Lola’s Bike
Directed by Alba Barbé i Serra; Laia Pibernat i Mir
Spain · 2026 · 20 min · Family; Childhood; Other; Violence;
Submitted to RTV International Film Festival 2026Synopsis
One stormy night, Lola's bike breaks. Lola draws on all her imagination and resourcefulness to fix it. This process gives her the courage to talk to her mother and tell her something very important: she doesn't want her uncle to come back.
About the film
One stormy night, Lola's bicycle breaks down. Together with her sister and their group of friends, Lola embarks on a day full of challenges, games, and adventures, during which they manage to repair the bike. Through the genuine creativity of childhood, Lola begins to piece together an inner world that she still cannot put into words. Yet the bicycle is not completely fixed: its bell has disappeared. When she returns to the beach, the bell rings once more; its echo travels across the ocean until it reaches Lola. In the underwater world, the waves hold the memories and silences that Lola's body has been carrying. Through the bond she shares with her bicycle, Lola finds a way to speak to her mother: she does not want her uncle to come back. Lola's Bicycle is a hybrid live-action and animation short film that blends adventure, fantasy, and deep emotion for both children and adults. With a profoundly delicate and respectful perspective, filled with colour and light, it opens up a space to talk about and help prevent sexual violence against children. Without ever depicting abuse explicitly, the film transforms the collective repair of a bicycle and the search for a missing bell into a powerful metaphor for reclaiming one's voice, rebuilding trust, and finding the courage to be heard. It is a story that celebrates the strength of caring relationships and the importance of listening; one that encourages children to speak up, and adults to listen, respond, and protect.
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RTV International Film Festival — Inaugural Online Edition · 2026