Individual residencies / Olot
SENDER ESCOBAR
From Monday, 15 January 2024 to Monday, 29 January 2024
Bio
Industrial engineer and writer. Graduate of the 20th edition of the Centro de Formación Literaria: Onelio Jorge Cardoso and of the first international creative writing workshop in Havana, organised by UNESCO: "Un libro es un show" (A book is a show). He has written for a range of digital media on film, literature, culture, history and sport. He was part of the jury in the 39th, 40th, 42nd and 43rd editions of the Havana Film Festival for the Pangea prize awarded by the Agrarian University of Havana: Fructuoso Rodríguez Pérez based on the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. He has published a book of poetry entitled "Márgenes de Ciudad" (27' Street), dedicated to various members of the 27 Club, and a book of prose entitled "Descuentos".
Project
During my stay, I will work on my novel: Buena suerte, Leonel Marcano, which is about the filming of a documentary on writer Leonel Marcano.
From the living room of his house, Marcano takes the viewer on a biographical journey through the tragic circumstances that led him to become a writer. This work aims to dispel myths and reveal some of the disenchantment about the complex historical processes experienced by Cubans over the last century, as well as to portray an irreverent character who sets out to dismantle archetypes, instead placing fear, anxiety and frustration at the heart of his life and of his writing.
This journey into the unknown was the most satisfying part of this project for me, allowing those looking to artistic expression to decipher the keys of a difficult world and, from their worldview, to create a better place.
I had been working on a character for several months and, through me, they started telling stories from their past. They are stories about a reality that is hard to understand: Cuban life. Disenchantment, frustration, but also faith, are part of my project for a novel titled Buena suerte, Leonel Marcano. Thanks to the support and belief of Faberllull Olot, I got to spend hours weaving together the snippets of voices and situations that ran through my mind, seeking their place on the, difficult for many, blank page.
The conditions of this residency are unbeatable. Everything is prepared so the residents can focus on their work without any obstacles. The experience of being part of a mixed, sui generis group brought me the reward of enjoying this adventure. Drawing from other cultures and mindsets is another way to build a bridge to happiness. There were many aspects that were highly satisfying, such as accepting myself as a writer in a perfect environment and feeling compensated by those in charge, who made this unfamiliar place feel like home to us.
