Galicia! is an intriguing travelogue through Spain that captures end times
When we travel, why do we record our adventures or document them on social media? Most likely, we plan to look back at the footage at a later date and fondly recall such adventures. But what if the world suddenly ends? What's the purpose of all that footage then? That's what's so damn interesting about Galicia!, the new film from writers/directors Anna Maguire and Kyle Greenberg. It plays like a travel documentary that concludes with the apocalypse.
Filmed on location in Manzaneda, Spain and the Galician region during the Purrela Wines harvest of fall 2024, the movie opens with Anna and Kyle hanging out with friends, joking about how many times they've been to the Burning Man festival. It's pretty clear early on that Anna and Kyle are playing exaggerated versions of themselves. What's especially interesting and compelling are the street scenes once they're fully immersed in Spain. The camera lingers on street performers and gorgeous mountains, for instance, and these moments add a rich texture to the movie, making it feel like yes, an actual travelogue, which in a way, it is. If this was a regular feature film, it's likely a lot of those scenes would have been cropped or edited out, but by keeping them in, Galicia! feels more natural, like an expansive video diary.
Additionally, some of the conversations seem rather mundane, like the opening dialogue about Burning Man, or the constant phone calls Anna makes because she lost her luggage. Who can't relate to that? Yet the ordeal she undergoes also hints at what's to come. As the runtime and travel adventures tick by, including stomping grapes for the wine harvest, there are hints and undercurrents that something just isn't right. The moody gray sky rumbles. Early in the film, someone mentions a tremor that felt like an earthquake. It's like the Earth is off kilter, though no one can explain why and Anna and Kyle are too consumed by their travel adventures to really notice, at least initially.
The film's last 10-15 minutes, however, really lean into the sci-fi and horror territory when yes, the world ends. Not much explanation is given, other than the fairly close proximity to a nuclear reactor. There's an incredibly haunting scene where Kyle extends his hand outside and catches falling ash drizzling from the sky. At that point, what's left to do other than have one last glass of wine and essentially toast to the end of the world with friends? Without spoiling too much, it has to be said that this film has a poetic ending that hits just right. Additionally, with the current state of the world, it's not like such a scenario is too far-fetched, unfortunately.
Galicia! is a film that certainly doesn't overstay its runtime. The movie invites viewers on a journey with the filmmakers through Spain, ultimately leading to a fatal conclusion. Yet, before that point, the duo captures the beauty, the street scenes, the food, and yes, the process of making wine. This is a strangely arresting and immersive film, even if it's clear from the first minute how it'll end.
Galicia! just premiered in New York City at The Downtown Festival, and it will next screen at the Santa Fe International Film Festival on October 16.
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