Amid the housing crisis in Barcelona, thousands of families face the threat of eviction, forcing them out of their homes with little hope of finding a new place to go. Enter Paco, the bailiff, who must carry out the evictions, uprooting people’s lives in a matter of minutes. This is the gripping subject matter of Norman Striegel’s harrowing new documentary.
Through the eyes of Paco, viewers witness the heartbreaking impact of skyrocketing housing prices, predatory speculators, and the Spanish government’s neglect of social housing. We see the struggles of individuals who can no longer afford to pay their rent or mortgage, some having been in arrears for years, while others become squatters in vacant apartments. With little relief in sight during the pandemic, Paco performs over 10 evictions a day, providing a window into the human cost of the housing crisis in Barcelona.
