Like a father
Directed by Xavier Garriga;
Spain · 2025 · 16 min · Ancient; Country Life; Culture; Popular festivities; Historical; Music; Old Age;
Submitted to RTV International Film Festival 2026Synopsis
For years, the bell tower of La Garriga remained silent, along with an ancient language: manual bell ringing. Fifty years after the last bell ringer's daughter returns, igniting a collective journey to recover a forgotten sonic heritage
About the film
For decades, the bell tower of La Garriga remained silent. With it, an ancient language disappeared: the manual ringing of bells, once used to communicate with the town and to mark time, celebration, and mourning. When Lluís Fontseré, the last bell ringer, stopped climbing the tower, it seemed that this sound would survive only in memory. Fifty years later, his daughter climbs the tower again. This gesture opens an intimate and collective journey toward the recovery of a forgotten sonic heritage. Through her memories, the perspective of musician Fèlix de Blas, and the research of Víctor Rodríguez—who restored the bell tower and created a new group of bell ringers—the film follows the return of a tradition that once again gives voice to the town. Beyond the revival of an old craft, the documentary reflects on memory, intergenerational transmission, and the power of sound as a shared identity.
Publicity materials supplied or expressly authorized by the rights holder. Publication is separate from festival selection.
RTV International Film Festival — Inaugural Online Edition · 2026