How’s this for a premise? Two of Spain’s cult duos collide for an unlikely collaboration, thanks to a movie described as an “urban fairy tale.”
While selecting the music he wanted to use in his debut film Distancias Cortas (Walking Distance), Mexican director Alejandro Guzmán Álvarez approached the Barcelona duo Hidrogenesse to revisit their song “No Hay Nada Más Triste Que Lo Tuyo.” The band then recruited legendary tandem Single, whose Teresa Iturrioz takes over lead vocals, resulting in a track straight out of a Greatest Ballads of the 70s compilation.
While the original follows the warped synthpop vision of Hidrogenesse, the new version of the track, which originally appeared on their 2002 debut Gimnàstica Passiva, is completely acoustic, with exquisite arrangements and a heartfelt and melancholic delivery. The song is available both digitally and on a 7” vinyl single released by Hidrogenesse’s label Austrohúngaro, which comes with a remix that serves as a true duet between the bands, and features new lyrics and instrumentation.
Distancias Cortas is a feature film about an obese man who leaves home for the first time in years to have a roll of film developed. The trip sparks a new interest in photography, reviving his passion for life. He strikes up a friendship with his brother-in-law and a lonely teenager, and the trio’s lives change forever. The film has already been making the rounds at several festivals, earning awards in Montreal and Mannheim, and being well-received in Chicago, Stockholm, Rome, and more. The film will premiere in Mexico at the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG), which offers a world-class selection of global cinema and takes place on March 4 to March 13. Watch the teaser for Distancias Cortas below: