"A Return to Anoia's Past" is a short film which was shot in different locations in Catalonia, namely: Vallbona d'Anoia, Igualada, Colònia Güell, Sitges and Montserrat (Spain) between December 2021 and May 2022 with the participation of the students from all the partner schools of our Erasmus TV International project. That is, Aziz Sancar Anadolu lisesi in Istanbul (Turkey), Zespół Szkół im. Ignacego Łukasiewicza in Police (Poland), Colegiul Tehnic "Petru Poni" in Onești (Romania), Istituto secondario di primo grado Mazzini in Livorno (Italy), ETAP Escola Profissional in Viana do Castelo (Portugal), and Institut Vallbona d’Anoia in Vallbona d’Anoia (Spain)

It begins with a journey to the past of textile weavers and tanners in Igualada personified in the processional giants of the city: Tonet and Conxita. Giants are enormous figures which accompany folkloric processions and together with big-heads usually dance in local festivities and special celebrations. Igualada, the capital city of the Anoia county, was an industrialised town with flourishing factories of textiles and tanneries by the river Anoia, which gives its name to the county. In Casa de la Festa, we can observe several giants, big-heads and vibrias which are part of the folkloric celebrations of the town. The giants with their papier-maché heads usually represent kings and queens, although in Igualada, the most popular ones are Tonet and Conxita because they represent the working class in the 19th and 20th centuries.

In our short film, Manel and Marina - Tonet and Conxita’s assistants - in flesh and bones, and our Erasmus students will go on a journey in search of the blue pigment of Prussia, which Mr. Eusebi Güell - Antoni Gaudí's lifelong friend and sponsor -wants in order to dye a new fabric, and which will also be tested on leather. They will meet the bandits in Vallbona d’Anoia and some seamen in Sitges which will have a crucial role in their mission.

We’d like to thank the Ajuntament d’Igualada (Igualada Town Hall), Museu de la Pell d’Igualada (Igualada Leather Museum), Cultura Igualada, La Casa de la Festa, Cal Granotes and Colònia Güell for their collaboration. We’d also like to thank the Ajuntament de Vallbona d’Anoia for all their support along the short exchange of groups of pupils held in Vallbona d’Anoia in May 2022.

Students truly enjoyed the filming and participated eagerly. Vallbona students co-created the story and the script of the short film. It was the perfect excuse to show part of our cultural heritage to our European partners and allowed local and visiting students to work together and make strong bonds of friendship and complicity.