EXCLUSIVE: Trailer for CPH:DOX Entry Dream of Another Summer - Promotion - Spain/Lebanon

Key Takeaways

• Irene Bartolomé debuts first feature documentary at CPH:DOX.
• Film examines Beirut’s 2020 explosion through urban memory.
• Co‑produced by Spanish and Lebanese studios with EU support.
• Trailer emphasizes city’s resilience and personal trauma.
• NEXT:WAVE competition spotlights innovative documentary storytelling.

Summary

Spanish filmmaker Irene Bartolomé’s first documentary feature, *Dream of Another Summer*, explores memory, absence and urban scars in post‑explosion Beirut. The trailer debuted as the film prepares for its world‑premiere in the NEXT:WAVE Competition at CPH:DOX (11‑22 March). Bartolomé, who lived in Beirut for six years, blends documentary and fiction to examine how destroyed buildings mirror wounded bodies. The project is co‑produced by Spanish and Lebanese studios with extensive EU and cultural institution support.

Pulse Analysis

The upcoming documentary *Dream of Another Summer* marks the feature debut of Spanish director Irene Bartolomé, who has spent six years living in Beirut. The film uses the aftermath of the August 4 2020 port blast as a visual and emotional framework, turning shattered windows and collapsed walls into metaphors for collective trauma. By intertwining personal observation with archival footage, Bartolomé blurs the line between documentary and fiction, inviting viewers to contemplate how built environments store memory. The trailer, released exclusively this week, captures the stark juxtaposition of ruined architecture and lingering human presence.

CPH:DOX’s NEXT:WAVE competition, known for championing emerging voices, will host the world premiere in Copenhagen from March 11‑22. The program’s focus on experimental nonfiction aligns with Bartolomé’s hybrid aesthetic, offering a high‑visibility platform that can attract distributors and festival programmers. Production backing comes from a mix of public and private sources, including Spain’s ICAA, the EU’s Next Generation fund, and cultural institutions such as the Goethe‑Institut. This multi‑layered financing model reflects a growing trend of cross‑border collaborations that enable ambitious documentary projects to reach international audiences.

The film’s thematic focus on urban scars resonates with a broader industry appetite for stories that examine climate‑related disasters and social resilience. As streaming platforms expand their documentary libraries, titles that fuse personal narrative with architectural symbolism are gaining traction for their visual originality. *Dream of Another Summer* also underscores the rising influence of Spanish‑Lebanese co‑productions, signaling that multilingual, transnational storytelling can secure both artistic credibility and market viability. Audiences and critics alike will be watching how Bartolomé’s debut shapes future funding models for hybrid documentaries that bridge art and activism.