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Forced Renewables

In Lopera, a small town in Jaén, the promise of ecological transition turns into a nightmare. Centuries-old olive groves, the legacy of generations of farmers, are being uprooted to make way for massive photovoltaic plants, in an unfair battle between powerful corporations and a community fighting to protect its land.

Through firsthand testimonies, striking visuals, and an in-depth analysis of the current energy model, Forced Renewables exposes how progress, when poorly planned and disconnected from rural life, can become an unprecedented ecological, social, and economic disaster.

"Discover the dark side of renewable energy in Spain. 'Renewable Forzosas' exposes the environmental and social impacts of poorly planned projects.

English, Italian, German and French subtitles available

  • Francisco Javier Fernández Bordonada
    Director
    Spanish Olive grove, Purebred Spanish; The Origin, Mountains in Harmony
  • María del Mar De Dios Rodriguez
    Writer
    Purebred Spanish; The Origin, Mountains in Harmony
  • Francisco Javier Fernández Bordonada
    Writer
    Spanish Olive grove, Purebred Spanish; The Origin, Mountains in Harmony
  • Francisco Javier Fernández Bordonada
    Producer
    Spanish Olive grove, Purebred Spanish; The Origin, Mountains in Harmony
  • Mariano Espallargas Monserrate
    Producer
    Purebred Spanish; The Origin, Mountains in Harmony
  • Maria del Mar De Dios Rodriguez
    Producer
    Purebred Spanish; The Origin, Mountains in Harmony
  • Francisco Javier Fernández Bordonada
    Editor
    Spain Olive Grove
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Renovables Forzosas
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Genres:
    Enviroment, social
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 8 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 31, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    Spain
  • Country of Filming:
    Spain
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • MARATEALE - BASILICATA INTERNATIONAL AWARD
    POTENZA
    Italy
    July 23, 2025
    FINALIST
  • Chania Film Festival
    Crete
    Greece
    October 15, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Bracciano Film and Arts Festival
    Bracciano
    Italy
    June 23, 2025
    Best Documentary (EA)
  • Terres Travel Festival - Films & Creativity
    Amposta
    Spain
    July 19, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Il Festival Internazionale Nebrodi Cinema Doc
    Nebrodi
    Italy
    September 29, 2025
    WINNER PARCO DI NEBRODI AWARD
  • Terra Lenta
    Pignola
    Italy
    July 25, 2025
    Lucania
    Official Selection
  • VISION 2030
    NOTO
    Italy
    September 16, 2025
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Do(C)ôa Nature Film Festival
    Guarda
    Portugal
    November 1, 2025
    Finalista
  • Festival de Cine Verde de Barichara
    Barichara
    Colombia
    September 19, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Internacional sound and Film music Festival
    Samobor
    Croatia
    October 10, 2025
    BEST Picture Nominee
  • Suncine
    Calafell
    Spain
    November 8, 2025
    NOMINEE
  • Activists Without Borders Film Festival
    Reading
    United Kingdom
    November 27, 2025
    WINNER
  • Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival
    BARCELONA
    Spain
    December 15, 2026
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • HUMANO Festival de cine y derechos humanos de Madrid
    Madrid
    Spain
    November 13, 2025
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Festival delle Terre Roma
    Roma
    Italy
    April 8, 2026
    Roma
    Screener
  • El Festival de Cine y Foro Internacional de Derechos Humanos
    Cambrills
    Spain
    March 14, 2026
    Finalist
  • Mannheim Arts And Film Festival
    Mannheim
    Germany
    April 26, 2026
    Climate and Environment Best Documentary
  • İstanbul International Spring Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Türkiye
    April 22, 2026
    Turkey
    Best Documentary Finalist
  • Ardennes International Film Festival
    Namur
    Belgium
    June 9, 2026
    Benelux
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Bordonada Films
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights, Internet, Video on Demand, Pay Per View, Hotel, Airline, Ship, Theatrical, Video / Disc, Free TV, Paid TV, Console / Handheld Device
Director Biography - Francisco Javier Fernández Bordonada

Francisco Javier Fernández Bordonada has been working as a tour guide and landscape photographer for many years.

Specialising in aerial photography for sectors such as agri-food and tourism, in recent years he has been compiling an extensive archive on climate change and depopulation.

He currently lives in Aragón and Málaga, on the Costa del Sol, and makes his debut as a documentary filmmaker with ‘El paisaje del Olivar’ (2021), his first feature-length documentary, which has won numerous international awards and accolades (25).

“El Caballo Español: El Origen” (2023), his second documentary, traces the history of the Spanish horse through the centuries, as told by some of the most prominent experts in the equestrian world. This documentary, currently distributed worldwide by the Los Angeles-based production company X4 Pictures, has also received over thirty selections, awards and nominations in its first six months at international independent film festivals.

“Mountains in Harmony” (2024), a documentary about property speculation, is evidence of the controversial economic interest in the environmental resources of the rural landscape.
“Forced Renewables” (2025), his latest documentary, deals with the controversial energy transition in southern Spain, Andalusia, and reflects the disastrous implementation of urgent renewable energy models, forcing rural landowners to sell their land and be expropriated and driven from their surroundings, for the benefit of the new interests and businesses of foreign investment funds that have the approval of local and state administrations.

Currently, through his independent production company Bordonada Films, he is dedicated to creating informative and investigative content on environmental and rural issues.

He has trained at various institutions, including the RTVE Institute, where he has completed specialisation courses in Production Management and Post-production Coordination, Creative Documentary and Non-fiction Film, and OTT platforms.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Documentary film is a great tool for bearing witness to what is happening around us, to the things that concern us, to the times in which we live. Thanks to documentaries we are able to carry messages and tell stories that help others to understand and at the same time help others to understand the importance of the challenges we face as a society.

Mountains in Harmony is an example of how those who know the mountains best, study and preserve them, warn us of the vital importance of their care and respect, in order to survive as a society. A society that is becoming increasingly dehumanised and whose economic, political and personal interests take precedence over environmental interests.