Individual residencies / Andorra
CARLES LAIRINI BARÓ
From Monday, 6 November 2023 to Monday, 27 November 2023
Bio
Carles Lairini has directed and produced several short films and has experience in film post-production and VFX. With a degree in audiovisual communication, he spent two years living in the Netherlands, where he worked as a communication technician for a foundation in Amsterdam. Later, he studied drama for two years in the Basque Country, where he combined his passion for acting with that of directing. His curiosity and desire to grow have led him to continue his training in the field of post-production and film distribution and marketing. He has recently finished the CGFS in audiovisual projects and spectacle production, which has provided him with a more technical approach to the theoretical knowledge he already had from his degree.
Project
Samira - TV series. During the residency, I would work on further shaping some of the storylines and characters of the first season of a television series based on the life of a Muslim teenage girl called Samira. The intention behind Samira is to openly portray the increasingly evident cultural gap that exists between Islam and the West. It also aims to bring Western society closer to the Muslim religion, shown from all possible perspectives and interpretations, from the most moderate to the most radical, although always from a position of sincerity and respect, and contextualising the verses of the Koran at all times. The main objective is for the viewer to experience first-hand the dilemma that exists between religion and Western life, a position in which Samira constantly finds herself in her everyday life. Therefore, the series presents an implicit debate between religion and science, between tradition and progress and, above all, between faith and reason. Moreover, by presenting the subject of bullying in such a direct way to the adolescent audience, the aim is to place a mirror in front of the bullies themselves so that they may reflect on their actions and, we hope, feel a sense of shame. Through these everyday examples of bullying that are depicted in the series, often disguised as harmless teasing, we can get to know the background of the person being bullied and realise that they are not so different from ourselves and that they do not deserve such discrimination because of who they are. Since my father is an Arab and a Muslim, I have first-hand experience of both Muslim culture and religion. My mother's opposing views on certain issues inspired me to want to portray Islam openly and without prejudice before Western society. It all stemmed from the question: Is it possible to follow the Islamic faith to the letter in Western society? This led me to raise the question of whether it is possible for Muslim immigrants to integrate into Western society without renouncing their own culture and religion. Samira is not just a series for teenagers, nor a thriller that aims to hook the viewer episode after episode, it is also a bridge between two cultures, between two realities, which will force the viewer to reflect beyond the limits of their own social constructs.
A growth detour
Faber Andorra has represented a before and after in my process as an audiovisual creator and regarding the television series I'm currently developing. The opportunity to have 3 weeks for me and my project has helped me focus more on the story I want to tell and find new ways to reach the public and producers more easily.
The culture coordinators of the Government of Andorra welcomed me with open arms from the get-go. They always responded to my needs and have helped me as much as they could by providing me with a wide array of contacts that have served to enrich both the script and the bible of the series in every sense. Thanks to these people and the network of audiovisual professionals registered in Andorra, I have been able to meet with practically all the professionals involved in the development and production of audiovisual works. As such, I was able to meet with the producer, Josep Pozo, who introduced me to a world of new possibilities thanks to his experience when it came to improving the series' presentation dossier. I also met with the film director Nil Forcada, who helped me bring a new focus to the series' audiovisual narrative and with the director, Maria Caminal, who specialises in stories about women, who helped me resolve various doubts that I, as a man, naturally had. Finally, I met with the writer, Elena Aranda, who was a revelation in terms of understanding how to improve the plot map, pointing out where there was room for improvement and which points were better discarded.
Furthermore, one of the most revealing aspects of this stay has been discovering how having so much free time in such a pleasant and peaceful place like Andorra could help inspire me, bring order to my ideas and express them in writing. This residency has enabled me to make a major qualitative leap forward in my project and has opened new doors for future contacts and access to the audiovisual market.
