THE MARTYR (El Mártir) dir. Alejandro Mathé
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish
Format: Short Film (33 mins)
Available subtitles: English, Deutsch, Español, Italiano
Language: Spanish
Format: Short Film (33 mins)
Available subtitles: English, Deutsch, Español, Italiano
FEATURED IN: THE MALE GAZE: HEAVENLY CREATURES
A young man's obsession with the half-naked figure of Jesus Christ leads him down a dangerous path of self-harm and masochistic tendencies.
WRITTEN BY: Jose Alberto Arias Pereira, Alejandro Mathé
CAST: Rafa Sambruno, Alberto Lopez Ballesteros, Lena Rodriguez
PRODUCED BY: Anna Weber
CAST: Rafa Sambruno, Alberto Lopez Ballesteros, Lena Rodriguez
PRODUCED BY: Anna Weber
DIRECTOR'S NOTE
The Catholic religion played an important role in my childhood. Like most children growing up in Spain in the 1990s, I had religious education at school and went to mass every Sunday, but I also experienced every Easter procession with a mixture of fascination and aversion, that I have never felt again since. It was only during adolescence, as I slowly began to discover my own identity, that I left the Church and my beliefs. I could not remain part of an institution that did not accept me as I am. Yet it is difficult to completely let go of things that were so formative in childhood. For me, this has manifested in a deep fascination with Christian mythology and symbolism, and a strong interest in sacrilegious interpretations of the Bible. El Mártir arose from a similar taboo idea. It is a story about discoveries and great passions, a film about self-acceptance and coming of age in an isolated place, a fable about the loss of control and the pursuit of perfection at any cost. As a queer director, I would like to share Elias’s story with the world, because on the one hand it addresses sexuality and religion from a unique perspective, and on the other it tells a universal reality of growing up. It is a story that goes beyond the morbidity of its premise, a story where the weight lies in human relationships and passions, and one that invites dialogue.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
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Born and raised in Ibiza by his German mother and Andalusian father, from a very young age Alejandro spent his summer holidays with his maternal grandparents in Germany, who instilled in him a love for theatre and the arts, as well as a passion for dark stories with bittersweet endings. In 2023 he graduated in film directing at the ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln. His films have garnered recognition at numerous festivals. His work often delves into queer realities and characters facing extreme situations, with a particular attraction to the grotesque in all its forms. He currently resides in Cologne, where he is writing the script for his debut feature.
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Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon.de / Amazon.fr / Amazon.ca
Amazon Italia / Amazon.com.mx / Amazon.es / Amazon.nl / Amazon.com.au