12th septembre 2026 RM
Thoughts on *CRONOS* (Fiction Based on True Events)
A
week has passed since the premiere of the film *CRONOS*, and opinions have
varied according to individual tastes. I have received many calls recently
asking for my take on the movie, and I believe that—to clarify matters—I can
still share my opinion here on this blog, presenting the information
chronologically.
Contact
with the *CRONOS* producers began during filming, which took place on Ronda
Sant Antoni because La Rambla was undergoing construction work at the time. It
took me only a moment to grasp the concept: a work of fiction based on true
events.
Communication
was ongoing, and eventually, we reiterated a proposal UAVAT had previously made
regarding the three-part Netflix series *800 Meters*: a pre-screening for
victims and their companions prior to the official launch.
We
at UAVAT reached out to many victims of the August 2017 attacks. Despite it
being a weekday afternoon—Wednesday, September 2nd, at 6:30 PM—more than a
hundred people attended the screening at Cinema Girona (and, incidentally, I
would like to thank our friend Toni Sarmiento and his team once again for their
wonderful hospitality).
After
the screening, we held a lively discussion among the victims and attendees; we
listened to the victims' views and provided technical details regarding the
filming and editing of *CRONOS*, as well as explaining the rationale behind
certain scenes included in the movie.
I must say that not a single victim present expressed a negative opinion about the film, although there was a consensus that one specific image had been hurtful to several of them: the scene involving the hose at the Miró Mosaic. Was it unnecessary? Yes. Finally, several victims and their companions had the opportunity to share their thoughts directly with two members of the *CRONOS* production team, who listened attentively and fully accepted their feedback. During the subsequent discussion, a very important topic was also addressed—one that, judging by opinions published in various media outlets, had not been clearly understood, particularly by those who commented without having seen the film. Some people raise complaints or express views that they might well have spared themselves had they actually watched the movie.
I
have taken the liberty of presenting some information on this matter.
It is said that the film was shot in Spanish.
That
is not true; *CRONOS* was shot in Catalan—except for a few sequences where
Spanish is spoken, and anyone who has seen the film understands the reasons and
context for this. It is not difficult to understand that specific language
switch.
Some people argue that the figure of the
Imam of Ripoll is not discussed.
To
understand much of the film, one must realize that the narrative focuses on
"the police investigations during the 124 hours following the
attacks"; consequently, during those 124 hours, there was not yet much
clear information regarding the Imam of Ripoll. In fact, the investigation into
the remains found at the house in Alcanar was far from complete.
By the way, for those who haven't seen the film, here is a minor "spoiler": the Imam of Ripoll is mentioned twice, with the statement that he is "dead—allegedly."
Let
those who wish to understand, understand.
Does *CRONOS* not speak about “the”
victims?
I
have no doubt that many people who say that haven’t seen the film. The passage
of time has shown that when the August 17th attacks are discussed, the vast
majority of people remember the event through the murderous vehicle attack on
La Rambla... a few others also recall the criminal vehicle attack and
subsequent assault in Cambrils... but very, very, very few remember the murder
of Pau Pérez in the University Zone, and no one remembers what happened that
same Monday, August 21st, in Olérdola—shortly before the killer, Abouyaqoub,
was shot dead.
To
those who claim *CRONOS* doesn’t speak about “the” victims, I would simply
point out that the film explains what happened to both victims—Pau Pérez and
Montserrat Durán—precisely the victims forgotten by almost everyone who weighs
in on the subject. And it is an honor to say that Pau Pérez’s family gave their
permission for this to be included...
I
also want to recall that the first official list of victims from the August
17th attacks did not appear until October 2018. Yes, 2018. Therefore, there was
little scope to speak about “the” victims during those first 124 hours when
there wasn’t even an official list or a reasonably accurate identification of
individuals—precisely the issue UAVAT has been denouncing since our inception,
and one that is perfectly reflected in the film as well as in the May 2021
court ruling: did any member of the State Security Forces and Corps actually
identify a single victim? Were their details requested once the lockdown was
lifted? For those unaware, there are numerous hospital admissions where the
listed reason is “VEHICLE STRIKE,” “ACCIDENTAL FALL,” or “HUMAN CRUSH”... yet
in many cases, “TERRORIST ATTACK” does not appear.
