The Communion of My Cousin Andrea

When Andrea looks back on her Catholic First Communion in her homeland of Spain, she thinks it wasn’t glamorous enough. Her big day lacked sparkle—and flowers, and stacks of money, and a Ferrari. A year after her Communion she and her cousin, filmmaker Brandán Cerviño, look at photos and films of the event and talk about what could have made that special day even more special. Their conversations raise serious and meaningful questions about life in general, and faith in particular. Does God actually exist? Andrea has her doubts.

Creative editing and playful special effects bring Andrea’s First Communion to life in this short documentary. The Communion of My Cousin Andrea is an original and breezy portrait of a young girl who’s growing up and thinking her own thoughts—and she no longer necessarily believes what she’s been told. It’s a personal story that tackles the universal themes of clashing generations, dealing with traditions, and growing up surrounded by social media.