To Our Friends

About the film:

In his second feature film, Adrián Orr portrays the internal and external universe of Sara, a young woman from a working-class neighborhood who, in her transition to adulthood, struggles between two seemingly contradictory environments: the place where she grew up, where she spends her days with her best friend Pedro, and the new circles she forms upon beginning her university studies where she meets Paula, with whom she begins a romantic relationship and who also introduces her to the world of theater, an element that takes center stage in the production.

Filmed across Spain and Portugal, the film is visually stunning, and Adrian Orr manages to tread the line between documentary filmmaker and creative director perfectly. Through a cinéma vérité approach, the film captures their struggles, aspirations, and moments of joy amid economic uncertainty. The camera follows Sara Toledo along for four years of shooting, brilliantly edited by editor Ana Pfaff (Summer 1993, Alcarrás)

Sara´s journey of self-discovery unfolds organically, adding depth to the film’s broader themes of identity and connection. With its raw, unscripted storytelling, To Our Friends is an ode to ordinary stories, to youth, and the spirit of freedom associated with it.

The screening of the film will be followed with a conversation with the director Adrian Orr and the protagonist Sara Toledo. The conversation will be held in Spanish.

About the festival:

ESCENA. Oslo Ibero-amerikanske filmdager is a platform for cultural exchange between Norway and the Ibero-American region.

The aim of the festival is to promote the interest in film from the Spanish and Portuguese speaking nations of Europe and the Americas and showcase the vibrant film expressions of these nations.

The films convey social, political, and historical aspects of this cultural context as well as the challenges currently facing the societies of the region. Even though these nations share a common cultural mainstream; they form a rich tapestry of diverse backgrounds that translate into their cinematic expression.

ESCENA also provides a gathering place and discussion forum for film enthusiasts, for those with roots in the region and others who have an interest in Ibero-America.