“Runner,” Laura García Alonso’s debut feature, tells the story of a young competitive athlete who suffers a psychotic break while training intensely for a major race.
The film, sold internationally by Madrid-based Latido Films, premieres in competition at this year’s Málaga Film Festival. It will be introduced to buyers at Málaga’s Spanish Screenings.
Adding to the film’s interest, it has a top-notch production package: Barcelona’s Distinto Films, whose “Deaf” won Berlin’s Panorama Audience Award, Elastica Films, which backed Berlin Golden Bear winner “Alcarràs,” and Dos Soles Media, a producer like Elastica in Carla Simon’s Cannes main competition player “Romeria.” Elastica distributes in Spain.
Breakout newcomer Alba Sáez stars as Cris, who is emotionally and physically dedicated to athletics. While preparing for the 800-meter race at the Spanish National Championships, she suffers a severe psychotic break brought on by mounting pressure. As her recovery process unfolds, Cris remains fixated on running and planning her challenging comeback.
Marina Salas (“This Too Shall Pass”) and Alex Brendemühl (“Creatura”) co-star as her sister and father, who play crucial roles in her recovery.
For García, the issue of mental illness became a very personal matter following an experience with a close relative, something which she also addressed in her 2022 short film “Summer Storm.”
With “Runner,” she hopes to broaden understanding of mental illness.
“The intention of the film was precisely that: to get people talking about the topic, to generate debate,” García tells Variety.
“Mental illness is greatly feared; often in film, we portray it in a manipulative or sensationalist way. With this story, I wanted to show the reality of Cris, a young woman grappling with the symptoms of a newly diagnosed mental illness, the uncertainty of its progression, the side effects of her treatment, the changed way those around her perceive her, and her own changing self-perception.”
Taking that deep dive into the subject hasn’t been easy for the filmmaker.
“It has been a huge challenge, especially because we wanted to move away from certain stereotypes and because the subject is complex and diverse. We did our research, interviewed people in the field of mental health, and I observed a great deal.”
In “Summer Storm,” which centers on a young man caring for his mother after she suffers a psychotic episode, García approached the topic from the perspective of the caregiver.
“In ‘Runner,’ I wanted to do it from a first-person perspective, from the point of view of someone dealing with a disorder, and that required a great deal of immersion in terms of writing, acting, and directing the actors. On a personal level, it’s been tough because there’s so much suffering, but it’s also been positive because I think we’ve managed to convey hope.”
García praises her impressive cast for their work in the challenging project: “To play Cris, we were looking for an actress who, in addition to physically fitting the image of an athlete, had a certain way of looking at things, of accessing very deep states of being. Finding Alba was a gift. She gave herself completely. We worked on the character for a year through conversations, readings, improvisations.
“Then Marina and Alex joined, completing an unbeatable cast. They are generous, creative, and sensitive actors. It was a wonderful learning experience working with them.”
Set in the intense world of athletics, the production posed other challenges for both García and Sáez. Running is a “humble, beautiful and tough sport,” the director notes. “In the film, it’s a double-edged sword. Cris runs to soothe what’s happening inside her, but it’s also a source of tension.”
“On a technical level, the running sequence was also a challenge. I didn’t want to film it with many shots and fragment it; I was interested in following the character continuously. Alba could run at a realistic speed for a championship in 100-meter segments, and I couldn’t do too many takes because otherwise she would get too tired. It was a huge physical effort for her and for the whole team.”
It’s too early for García to discuss upcoming projects, but she is developing some ideas. “I have a starting point, a universe that I’m interested in exploring. In my films, I like to delve into unknown territories. I like challenges, talking about things I don’t know or that intrigue me. I can’t share it yet, but I’m excited.”
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