"When the bird realizes it's getting old, it builds itself a nest, catches fire from the sun's rays, and burns to ashes. From the ashes, a new, young bird rises. In this way, the phoenix is reborn over and over throughout eternity. In the same way, you, O man, with your old clothes and dim eyes, should seek the spiritual spring of the Lord." Royal Bestiary, 12th Century. Under this premise, that sums up the myth of the Phoenix, Maestres honors death and renovation in a short piece filmed on the frozen seas and infinite snow of Lulëa. A fragment in the life of three characters that go through a transformation in the far corners of the earth. Three analogies of the Phoenix that show us the contradiction between ice and snow, beginning and end, light and darkness, taking us on a sensorial voyage towards a final reflection on how we need to end things to be able to start over. Technically speaking, the change in the image format is in direct relation with the emotional state of each character. Production wise, this is a very small project, with a minimum budget, shot with a crew of 4 people under harsh weather conditions with temperatures below 15ºC. Shot right before world Covid lockdown.

Pablo Maestres began his career as a lauded photographer in the Barcelona music scene. From there he launched himself into crafting music videos that earned resounding praise at music and cinema festivals across the globe. Turning his talents to commercials, Pablo was quickly recognized for his near-obsessive attention to detail, every frame containing such intricate composition that every single viewing brings something different from the last. His surreal storytelling style combined with gorgeous visuals and spontaneous moments of magical realism have set him apart as an endlessly talented and imaginative artist. Pablo’s work has been recognized at SXSW, D&DA, YDA in Cannes, Ciclope, and UKMVA, where he won Best Pop Video UK in 2019, and with many more accolades and awards well on the way. He currently lives in Barcelona.