Pere Vilà Barceló Tackles Rape in ‘When a River Becomes the Sea’

Catalan filmmaker Pere Vilà Barceló talks about rape in “When a River Becomes the Sea.” But he never, ever intended to show it. 

“We’re focusing on trauma and the process of healing. It’s a long and complex journey that many women shared with us in great detail – sometimes even more so than the assault itself,” he tells Variety.  

Premiering at Karlovy Vary Film Festival, his intimate drama is about “moments that don’t appear in news headlines,” he explains.  

“It explores the margins of the emotional, psychological and social aftermath that often remains invisible. For us, this wasn’t only a cinematic choice. It was a matter of respect.”

He adds: “We even shot a courtroom scene but chose to leave it out to avoid re-victimization and any sense of voyeurism or sensationalism. Many survivors describe the judicial process as a second assault, since they often face institutional violence as well. Being doubted, retraumatized or treated without sensitivity.”

That’s what happens to Gaia as well. The young archaeology student – played by Claud Hernández – is unable to speak about what happened to her for the longest time. When she finally reveals her boyfriend assaulted her, she’s met with doubt and dismissal. 

“It’s something I’ve heard again and again. Victims are doubted, isolated and dismissed, while the aggressor goes on with his life as if nothing happened, without even being fully aware of the harm he has caused,” observes the director. 

“This points to a lack of education, and to the fact that both men and women are raised within a patriarchal society. That’s also why I wanted to introduce this archaeological concept – not just as a metaphor, but as a scientific and evolutionary approach. The professor explores historical roots of patriarchy: when did it begin, how did it take shape and who enforced it?”

Produced by Xavier Pérez…