Directed by Laura Obradors and developed through Madrid’s ECAM Incubator, the upcoming feature “The Woodworm” (titled “El Corquim” in Spanish) examines the complex dynamics of female identity within a household dominated by a successful but creatively stagnant artist father.
Produced by Sergio Adrià’s Espurna Films alongside co-producer Sandra Hermida, the narrative centers on 17-year-old Clara. Her desire for external validation and affection is complicated by a growing urge to break free from the heavy expectations placed upon her by her family structure.
Obradors, whose previous works include the shorts “Si amanece, nos vamos” and “Las Chicas,” drew inspiration from a close friend’s experiences to explore the contradictory feelings that can define a daughter’s relationship with her father. She described this dynamic as a space where preservation and destruction coexist, serving as Clara’s early introduction to the rules of a wider masculine world.
“Clara always seems to crave something from the outside world: to be seen, accepted, acknowledged, adored,” Obradors told Variety. “But at the same time she has an internal and contradictory impulse that wants to push her to break free from these attachments and become more independent, mature, and free.”
The film delves into Clara’s upbringing within a environment shaped by power, submission, and male pleasure. As her father Ricard is both a parent and a painter, he holds significant influence over how Clara perceives the world and herself. Obradors noted that society often views artists as genius figures, a perspective that can obscure the responsibility creators hold for the power they wield.
Adrià emphasized that the project prioritizes Clara’s experience rather than her father’s inner turmoil. “It’s not a film about how he deals with his inner demons or impulses: it’s all about her, focusing on the construction of female identity in a hostile and male-dominated environment,” Adrià said.
This thematic focus will inform the movie’s visual style, which Adrià described as being filtered through the lens of adolescence. The imagery may idealize or unsettle, juxtaposing natural beauty with the emotional cruelty present among the characters. Espurna Films, founded by Adrià in 2023, supports the project as part of its commitment to original Catalan cinema with international reach.
Currently in its fourth script draft, “The Woodworm” has benefited from development support from the Catalan Institute for Cultural Enterprises and selections at Cannes Focus COPRO’ and ECAM Forum’s Films to Come. Hermida, known for producing “Society of the Snow” and “A Monster Calls,” mentored the project through La Incubadora alongside director Carlos Marqués-Marcet.
Obradors stated that the development process helped her gain necessary distance, allowing her to “put reality at the service of the film rather than the other way around.” She explained that the title refers to an insect that weakens a structure from within, remaining difficult to detect—a metaphor for the repressive, silent suffering within the home where Clara feels like an intruder.
The production team is currently seeking co-producers, distributors, and sales agents in Spain, France, Portugal, and Belgium. They are attending San Sebastián and will later appear at Les Arcs Industry Village.
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