Today we’d like to introduce you to Álvaro Gabarrón.
Hi Álvaro, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My relationship with art started long before I ever touched a movie camera. Growing up in Mula, a small town in Murcia, Spain, my childhood and teenage years were a vibrant mix of different artistic worlds. I spent years practicing magic on stages, studying the violin, and pouring my imagination into writing novels. I loved each discipline deeply, but I always felt like I was looking for a single space where all of them could coexist.
That definitive “click” happened the moment I discovered Cinema Paradiso. It completely blew my mind because I realized that cinema was the ultimate meeting point for everything I had been doing. It possessed the narrative structure of a novel, the rhythm and emotional soul of music, and, above all, it was still an art of illusion (just like magic) capable of deeply touching an audience’s heart.
I started out with a camera I was gifted, gathering my friends to shoot micro-films in a completely self-taught, trial-and-error way. In 2019, I decided to take a leap of faith and founded my independent production company, Alga Films. During the pandemic, I wrote a psychological horror short film called La Ilustración. We shot it entirely on a smartphone with two friends acting, while I handled literally everything else behind the camera. Against all odds, we managed to sell out the local Lope de Vega Theater for its screening and even got selected for a festival in Italy. That was the spark that proved to me that stories don’t depend on budgets, but on passion.
Later came Desmadres (2021), another smartphone project focusing on the loneliness of the elderly. Having recently graduated with a degree in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Murcia, and as I prepare to move to Madrid to pursue a Master’s Degree in Film Direction, I look back at that raw, low-budget journey with immense gratitude. It paved the way for Zheimer (2023), a short film starring the iconic Danish actress Lone Fleming that took us to Oscar-qualifying festivals like the Galway Film Fleadh and won awards worldwide.
Currently, I am fully immersed in developing my debut feature film, Nukumori. It is an intimate drama about grief and the cultural clash between East and West. The story follows Daniel, a successful screenwriter accustomed to maintaining absolute control over his environment, yet whose emotional world is on the verge of collapse. When his terminally ill mother asks him to leave the city to spend her final days on the coast, he attempts to manage her care with the same cold rigor he applies to his work. Overwhelmed by a reality he cannot master, he hires a Japanese caregiver. Her arrival and distinct approach to caregiving spark a cultural clash that will force Daniel to confront his own fears and rediscover the true value of human connection.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all, but I honestly believe that the bumps on the road are exactly what gave my artistic vision its shape. When you are a young teenager in a region like Murcia trying to make movies, the first and most obvious obstacle is a lack of resources. For years, my crew consisted solely of my friends, and my equipment was just my smartphone. You have to constantly fight against the inner voice telling you that you aren’t “professional enough” and compensate for the lack of a budget with pure, relentless creativity.
A major turning point and a huge challenge happened right after Desmadres. I jumped into a massive challenge: shooting a full-length feature film. We put together a professional cast, did all the production, and fully shot the movie. However, after seeing the final material, I made the difficult decision not to release it. It wasn’t because of a technical failure; rather, it was an artistic awakening. I realized that the project didn’t represent where I wanted to go anymore. I discovered that I wanted to take other branches, explore deeper, more intimate themes, and shift towards a different cinematic language.
Locking a fully shot feature film in a drawer hurts, and at first, it felt like a massive setback. But looking back, it was the most necessary and beautiful obstacle of my career. It was a giant, hands-on masterclass that gave me the maturity, technical maturity, and emotional grounding needed to direct Zheimer later on, and to confidently face my current feature film, Nukumori. I learned that in this industry, sometimes you don’t shoot to release; you shoot to find your true voice.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a director, screenwriter, and producer, and if I had to define my focus, I’d say I specialize in exploring human intimacy through a poetic narrative and a contemplative aesthetic. I am deeply drawn to the things that happen in the margins: the silences, the subtle gestures, and the invisible truths of everyday life that we usually overlook.
People in the industry have come to recognize my work for its emotional weight and its ethical responsibility. My short film Zheimer (2023), which places the viewer directly in the first-person perspective of someone living with Alzheimer’s disease, really solidified my path. It won Best Spanish Film at the Barcelona Indie Awards and the Love & Hope International Film Festival, Best Director in the US and Slovakia, and Best Original Soundtrack in France and Greece.
However, what I am most proud of isn’t the trophy shelf. It is the Solidarity Award I received at the Youth Awards of the Region of Murcia in 2024 and my next recognition at the Icon Talents 2026. Knowing that my cinema can serve as a vessel to give a voice to vulnerable groups and connect deeply with people’s empathy is my real purpose.
What sets me apart is my diverse artistic background. Having been a magician, a violinist, and a novelist before becoming a filmmaker gives me a very specific toolkit. I don’t just direct a scene; I look for the musicality and rhythm of the dialogue, and I understand editing as a form of magic where you manipulate time and space to trigger an honest, raw emotion. Starting with absolutely nothing also taught me to be highly resourceful. Whether I have a large crew or just a smartphone, I will always find a way to make the audience feel something real.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I would say it is a combination of deep empathy and an unshakeable resilience. In cinema, if you don’t genuinely care about human beings, your stories and characters will always feel hollow. You need empathy to write a script that rings true, to direct actors and find their vulnerability, and to lead a crew with respect and kindness.
But empathy alone won’t get a independent film made; you need the resilience to hear a hundred “no’s,” to face financial constraints, and to still wake up the next morning believing in the necessity of your project. At 21, having already graduated from university and founded my own company, I always try to encourage other young creators: you don’t need giant, cookie-cutter corporations backing you up to start. If you have a clear, honest vision, empathy for your subjects, and the resourcefulness to adapt to any obstacle, you already have everything you need to tell unforgettable stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alvarogabarron.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byalvarogabarron/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alvaro.gabarronlucas/
