When Worlds Collide
Documentary
Spanish Documentary with English Subtitles
Duration: 18 mins
When a group of triathletes set out on their morning training session, one decision changes the lives of their families and a community forever.
Directors Statement
Spain has long been associated with Triathlon, but it’s also known as a culture of late-night partying and drinking. When triathletes are training at 7am in the morning – people are driving home on the same roads after partying all night.
How could two totally different worlds - sport and clubbing co-exist together without tragedy happening? It was inevitable.
“When Worlds Collide” is a short documentary (18mins) filmed in Javea, Spain about an incident with a group of triathletes. The more I investigated the story, the more complex the situation seemed and there wasn’t an obvious solution. There were logistical, political as well as cultural nuances to this whole situation. It’s complex to establish transport between local towns in Spain – there are no trains, Uber or Lyft, and taxis are expensive – but people still need to get home after a night out.
This is the first film I made, as I became a filmmaker later in life. I had no connection to Triathlon or Spain and I couldn’t speak Spanish. This might sound like a recipe for disaster, but surprisingly it wasn’t. With a wealth of life experience under my belt, I grabbed this story with open arms wanting it to be seen by a global audience.
Against a backdrop of endless sunshine, beautiful beaches and scenic landscapes, I want the audience to hear from local authorities but also the stories from the families of the triathletes - up close and personal. The experience I'm most trying to communicate with “When Worlds Collide” is that of hope. While this film has heartbreak, it’s also about hope and triumph. From tragedy, life will and can continue. Laws can be changed so this situation doesn’t happen again.
“When Worlds Collide” is a personal story set in a small town in Spain, but the story is also universal.
I hope you’re drawn into the story as much as I am.