“On the Side of Life” – Short Film featuring Candela Peña

“On the Side of Life” is a short film with a humanitarian focus aimed at promoting organ donation. It is presented by the Transplant Coordinator of Aragón, the Alcer Ebro Association, and the Spanish National Transplant Organization (ONT). The project is sponsored by the Government of Aragón and produced by the audiovisual company IMGENIO, in collaboration with OVIDE and A RODAR.

The Importance of Donations

The story portrays how a mother (Candela Peña) faces the most difficult decision of her life: donating the organs of her daughter Ana (Mónica Fuertes), who, after suffering a terrible motorcycle accident at the age of 15, is left in a coma with brain death. This decision—one that many people in real life are confronted with—will determine the lives of many others who are in urgent need of a transplant in order to go on living.

The short film, starring two-time Goya Award-winning actress Candela Peña, was shot in January 2008 using CineAlta technology, at various locations throughout the city of Zaragoza. It was directed by Ignacio Bernal and produced by Ángel Esteban.

 
“On the Side of Life” represented a significant challenge for Imgenio, but at the same time, one of our greatest satisfactions as a production company. Beyond bringing all our audiovisual expertise to the project, This short film, whose ultimate message is to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation—and, as a result, the importance of saving human lives—allowed us to explore a more human side of our profession.
 

Below you can watch the full short film.

Technical Team

Director: Ignacio Bernal
Producer: Ángel Esteban
Screenplay: Ana Blasco, Ignacio Bernal
Director of Photography: Beatriz Orduña
Music: Sergio Lasuén
Orchestra: Grupo Enigma
Orchestra Conductor: Juan José Olives
Soprano: María Salas
Production Design: Raúl Montesa
Costume Design: Cecilia de Val
Set Design: Tomás Ruata
Makeup and Hair: Begoña Sierra
Camera Operator: David Pérez
Focus Puller: Jorge Claver
Steady-Cam Operator: Eduardo Márquez
Crane Operator: Albano Sánchez
Editing: Ignacio Bernal
Sound Design: Adolfo García
Sound Editing: David C. Pérez
Direct Sound: Michael Cooper
Sound Assistant: Paco García
Assistant Director: Ana Blasco
Extras Coordination: Sergio Duce
Script Supervisor: Vanesa Orna
DGA Production: José Ignacio Sánchez Miret
ALCER Ebro Production: Jacinto Lasheras, Hana Maher, SOS Racismo
ONT Production: Mamen Segovia
Production Assistants: Fernando Sesma, Jonathan Gómez, Esther Calvera
Lighting Assistant: Almudena Bea
Camera Assistant: Jorge Montolio
Steady-Cam Assistant: Borja García-Campomanes
Grip: Omar Bartolomé
Post-production: Toño García, Roberto Fernández
Color Grading: Beatriz Orduña
Still Photography: Pepe Matute, Daniel Avilés, Cecilia Deval
Hospital Advisor: María Jesús Asensio
Medical Advisor: Dr. Miguel Ribas
Translation Services: Lourdes Alquézar
Web Development: Mamen Pradel
DVD Authoring: Sergio Duce

Special Thanks:
Esther García (Producciones El Deseo), Laura Laliena, Pablo Ferrer, Rosa Hernández, Mercedes de la Cruz, Carmén Josa, Miguel Millastre

 

Artistic Team

With the participation of:
All the extras, students, and teaching staff from Andrés Manjón School, as well as healthcare and security personnel from the Lozano Blesa University Clinical Hospital in Zaragoza, and medical staff from 061.