Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation is a documentary about an unfinished and still actively under construction Catholic cathedral since 1882 predominantly designed by its second architect, Antoni Gaudi. Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation poses the question of whether the cathedral construction’s goal should be to evolve from and be inspired by or preserve Gaudi’s version.
I found it extremely hard to focus on Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation. Instead of a straightforward linear historical narrative from inception to the present, which I prefer, Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation focused on the people who work at the cathedral today, then the cathedral’s history and then returned to what it was like to work on it today.
The contemporary profiles were the most effective segments of Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation. For example, Etsuro Sotoo, a Japanese sculptor, converted to Catholicism, which was not a requirement, just to get closer to Gaudi’s original vision. Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation raises an intriguing and provocative point that I wish had been explored fully: the church as a cultural resistance point against hegemony. For instance, the documentary credits another church with the survival of the Catalan language and culture. I really could not elaborate more on this concept because my understanding of Spain’s history and culture is thimble-deep.
If you are fascinated by architecture or Spanish culture, then check out Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation, but be prepared to hit rewind if you are not already familiar with the subject matter.