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The Cathedral That Never Was

A short visual documentary of the Church of San Bartholomew in La Rioja, Spain. Built in the 16th Century it was designed to be a Cathedral given the plans were made during a schism that was under way with the Archdiocese of the neighboring City of Calahorra. The times were marked by ongoing power struggles in the region at both levels, religious power and aristocratic power. Villages were sold and traded by lords and small kingdom rulers and there were many discords in the ranks of the church also. The schism never succeeded but the church was none the less built according to the plans and today it is the architectural landmark of Aldeanueva De Ebro. The church is the centerpiece of this small village's urban landscape which lies on a slightly elevated plateau and it's exact location can be recognized from far away thanks to the tower of the church that stands out in the landscape.

The Church of St. Bartholomew was built of brick from 1,573 by master Domingo de Yarza, according to Renaissance design of Perez de Solarte, He designed a basilica presided over by the almost miraculous, artistic jewel of the altarpiece. Initiated in 1575 the astounding sculptural masterpiece by Arnao de Bruselas y Pedro de Troas in the Romanist style with fiery Michelangelesque references, Baroque side altarpieces completed a breathtaking view of the head of the temple . The whole design was planned by Francisco del Ponton in 1614 with two equal towers on either side of the main gate, but had to be built with only one tower due to foundation problems.

  • Nobilis Bellator
    Director
  • Nobilis Bellator
    Producer
  • I Muvrini
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 41 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 31, 2014
  • Country of Origin:
    Spain
  • Country of Filming:
    Spain
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Nobilis Bellator

I am a Canadian with Spanish origins. I lived all my life in Montreal, Québec and a few years in Paris and now living in Spain.

When I was a young boy I loved to draw and replicate images of people and super heroes, I eventually discovered a taste for music. Played the trumpet and the guitar. Then as a young adult I discovered photography which became the basis for what I do now. In filmmaking, I can do all of that; fantasy, music, images still or in movement, with a classical look or not, my imagination is the only limit.

I was an amateur photographer all my life and in 2012, I discovered Timelapse Photography. That was all I needed to make the big jump and since August of 2012, I dedicate myself exclusively to filmmaking using this technique.

I decided to publish my work using my artist name, which I owe to an idea from my daughter. I became Nobilis Bellator, which is Latin for Noble Warrior, and is the etymological meaning of my real Spanish last name which has Arabic origins and it’s meaning is “Warrior”, so I was told. So now you know!

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Director Statement

In film making as in life, you can only go as far as you try to go. Let your imagination take you there.