‘Enigma’: how civil society has kept Galicia, the Basque Country and the Catalan Countries alive

How have Galicia, the Basque Country and the Catalan Countries managed to survive as distinct nations in a continent where major states have suppressed internal diversity, despite never having had a state of their own to protect them? The documentary Enigma aims to answer this question by bringing the three peoples together in a single audiovisual project for the first time.

The documentary focuses on the role of organised civil society in preserving the national and cultural identities of these three nations. For more than half a century, trade unions, cultural organisations, media outlets and social movements have helped sustain their languages, cultures and identities through a history marked by dictatorship, the effects of globalisation and, today, the rise of the far right.

A grassroots project funded collectively

Enigma will be funded through a joint crowdfunding campaign on Verkami launched on 13 October, which aims to raise €160,000. Its funding model is intended to reflect the same principles that underpin the documentary: collective organisation and self-management.

The project is backed by a core group of prominent organisations from the three territories. They will contribute both as expert voices and as active partners in promoting the initiative. In the Catalan Countries, the participating organisations are Òmnium Cultural, CIEMEN, Fundació Darder Mascaró, STEI, Casal Català de Perpinyà, ACPV, Escola Valenciana and STEPV. The Basque Country is represented by ELA, LAB and Argia, while Galicia’s participants are A Mesa, Fundación Moncho Reboiras and Galiza Sempre. These trade unions, cultural organisations and social movements have spent decades defending their respective languages, cultures and national identities.

From academic research to civil society

The documentary will combine contributions from specialists in historical and academic research with testimonies from the people and organisations that have played a leading role in this resistance. It aims to reach a broad audience through film festivals, commercial cinemas, streaming platforms, television and social media. It is also intended as an educational resource for universities and a reference work for the media.

The soundtrack will feature an original song directed by Feliu Ventura, with lyrics written by lyricists from all three territories and performed by leading voices from Galician, Basque and Catalan music, with a prominent role for women.