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English and Spanish with English subtitles

The definitive documentary about one of the most eminent sculptors of the 20th century, Eduardo Chillida (1942-2002). At 19, he was a gifted athlete destined to become a football legend. But a serious injury during a match sidelined him forever from professional sport. No one suspected at the time that the young goalkeeper from Hernani was about to rewrite his destiny and that he would die decades later as one of the most outstanding sculptors of the 20th century.

Chillida is still alive in his works, scattered around the world’s most important museums. The Depth of Air is not a conventional biography, but the poetic and fast-paced reminiscence of an unparalleled artist. Chillida’s personality is perpetuated through his work, his eight children, and some of his closest collaborators.

Press

“There is always, in Chillida’s sculptures, the sense of a vital living relationship with the space about them. His sculptures clutch at the air, grapple and grab, embrace emptiness and give it a form.” – Adrian Searle, The Guardian

“Working in iron, steel, wood, granite and fired clay, his work also has a strong relationship to the earth, and to the rugged Basque landscape where the Pyrenees meet the Atlantic, a coastline eroded and drawn by the sea.” – Adrian Searle, The Guardian

About the Director
Juan Barrero graduated in Audiovisual Communication and Philosophy from the University of Seville and the University of Sussex and holds a Master’s in Creative Documentary from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. He was a photographer and documentary filmmaker for National Geographic, embarking on several scientific expeditions to Central America, the Pacific, and Southeast Asia.

In 2012 he founded Labyrint Films focusing on the production of works by emerging filmmakers. His first feature film La jungla interior was selected for numerous festivals around the world and received, among others, the New Waves Award for Best European Film at the SEFF. His subsequent films have been presented at Cannes, Locarno, San Sebastian, and Viennale, and include international awards such as the Platino Award for Best Ibero-American Documentary and the RTVE Días de Cine Award, as well as nominations for the Goya and Feroz Awards.

 

Notes on Film

“How to speak about such a relevant artist as Chillida and not be faced with nostalgia, hagiography, or outright praise? Eduardo Chillida’s work keeps all its vitality intact. It invites us to experience a sensory experience and contains a subtle but wondrous sensuality. Our aim was to be mere listeners and prick up our ears until we manage to appreciate the nuances of the silent music that dwell within his iron, alabaster or paper sculptures. We wanted to be true to the dance of his shapes and give ourselves to the task of filming the present footprints and words of those who lived very close to him, the questions raised by his work as well as the terrible and luminous shade left behind by the now deceased artist.”

– Juan Barrero, Director