Welcome to Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival!

TO THE WEST, IN ZAPATA

"TO THE WEST, IN ZAPATA"

Director: David Bim
Cast: Orlando ‘Landi’ García, Mercedes Morejón, Deinis García
Country: Cuba, Spain
Language: Spanish
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 74″
Release Year: 2025
Play Video

Synopsis: Landi is a father who secretly camps in the marshlands of Zapata, where he hunts crocodiles with his hands to feed his family. The radio reports hundreds of daily deaths from the pandemic and strong social tensions in Cuba.
On the coast, his wife Mercedes searches for charcoal to cook and takes care of their son, who suffers from severe autism. Days go by, and Mercedes becomes impatient. Landi should have returned by now, and there is no news of him. She fears something has happened to him, but she cannot say anything to avoid giving them away.
He finally appears, carrying the food that enables them to survive, before having to return to the marsh. Their lives are a cycle, plagued by need and absence.

David Bim: David BIM studied filmmaking at the Catalonia Film School (ESCAC) and later specialized in directing at the International Film School of Cuba (EICTV). His 2015 short film The Last Two, based on a true story of rural isolation in Spain, marked his directorial debut.
Since 2017, he has created audiovisual content for Taller Chullima, a cultural space in Havana, and participated in the 2019 Havana Biennial with the visual work Infinite Journey. Alongside his artistic practice, BIM has developed a strong teaching presence. His workshop, Constructing A New Fiction, was recognized by the EUNIC Cluster Fund Cuba 2023 for its cultural impact.
He is also the founder and director of FICCLAB, an international program at EICTV supporting first-time filmmakers through mentoring and masterclasses.
In 2025, his debut feature, To the West, in Zapata, premiered at Visions du Réel, winning the FIPRESCI Prize and Special Jury Prize in the Burning Lights Competition.