Aguaviva
José-Luis Peñafuerte
2005 - 52 min - Beta digital - Belgique

Aguaviva is the name of a small isolated Spanish village in the region of Aragon. Just like other villages in rural Spain, Aguaviva was destined to a slow and certain death, due not only to the ageing population and extremely low birth rate but also to the exodus of active people to the towns. There were no more than thirty children in the school, the fields were increasingly abandoned and some houses were empty.
The mayor of Aguaviva decided to react: he put out an advertisement in different countries: "Spanish village seeks families looking to immigrate". The conditions for this exile: to have at least two children between six and twelve, and to stay in the area for five years.
In exchange, the village guaranteed accommodation and a job in one in one of the various activities needed by the village for survival. The advertisement immediately stirred up enthusiasm. Twenty families were chosen originating from Argentina, Rumania, Uruguay and Ecuador entailing an increase from 400 to nearly 700 inhabitants.
Little by little the village rediscovered the freshness of yesteryear, new life was breathed into the school and the cohabitation of the people gave hope back to everybody.
Faced with the immigration problems that Spain is currently experiencing, the village of Aguaviva offers a good counterpoint both to inward looking and to individuality.
The film tells the story of an interchange that builds day by day between the old inhabitants and these families from outside, with all its difficulties and its joys...