With the arrival of summer in Murcia, Lionel discovers that when he turns 26, he will lose his orphan's pension. With no clear direction and estranged from his family, he accepts a road trip to France with his father to visit his sister and attend a family tribute. On the road, amid misunderstandings and failed conversations, old wounds resurface, forcing both to confront what remains of their relationship. Shot with a real family playing themselves, the film blurs the lines between fiction and reality, exploring the cracks and affections of family ties.
Carlos Saiz
A filmmaker and screenwriter born in Murcia in 1991, his work combines intimate storytelling with a strong sense of place. He won a scholarship to study for a Master's Degree in Film Directing at the EFTI School in Madrid, where he wrote ‘The Bonfire’ (2020), a short film inspired by the story of his friend Lionel and his complex relationship with his father. The film was selected for festivals such as San Sebastian, Malaga, Clermont-Ferrand, Ficunam, and the Kyiv International Film Festival Molodist. In 2021, he directed ‘Muerte Murciélago’, an animated short film that explores the environmental disaster in Portman Bay, which was selected for Zinebi, Malaga, Slamdance, Mecal, and Abycine. ‘Lionel’ (2025), which follows the story of the Corral family, is his feature film debut.
DIRECTOR
Carlos Saiz
SCREENPLAY
Raúl Liarte, Carlos Saiz
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Artur-Pol Camprubí
EDITOR
Estel Román
SOUND
Luis Ortega, Sofía Straface, Miriam Pedregal
MUSIC
Alex Aller, Inur Ategi
PRODUCTION
Mario Forniés, José Nolla, Nabil Ejey, Samuel Chauvin
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Bluconic Films AIE, Blur Media, Icónica, Promenades Films
