Private Project

“Between the valleys, between the hills. In the footsteps of the future sound of Slovakia”

In a present where artificial intelligence and emotional intelligence compete to define the course of humanity, “Between the valleys, between the hills, in the footsteps of the future sound of Slovakia” transports the viewer to Dúbravica, a remote Slovak village nestled between valleys and hills. This documentary, captured using mobile phones and action cameras, portrays the creation of the album The Future Sound of Slovakia and the film itself, exploring the fusion of tradition and modernity.

Cristian, an Argentine musician and producer, arrives in this village of 400 inhabitants to produce his works. However, upon arrival, he detects the presence of an unidentified flying object (UFO) stationed just a few meters away. A mystery that defies all logic and adds a magical touch to the narrative.

Over the course of 93 minutes, the film captures moments of communion and creativity, where music and human connection emerge as antidotes to individualism. Interviews, both in-person and virtual, connect musicians, cultural managers, and creators from different parts of the world. The ties between Argentina and Slovakia are highlighted, and the participants shed light on cultural integration and the future. The sense of belonging and the role of technology in preserving identity find a parallel in the digital version of an ozembuch (a traditional Slovak instrument) invented by one of the musicians.

In an unexpected twist, the story of a Japanese artist who recorded his fujara flute 15 years ago in France finds its place in the project. This raises questions about the notion of permanence. The film culminates in a futuristic presentation on Children’s Day, where the younger generations create their costumes, dance, and celebrate the songs for the first time, hinting at a possible future of diversity and integration.

“Between the valleys, between the hills” is not just a “folkumentary”, but an invitation to reflect on the future of humanity on a planet where tradition and technology coexist, and where the unknown reminds us that there are still unanswered questions.

  • Cristian Estrella
    Director
  • Cristian Darío Estrella
    Writer
  • Cristian Darío Estrella
    Producer
  • Cristian Darío Estrella
    Key Cast
    "Producer, musician"
  • Germán Estrella
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Matthias Moreno
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Jakub Pišek
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Andrew Gibson
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Igor Babiak
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Katka Lahová
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Daniel Inger
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Benito Malacalza
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Miloš Kondač
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Abello Cepero Travaglini
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Kate Farquhar
    Key Cast
    "Musician"
  • Sergio Zaldo Molina
    Key Cast
    "Graphic artist"
  • Marc-Eric Laine
    Key Cast
    "Guest producer"
  • Kristina Lukačova
    Key Cast
    "Slovak cultural promoter"
  • Sveto Gavora
    Key Cast
    "Official translator"
  • Veronika Mezeiová
    Key Cast
    "Host artistic residency"
  • Oto Hudec
    Key Cast
    "Creator"
  • Andrei Mărginean
    Key Cast
    "Soundscape artist"
  • Nacho Mapacho
    Key Cast
    "Bass technician"
  • Verónika Uhrecká
    Key Cast
    "Artist"
  • Dodo Uhrecký
    Key Cast
    "Artist"
  • Branislav Tužinsky
    Key Cast
    "Collaborator"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    "Medzi doľinami, medzi vŕški. Po stopách budúceho zvuku Slovenska"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature, Music Video
  • Genres:
    documentary, music, future, international, integration, culture, intergenerational, technology, tradition, identity, mobile, phones
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 33 minutes 16 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 11, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    500 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Slovakia
  • Country of Filming:
    Argentina, France, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain
  • Language:
    English, French, Slovak, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Full HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • The Indie FEST Film Award
    California
    United States
    January 23, 2026
    Award of Recognition
  • 6th FINNOF - International Festival of New Nonfiction Narratives
    Rosario
    Argentina
    Finalist
  • EAFF, Egyptian American Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Kre:Pí Festival 2025
    Banská Bystrica
    Slovakia
    September 6, 2025
    Slovakian premiere
    Official Selection
  • [fjúžn] Festival 2025
    Bratislava
    Slovakia
    September 21, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Travancore International Film Awards
    Kerala
    India
    Best International Music Video Feature
  • Travancore International Film Awards
    Kerala
    India
    Best Integration Feature Film
  • Travancore International Film Awards
    Kerala
    India
    Best Avant Garde Feature Film
  • LANAFF Latino and Native American FIlm Festival
    Connecticut
    United States
    Official Selection
  • 9th International Folklore Film Festival
    Kerala
    India
    Official Selection
  • Golden Lion International Film Festival (GLIFF)
    KOLKATA, West Bengal
    India
    Best Documentary Feature
  • ICJ International Film Award
    Lviv
    Ukraine
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Cristian Estrella

Cristian Estrella is a multidisciplinary artist born in Buenos Aires and currently based in Europe. His work navigates the fluid boundaries between sound, image, and nature, driven by a fascination with hybrid forms of storytelling. With a background spanning music production, video editing, radio broadcasting, and graphic design, he thrives in collaborative environments that challenge conventional creative frameworks.

His portfolio reflects a dynamic engagement with independent music scenes, experimental media, and grassroots cultural initiatives—from co-founding record labels to directing visuals for underground performances. Whether composing scores, curating radio shows, or composing music for theater, his approach merges technical precision with an intuitive sense of rhythm and space.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

For Cristian Estrella, creation is an act of transformation. A way of sharing with the world the tools that allow him to ask questions and find answers. How does memory shape perception? The use of field recordings, and an aesthetic combined with organic motifs, allow him to build bridges between the digital and natural worlds.

The process is as important as the result: his practice embraces happy accidents, modular workflows and the latent poetry of obsolete technologies. Treating constraints as creative catalysts, he transforms limitations into distinctive sonic and visual signatures.

His journalistic background makes him an anthropologist of the road. At heart, he believes in the connective and collective potential of art. Not as finished objects, but as living conversations between creator, collaborator and audience. Ultimately, the goal is the same: to turn boundaries into meeting places.