Of Eagles, Falcons and Hobby Horses

D'Àligues, Falcons i Cavallets - Of Eagles, Falcons and Hobby Horses

The Toc d’Inici is a unique event that marks the start of La Mercè, Barcelona’s annual festival. This grand parade of giants, musicians and historical animal figures through the city centre brings together a wide cross-section of the population: local residents, politicians, tourists and protestors who use it as an opportunity to draw attention to their demands. By following three of the colles or groups that take part in it, Of Eagles, Hawks and Hobby Horses explores the complexity of this public ritual through a triple focus on the role of festive images during the celebration and beyond, the processes by which Catalan popular culture is transmitted, and the way participants themselves perceive the festival and its relationship to the city.

The film portrays Barcelona as it is today: a constantly changing city that is both local and global, in which traditional festivities continue to play a crucial social and political role.