When the world came to a standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic, three friends confined to a rooftop apartment in Barcelona began writing and performing one song a day. What started as a creative outlet quickly became a global phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers and collaborations with artists including Manu Chao, Rubén Blades, Pablo Alborán, Sílvia Pérez Cruz and Michael Bublé. Stay Homas — The Band That Shouldn’t Exist tells the extraordinary story behind one of the most unexpected musical success stories of the pandemic.
Co-produced by Icon International, La Lupa Produccions, Minifilms TV and 3Cat, the feature documentary was directed by Nick Bolger, Oriol Gispert and Ramón Balagué. With exclusive access over a three-year period, the filmmakers followed Rai Benet, Guillem Boltó and Klaus Stroink as they navigated the transition from viral internet sensation to internationally touring musicians, revealing the creative, emotional and personal challenges that accompanied their sudden rise to fame.
Filmed across Barcelona, Málaga, Madrid, London and Milan, the documentary combines intimate observational filmmaking with live performances, behind-the-scenes moments and candid reflections on creativity, friendship and identity. Rather than simply documenting the band’s success, the film explores the pressures of unexpected fame and the struggle to evolve beyond the label of “the pandemic band”, creating a nuanced portrait of artists searching for their place long after the world reopened.
Following its world premiere in the Official Documentary Competition at the Málaga Film Festival, the documentary was selected by numerous international festivals, including Krakow Film Festival (DocFilmMusic Competition), Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest, Unerhört! Music Film Festival (Hamburg) and SOMCINEMA, before premiering on Filmin and later TV3. The film has been widely praised for its intimate access and emotional honesty, earning an average audience rating of 8.1/10 on Filmin while establishing itself as one of Spain’s standout contemporary music documentaries.
International Festival Selections
- Málaga Film Festival — Official Documentary Competition
- Krakow Film Festival — DocFilmMusic Competition
- Atlàntida Mallorca Film Fest
- Unerhört! Music Film Festival (Hamburg)
- SOMCINEMA Festival (Lleida)
- Additional international festival selections