Premiered at the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival, Up and Running (Corren Las Liebres) directed by Lorena Ros is a Spanish documentary (70 mins) that is produced by Patricia Sánchez Mora. This film has earned widespread acclaim at international film festivals. The film delivers a contemporary, female-centered tribute to Spanish quinqui cinema. It explores themes of survival, marginalized identity and state systems.
Speaking at the pre-screening Press Conference Patricia Sánchez Mora expressed this about her film, “It is a character‑driven documentary about a trans who has been identified and marginalized as it explores the intersection of being trans, Romani and formerly incarcerated. It is about motherhood & custody depicting the central character (Noa’s) fight to reunite with her children drives the emotional core.
Her journey is not only about survival, but about reclaiming dignity
This Spanish documentary is about a 48 years old trans Romani woman Noa, who, after a decade behind bars, steps into freedom carrying both the weight of her past and the fragile hope of reclaiming her children from state custody. Struggling against eviction, poverty, and the stigma of her identity, she finds unexpected strength in the bonds of friendship, the solidarity of her community, and the transformative power of art and humor. Her journey is not only about survival, but about reclaiming dignity, belonging and the joy in a world that has long denied her both.
Patricia Sanchez Mora revealed, “This film depicts how the marginalised form a fragile but supportive community. Together, they navigate harsh realities with solidarity, sisterhood, art, and humor, transforming survival into an act of defiance.”
Further elaborating, Patricia says, “Up and Running stands out as an example of Community resilience. It highlights how friendship and activism provide strength against systemic exclusion. We have finely balances gritty realism with warmth and humor and avoiding despair while showing systemic injustice. And it also raises questions about housing rights, discrimination, and the failures of social systems.
Up and Running blends intimacy and activism
Up and Running should resonate with audiences interested in human rights, LGBTQ+ struggles, and marginalized communities. Its blend of intimacy and activism makes it worth a watch.
The film blends raw social realism with moments of humor and solidarity, offering a deeply human portrait of resilience on society’s margins. Up and Running was highly celebrated on the documentary circuit, receiving development support from laboratories like Acció Viver and San Sebastián. It held its world premiere at DocsBarcelona 2026, where it won the Moritz Audience Award and the 3Cat Award.
Lorena Ros, the director is a documentary photographer and filmmaker whose works addresses memory, identity and the representation of trauma. She holds three World Press Photo awards, the One World Media Award and grants including the Getty Grant and Open Society Engagement Grant. She is the author of ‘Unspoken’, and her work is held in the MNAC collection.
(Photos credit – Manoj Tarkar, NFDC, Films Division)
Primary Cast / Subjects of Up and Running (Corren Las Liebres):
Noa
Marikarmen
Luana
Nani
Credits of Up and Running (Corren Las Liebres):
Produced by Patricia Sánchez Mora
Director & Co-Writer: Lorena Ros
Co-Writer & Editor: Roger Menduiña & Flor Aliberti
Production Companies: Novena Nube, Testamento, and Twelve Oaks Pictures
Soundtrack: Features music by Julia Vargas (with the main theme “NOA” performed by Laura Santos) alongside tracks from independent artists like Sara Hebe and Tribade.
