Catalonia has a strong relationship with photography. The streets of Barcelona seem to have a special light that fascinated photographers like Cartier-Bresson, Capa or Taro. Besides this visitors, there has been a great tradition of Catalan street photographers and photo-journalists, amateurs and professionals, that kept the interest in this medium alive throughout the decades. This work also is very important in terms of historical collective memory since it documents the transformation of the society and the city. In recent years Spanish and Catalan public institutions have finally taken care of some of these private collections and saved them from ending scattered in flea markets.
Pilar Aymerich is a Catalan photographer that became well-known during the 70s, when she portrayed the biggest events of the Spanish Transition. She had a special vibe for portrait too and she managed to capture the gazes of those who were at the center of the new cultural and political map in the country. Although well-known among the professionals, her name is still relatively unknown to many, thus the need for a documentary about a work that expands through more than 4 decades.
Photographers are equally fascinating and frustrating to portray in a documentary, since they’re usually the ones behind the camera and sometimes don’t feel comfortable when in front. They prefer their pictures to do the talking and can be hard to reach. Pilar Aymerich has been tremendously helpful throughout the shoot and the post-production of this documentary, helping the team get the best of her archive and opening up for us in front of the camera. Hope the documentary keeps the joy and talent of her pictures alive.
The feline gaze is currently in post-production and will be released mid-2020. Image © Pilar Aymerich
