As one of five films to appear in the Madrid Film School (ECAM) incubator program this year, “Face of Grace” (“Cara de Santa”) features many women behind the camera. It will be sold jointly by Anna Marti Domingo and Laura Santos Marti and produced by Meika Santz from Allegra films and Laura Rubilora from Nokruna Pictures.
The project focuses on subjects that are close to their minds, and was born out of conversations on topics that made them deeply unstable and raised many questions.
“Many of these questions came from talking to our mothers and looking back at their place in the world. That’s where the film began with a generational dialogue between our generation and generations born in the 1960s. The story is fictional, but they were definitely a key starting point for its creation,” says Domingo and Santos Marti.
“Face of Grace” follows 63-year-old Dolores, whose teacher, wife and mother have always met their expectations. Her life in Barcelona is stable, but she is choking. A boring marriage, a grown-up son trying to make her the grandmother, and another Christmas far from her hometown.
Something snaps on Christmas Eve. After feeling provoked, she attacks people in public. This is an impulsive and violent act that appears to be completely out of character. Suddenly, she plunges into a hostile system that puts her sanity and femininity to justice. The world says she has lost control, but something deeper is moving.
Asked how they split the supervisory tasks between them, the answer is simple for them.
“Each of us brings our own personal experiences to the industry and our personal background, which has proven to be very complementary in terms of supervision,” they say. Domingo’s made the short “Nens” that he played for Valladolid’s Seminci last year, and the short “Nens” that he gained experience in directing actors. Meanwhile, Santos Marti is the production designer behind acclaimed films such as Mar Coll’s “Salve María,” and has strong commands on formal aspects, such as visual style and camera.
It’s the first time they’ve co-supervised a function, but they worked together on the same set. The project came into play when it was chosen for the residency of feature film scripts at the prestigious EICTV, International Film and Television Schools.
“The idea was very early on, and the residency helped solidify it. Thanks to the mentor’s guidance and sessions we received, we left a strong foundation that was the starting point for how the film could approach today’s script.
The project immediately captivated them to produce partners Sants and Rubilola. “We were deeply intrigued by the questions and discussions it raises. “Face of Grace” is a film that sheds light on society’s responses when the rules governing our coexistence are broken. Specifically, how will society respond if the rule breaker is a woman? Is she judged the same as a man? And what happens when the woman is a social pillar and a school teacher? ” they say.
“The inexplicable violent outburst of the 63-year-old educator and mother put both her sanity and community status in court. At the same time, everyday frustration reveals how it can be seen in many women of a particular age, as well as children and society as a whole,” they reflect.
At this time, the project has the resources provided by ICEC development support for Catalan rulers in Catalonia, as well as the Ecam incubators.
“We hope to ensure production support from ICEC, ICAA, public broadcasters and streaming platforms, and to complete production with our European partners accessing eurimage and additional funds,” the producer says.
The main photography will take place in Barcelona. Barcelona plays a pivotal role in the story. “We want to portray Barcelona for Christmas, a time frame that Dolores’ story unfolds. We hope to start filming in the winter of 2026-2027,” says Domingo and Santos Marti.
