, Iván falls in love with newly hired co-worker Hadoum. But his long-awaited promotion interferes with their relationship, forcing him to decide what kind of person he wants to be.

This is the synopsis for Iván & Hadoum [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film], the first film by Spanish filmmaker Ian de la Rosa, the world premiere of which is taking place in the Panorama section of the current Berlinale (12-22 February).

"I needed to tell a love story that I could identify with, and that at the same time would invite viewers to fall in love again. We need to fall in love again with who we are and with the people around us. So that life has some kind of meaning and we can combat the fear, despair, and hatred of what we have labeled as different, which separates us as human beings and as a society," de la Rosa explains. "On the one hand, it’s not easy to make a debut feature film. The film industry is complex and full of difficulties. Another challenge is that I had to learn to be a screenwriter. I had to learn to write the stories I want to tell, and that takes time. But perhaps what has influenced this film and its process the most is that I myself had to transition genders. Only then could I continue with my life, draw my own conclusions and gain experience about what it means to be a transgender person, what it means to desire and love as a transgender person in contemporary society, and to capture that in this film," he adds.

Ian de la Rosa's works include the short film Víctor xx (2015), winner of the Cinéfondation Award at Cannes and selected for more than 60 international festivals. His second short film, Farrucas (2021), was nominated for the Goya Award for Best Fiction Short Film, making him the first Spanish trans filmmaker to receive that recognition. De la Rosa has also worked as a television screenwriter for HBO’s smash hit series Veneno [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda series] and as a director in its spin-off Vestidas de azul. Iván & Hadoum is his debut film.

Starring Silver Chicón and Herminia Loh in lead roles, Iván & Hadoum (whose script was penned by the director) takes us to an industrial greenhouse in southern Spain where Iván falls in love with a new colleague called Hadoum. But a long-awaited promotion interferes with their relationship, forcing Iván to decide what kind of person he wants to be… Production was steered by Spanish company Avalon alongside fellow Spaniards Pecado Films and Vayolet Films, in co-production with Germany’s Port-au-Prince Films and Belgium’s Saga Film.

Written by de la Rosa himself, the film stars Silver Chicón and Herminia Loh. The film is produced by Spanish company Avalon alongside fellow Spaniards Pecado Films and Vayolet Films, in co-production with Germany’s Port-au-Prince Films and Belgium’s Saga Film. International sales are handled by France's Indie Sales.

Check out our exclusive trailer below: