EL CANT DELS OCELLS
2008, 98’
Director: Albert Serra
Country: Spain
Distributor: Andergraun Films
Language: o.v. Catalan and Hebrew with Italian subtitles
The film’s subject is the journey of the three Magi to reach the newborn Messiah, bear him their
gifts, and show him devotion. The three cross the desert of ice and the desert of sand, living in
harmony with the course of the seasons and nature, feeding on simple things and sleeping
under the stars.
Presented as part of the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, El cant dels
ocells is a transposition of the famous biblical story to the big screen, taking a minimalist and
deeply spiritual approach. Shot in black and white, in unhurried fashion, using very long shots
and the action reduced to a minimum, Albert Serra’s third feature film is a successful example of
contemplative cinema, which the director has sought since the start of his career. It is an
extraordinary study on the power of imagery, with constant references to literature and
paintings.
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