Tarragona's El Serrallo Takes Center Screen in 'Estrella del Mar'

The fishermen's quarter of El Serrallo in Tarragona stars in Estrella del Mar, a documentary directed by Martí Guarch that premieres on 3 December at the Ateneu de Tarragona.

The film recovers the maritime memory of the Mediterranean's fishing communities, and it does so with an unusual cast. The musician Jordi Català appears to trace the history of the habaneras (Catalan sea songs brought back from Cuba in the 19th century), while the bishop of Girona, Octavi Vilà, appears in a scene shot in L'Escala — weeks before he takes possession as archbishop of Barcelona on 19 December.

A documentary with a fiction at its core. Guarch combines testimony and popular memory with a fictional story led by Pilar Aymerich, who plays a woman marked by loss: her husband, a fisherman, dies at sea during a stormy night. Through that story, the production addresses the emotional dimension of maritime life and its inhabitants' bond with the Mediterranean.

Català's contribution anchors the musical thread. His presence connects the film to one of the most rooted cultural expressions of coastal towns, where habaneras remain the soundtrack of the quay.

Where does the music land?

The musical section closes with a rumba sequence: a version of 'Lola la tavernera' performed by Jordi Freixa. The scene was shot at Can Boada in Tarragona and gives the seafaring narrative a festive, popular counterpoint.

Why is a bishop in a fishing documentary?

Vilà, born in Tarragona in 1961, appears in a scene filmed in L'Escala during the Mass of the Virgin of Carmel, the fishermen's patroness. Pope Leo XIV named him archbishop of Barcelona; Pope Francis had named him bishop of Girona in February 2024, after his earlier service as abbot of Poblet.

His presence allows the documentary to reflect on the role of faith and spirituality in fishing communities. The production argues for the historical and cultural value of religious traditions, and their link to collective identity and popular memory along the coast.

The cast is completed by Pep Tregón and the young performers Arianna López and Lucciano Ochello. Teresa Manresa, an actress known for her work in Pedro Almodóvar's films, provides the voice-over.

Estrella del Mar connects cinema, music, memory and spirituality to recover the legacy of the generations tied to the sea. Whether a habanera and a rumba can carry that weight together is a question the Ateneu audience will settle on 3 December.