The Leap (film)

The Leap (Spanish: El paso) is a Cuban 2025 Spanish-language short documentary film written and directed by Roberto Tarazona.^[1] The film follows two children who set out to decipher the mystery of events that the adults talk about only in secret: in the darkness of the moonless nights, cattle are disappearing along with the farmers who dare to confront the “monster” that is taking them.^[2][3]

The Leap
Festival release poster
Spanish	El paso
German	Der Schritt
Directed by	Roberto Tarazona
Produced by	Ángel Luis Medina EICTV Cuba
Starring	Fabián Olmo Águila Christian Águila Almeida Luisa Gálvez Capot José A. Olmos Chaviano
Cinematography	Roberto Tarazona
Edited by	Roberto Tarazona
Production company	EICTV Cuba
Distributed by	EICTV Cuba
Release date	19 February 2025 (2025-2-19) (Berlinale)
Running time	15 minutes
Country	Cuba
Language	Spanish

The film was selected in the Generation Kplus section at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on February 19 and competed for the Grand Prize for Best Film.^[4]

Summary

In rural Cuba, young Fabián and Christian spend their days carefree, unaware of the adults' fears of a lurking menace. Eavesdropping, they learn of vanished livestock and slain farmers. Drawn into a mysterious nighttime adventure, they set off with lanterns and wooden swords. Their playful quest soon turns grim as they confront a haunting ritual that blurs the boundaries between innocence and maturity, life and death.

Cast

• Fabián Olmo Águila,
• Christian Águila Almeida,
• Luisa Gálvez Capot
• José A. Olmos Chaviano

Release

The Leap had its world premiere on 19 February 2025, as part of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, in Generation Kplus.^[5][6][7]

Accolades

Award	Date	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival	23 February 2025	Grand Prize for Best Film	The Leap	Nominated	[8][9]