Katedrála

European film

directed by Denis Dobrovoda, Slovak Republic 2022, 87 min.

The year is 1961 and 28-year-old Justo Gallego decides to build a cathedral in a small town on the outskirts of Madrid. For the next 60 years of his life, he devoted all his time and energy to its construction. While everyone thinks he's crazy, Justo turns this eccentric idea into reality and single-handedly builds a cathedral as big as the Sagrada Família. Without any architectural education, he will go down in the history of Spain, where a grandiose building made of recycled materials stands.
Director with Czech-Slovak roots Denis Dobrovoda spent several years with Just and thus managed to get extremely close to him. He captured on camera his incredible zest for life, stubbornness and determination with humor and specific poetics.
The story of the cathedral seems to exceed the limits of human possibilities. In fact, it is so radical in its vision, so outside the mainstream, so at odds with the prevailing modern values ​​of consumerism that its very existence poses the most pressing question of all – are we living a meaningful life? Key storylines to focus on include his incredibly unlikely collaboration with Coca-Cola, his aging and mental health, and his visionary green approach to building.