‘Baluard’ documentary premiere will take place on February 25 in Barcelona

Baluard documentary already has a premiere date. It is going to be on February 25th, at 20 pm, in Barcelona (Filmoteca de Catalunya). This project has been driven by Action Welfare and Development ABD, and it’s directed by José González Morandi. Baluard’ will show how professionals care about people marginalized because of their continued use of drugs. What will happen with these persons if it did not exist places like (Attention and Evolution Center) CAS Baluard? In this documentary, you will find the answer.

The documentary pretends to visibilize life stories marked by stigma and destruction for drugs consume. But, despite this, they already dream, wish and have a will for their future. The characters are real people who come daily to Sala Baluard, a place where professionals could attend their healthcare needs associated with the inappropriate use of drugs.

AN OVERDOSE OF HUMANITY

The Attention and Evolution Center (CAS) Baluard it is a service of public utility (Barcelona Public Health Agency) which is run by ABD. It is a center that is featured by its harm reduction devices for people with drug problems. It is located in Barcelona city center, two minutes from Les Rambles.

“The documentary will show, with great doses of humanity, the work behind the response that Barcelona has created to cater to extreme marginalized people due to their continued consumption of drugs”

Sala Baluard (the CAS) has opened near the city center of Barcelona in 2004. Since then, around 10,000 people have received attention in this center. There are currently 50 healthcare professionals and social workers working daily. In order to grow and improve the service, ‘Baluard’ was moved to a renovated center in the same neighborhood -El Raval- on October 2nd, 2018. The people who make the ‘CAS’ possible never stops. They work every day of the year, and so, this film is dedicated to them and to who have made it possible, for their involvement and their commitment.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

This audiovisual project will close a documentary trilogy which has started in 2004 for the director José González Morandi about Barcelona hidden history: “Can Tunis”, the drug sellers story; “Troll”, the charismatic drug consumer story; and “Baluard”, in which the protagonist is a user of the care and harm reduction service.

About his last work, González Morandi highlight: “In ‘Baluard’ I do not allow myself any sentimental expansion or interpretation, nor a psychological point of view. I want to cause to the public a certain strange aftertaste in the mouth, like raw meat, a flavor that is not easily forgotten, that it reminds us that the problem is still there and that we have the responsibility to do things go better.

A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT

Another different feature of the documentary ‘Baluard’ is that it could be possible, partly, thanks to the small contributions of more than a hundred persons. So, part of the funding has been achieved through a micromanage campaign, which has collected about 5,000 euros (https://www.verkami.com/projects/20812-baluard-el-documental). The audiovisual project has also the collaboration of Barcelona Public Health Agency and Ciutat Vella District – Barcelona City Council.