05/07/2023 - The first feature by Spanish filmmaker Laura Ferrés, a Spanish-French co-production co-written by Carlos Vermut, will compete for the Golden Leopard at the Swiss festival

In rural southern Spain, Antonia, a teenage mother, disappears in the middle of the night. Fifty years later and much further north, Carmen, an introverted casting director, is looking for people to share their memories when arriving in a new city. In her search, she meets Antonia, whose impulsiveness intrudes into Carmen’s solitude. Who said time heals all wounds?

This is the synopsis for The Permanent Picture [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Ferrés
film profile], the first feature by Spanish filmmaker Laura Ferrés, now ready to premiere in Competition at the upcoming 76th Locarno Film Festival (2-12 August).

Laura Ferrés is known for her first short film, Los desheredados, a portrait of her father facing the end of the family bus company, premiered at Cannes' Critics' Week, where it won the main award for best short films, the Leica Cine Discovery Prize. Since then, it was nominated for the European Film Awards, and awarded as best short film at the Goya Awards by the Spanish Film Academy, among other distinctions. For her first feature's screenplay, she has worked with acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Carlos Vermut (Magical Girl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carlos Vermut
film profile], Manticore [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carlos Vermut
film profile]).

Starring Rosario Ortega, Saraida Llamas, María Luengo, Claudia Fimia, Mila Collado and Dolores Martínez, the film is a production between Spain's Fasten Films and Materia, and France's Le Bureau, with support from Spain's Televisió de Catalunya - TV3. International sales are handled by Be for Films.

Watch our exclusive first clip below: