Thrilled to announce that Fernando Reinaldos’ short film GALLINA has won the award for Best Short Film at the Sundial Film Festival, one of the most renowned and exciting film events in Northern California.

The Sundial Film Festival took place at the historic, renovated Cascade Theatre to celebrate bold storytelling and the filmmakers who bring fresh and inspiring perspectives to the big screen. This filmmaker-focused festival showcases some of the most compelling independent works by local, national and international creators, making it one of the most eagerly anticipated film events in Northern California.

The Sundial Film Festival has been a resounding cinematic success; it was superbly organised and attracted a large number of filmgoers and independent filmmakers from across the country.

GALLINA had its world premiere at the New Hampshire Film Festival in the US. The festival is an Oscar-qualifying event.

Since then, it has been screened in the official selection at numerous international film festivals around the world.

GALLINA has been nominated for and won awards at prestigious international film festivals such as the Sulmona International Film Festival in Italy.

Synopsis:

In rural Spain, ten-year-old Pablo loves spending time at his granny’s countryside home, playing with his younger sister Alba and his best friend Martín.

But everything changes when Martín pressures him to betray his family, leaving Pablo to question where he truly belongs.

Statement’s Director:

As a queer child, I remember the constant feeling of being trapped between two worlds: my feminine and masculine sides were always in conflict. Many times I tried to figure out where I belonged, without understanding why I had to make a choice at all. The warmth of my supportive family was not always enough to help me stand up to the harshness of the toxic masculinity outside. At that time, my deep admiration for my best friend led me to make choices against my instincts, betraying the special bond I shared with my dearest ones.

Gallina is my attempt to better understand that time in my life. The day when I came to understand something irreversible about myself and the world around me. When my silence began to shape the person I would become. The same silence that many queer children carry to protect themselves from being seen.

Through Pablo’s story, I wanted to examine how toxic masculinity shapes a boy’s identity in today’s world, and to explore the cost of remaining silent in the face of everyday violence. The silence that takes over at the end of the film is the same silence that, heartbreakingly, has become a defining feature of our time.

Stay tuned, as we will soon be announcing further successes for this excellent Spanish drama, including more selections at festivals that qualify for the Hollywood Oscars.

#mailukifilms #oscars #academyawards #festival #premiosgoya