Good Valley Stories

For a long time, Vallbona was a forgotten corner in the outskirts of Barcelona, wedged between a river, a railway line, and a highway. Workers lived in illegally built houses and cultivated vegetable gardens and orchards.

Now, the outside world has discovered Vallbona. Both European migrant workers and Barcelonians fleeing high rents have moved into the small community. This sometimes causes friction, but in general the atmosphere remains friendly. More troubling is the planned construction of a new railway line. Residents aren’t even being promised a station. Will their voices be heard?

Good Valley Stories is the portrait of a neighborhood in constant flux. With care and empathy, director José Luis Guerin captures the stories of different generations of Vallbona residents. His camera quietly observes older inhabitants passing on their knowledge to the young, and at times glimpses the legendary Valbona as it once must have been. A new generation is growing up in this little paradise, but how long will it hold on to its magic?