Sebastián Manusovich
General producer, protagonist, co-director and creator of the project.
The Project
A film that moved beyond the screen.
The Agonist (El Agonista) began as an autobiographical documentary about the body, relationships, pain and a decision that could change everything. Over time, the film’s questions found other ways to set themselves in motion: conversations, workshops, installations and experiences for organisations and communities.
01.
What is the origin?
The Agonist began when Sebastián’s body started to hurt in a way he could no longer ignore. He had built a life with work, love, children, friends and travel, but the possibility of brain surgery opened up an extreme decision: how much to change in order to stop suffering, and what part of himself he was willing to put at stake.
The film became a way of looking at himself, revisiting fifty years of life and searching for answers without doing what was obvious or expected. Sebastián began filming himself to think alongside the people he loves, but also to make a decision of his own.
The documentary was made over time, through a process of trial and error, as the portrait of a life that continues to transform.
Can a documentary keep me standing?
For now, it can.
02.
What does ‘The Agonist’ mean?
The word agonist comes from the Greek agōn, meaning struggle. In the body, an agonist muscle produces movement against an opposing force.
We take that idea as a metaphor: difference is not something to be corrected or adapted. It is a creative and collective force, capable of generating new ways of moving, relating to one another and transforming reality.
03.
What is our perspective?
We work at the intersection of art and encounter. We create experiences that help dismantle prejudice, recognise barriers and explore more accessible ways of living together.
04.
Why a platform?
The documentary is the work from which the project originated, but The Agonist moves beyond the screen. Its questions expand into participatory experiences, educational programmes, community-based actions and cultural interventions that engage with different audiences and contexts.
Documentary→The Agonist→
- Screenings
- Conversations
- Workshops
- Installations
- Programmes
- Community
05.
Who leads The Agonist?
Pablo Pintor
Co-director, documentary filmmaker and creator of the project.
Team and partners
We work with a team of facilitators, educators, artists, producers and partners across different territories and institutions.
06.
Our invitation
Every project we develop begins with a simple question: what happens when a personal experience stops being only a story and becomes an opportunity to encounter others?