Athlete's Psychotic Break Inspires New Film

Laura García Alonso's debut feature, "Runner," chronicles the journey of a young competitive athlete who experiences a psychotic break while preparing for a major race. The film, which premiered in competition at the Málaga Film Festival, stars newcomer Alba Sáez as Cris, an athlete dedicated to her sport.

During her intense training for the Spanish National Championships, Cris suffers a severe psychotic break due to mounting pressure. The narrative follows her recovery and her persistent drive to return to running. Marina Salas and Alex Brendemühl co-star as her supportive sister and father.

Director Laura García drew inspiration from personal experiences with mental illness, a theme also explored in her short film "Summer Storm." With "Runner," García aimed to destigmatize mental illness and present a realistic, first-person perspective of navigating symptoms, treatment, and evolving self-perception.

The production faced significant challenges, particularly in portraying the demanding sport of running authentically. García and Sáez worked extensively to capture the sport's physical and emotional complexity, with Sáez performing challenging running sequences that required immense effort from the cast and crew.