*CRONOS* also serves to highlight these errors, which we hope will soon be reviewed and corrected by the relevant authorities.
Some people feel that the CNI—and its
connection to the events—is missing from the picture.
It
is true that many people are pointing out the lack of discussion regarding the
CNI, and they are absolutely right. To understand this, one must remember that
*CRONOS* focuses on the police investigation during the 124 hours following the
attacks... and the CNI does not (yet) feature in that timeframe.
That
said—and without wishing to give away any spoilers—you really shouldn't miss
the footage of the second parallel operations desk... let me know what you
think once you’ve seen it. Many of those who currently hold one opinion will
likely change their minds later.
Actor Enric Auquer made statements that
offended the victims of the August 17 attacks.
It
is true; the statements made by Enric Auquer—the film's lead actor—hurt many
victims of the August 17 attacks, as well as victims of other attacks. They
also upset citizens who are familiar with the details of the attacks, even if
they were not victims themselves.
It
would have been better if those statements had never been made. But once made,
they could have been clarified or nuanced.
Now,
an important detail: did Enric Auquer apologize to the victims? Yes, through private
contact. That much is on the record.
Many people have called for a boycott of
*CRONOS* because of the lead actor's statements.
In my view, it would have been better if those statements hadn't been made. However, while discussing the matter with one of the victims of the La Rambla attack, they shared a reflection—one echoed by all the other victims I’ve spoken to: millions upon millions of us have watched *The Ten Commandments*, *Ben-Hur*, *Planet of the Apes*, *The Big Country*, and *The Agony and the Ecstasy*... yet no one was concerned about Charlton Heston’s ideology until his death in 2008... did anyone ever propose boycotting his films? If *Ben-Hur* is shown on TV again tomorrow (for the umpteenth time), will anyone call for a boycott of the channel or platform because of the lead actor's personal views?
The film has done absolutely nothing for
the victims; in fact, it is an attack on them.
To begin with, I have spoken to all the victims who attended the screening, as well as many others who—due to scheduling conflicts or travel issues—were unable to make it to Cinema Girona on Wednesday, September 2nd. Not a single one expressed anger, annoyance, outrage, or any objection to the film—with the sole exception of the aforementioned image showing the hose at Pla de l’Os.
What
many of them *did* tell me, however, was that they hadn't stopped to consider
the immense investigative effort undertaken by state security forces to bring
the nightmare to an end on Monday, August 21, 2017, in a vineyard in
Subirats... and that, having seen the film, they are grateful to have this
information. This sentiment is shared by many other citizens who have watched
the movie.
As an example, I am including a photograph taken from a local television program, BAGATELEVISIO. Once Jordi Moreno contacts me, I will provide the link to the full documentary.
It is said that the film *CRONOS* was
financed with nearly 6 million euros from companies with strong ideological
leanings.
It
is curious that there is talk about the film's cost without first asking what
the actual production expenses were. It is clear to me that an enormous amount
of work went into location scouting, securing permits, and the actual
production of *CRONOS*.
As
for the issue of ideological leanings... I repeat: one needs to watch the
scenes featuring the investigative team, the discussion regarding the *alleged*
death of the Ripoll Imam, and the glances exchanged between the Mossos police
officers and the relatives of the La Rambla terrorist... and I will leave it at
that, lest I be accused of "spoiling" the film.
To
conclude, I have a proposal for those who have spoken about *CRONOS* without
even seeing it—criticizing its quality or its intent: why not launch a
crowdfunding campaign to make the film *you* wanted to see? For my part, I will
provide all the information contained in the case file's more than 68,000 pages
and the 1,017 pages of the court ruling. Furthermore, I guarantee the
cooperation of any victims whose help might be needed, including those who
attended the preliminary session on Wednesday, September 2nd.
