Gabriella Marsh

Solos is a film about the passing of time. It documents the happenings in a single square in Gracia, in the north of Barcelona – la Plaça de la Virreina. From the tourists who whizz through on their Segway tours, to the locals who have been there for so long that they've begun to form part of the street furniture.

Using the dozens of sketches that I made during the three and a half years I was living in the area, I've animated micro-narratives of the people of Gracia. They jump in time to give glimpses of some of the historical events that have taken place in the square. From neighbourhood feasts with tables running the length of the square, to football matches, weddings, arguments, and Catalan separatist rallies, to the surge of tourists driving up flat prices.

I wanted to create a film that reflects the experience of making a drawing from life. Some of the long shots are super slow and require the viewer to really pay attention to the characters in order to understand their stories. I want to encourage people to slow down a bit and take the time to notice the irrevocable changes that are taking place in our ever increasingly bustling cities.