Global Focus
You get some really natural performances obvious: every film is political. It’s other despite, or perhaps because of, their
particularly from Virginia Ruiz, who plays everybody’s decision to say, “OK, I’m gonna situation. Do you see it as an optimistic story?
the daughter. spend three years of my life doing a film. Like many filmmakers you never want the
We protected that environment as much as For what reason? I wanna make the money? film to end. You want it to be just an episode
we could. For example, when we moved I wanna have success? Or I wanna tell that continues.
from Melo to Montevideo to do the interior something that I’m interested in telling?”
scenes, I asked Elena Roux [one of the Before the Q&A we had been discussing A slice of life.
producers] to allow me to stop filming for the future of world cinema and somebody Yeah, a slice of life, exactly. When I leave
three days. We went into that house, the said, “Yeah, but you know it’s very difficult this conversation, I will have changed a
actors, Enrique, Chris [the acting coach] to show the Romanian community in London little bit. There is a little arc in every day.
and me, and we closed it down and we a Romanian film. They won’t come and see One film is a one-and-a-half-hour arc.
lived there. “OK, let’s cook, and let’s do it because they don’t like the portrait of There is a transition, there is knowledge
the dialogue while you’re cooking, and go their country.” People don’t like to see and life continues... Beto, Carmen and
to sleep in that bed,” you know, make that themselves or the country that they’ve left Silvia keep living, they’ll keep dreaming
house yours and don’t let it be a set. because they idolise that country and they and maybe Beto finds the love of his life
and leaves his wife and his family finishes
[Laughs] or not. Or maybe he finds another
job or… life is like that. So I don’t see the
film as an end. This is that story that
happened to that family at that time but
you know their life continues.
This is your first feature film as a director.
Is it a turning point in your career?
I don’t see it as a turning point, at least not
a deliberate turning point. Making City
of God for me was an accidental turning
point. I was discovered by the world and
suddenly this beautiful world opened up to
me and it was great. But this is not a
deliberate turning point. All the post-
production for El Baño del Papa was
done in Fernando’s company so he was very
generous and we have a very close
relationship. I might be doing very good
films as a director but if he calls me to be a
Beto reminded me of the character played
“Like many filmmakers
cinematographer in his film, I’ll do it. I’m
by Harrison Ford in The Mosquito Coast in very very grateful that he supports me as
the sense of his dogged determination and
you never want the film
his cameraman. He is very sweet, very
hopeless excitement. As an audience democratic, very open minded but very
member, even with the pervading sense of
to end. You want it to
focused at the same time.
imminent failure, you still root for him.
I remember my mother reading the original
be just an episode that
Are there any aspects of Uruguayan life that
script and saying, “I wanna hug Beto,” you you’re interested in making a film about?
know, like a motherly protection. Enrique
continues.”
I think that there’s a part of our story that
told me that this character came from his is very dark and very sad, and that is the
childhood. It reminded him of somebody seventies and the dictatorship when we
that visited his father when he was a kid. were a country split in half. My family was
So it was written in the original script like don’t recognise themselves in that film. split in half. My grandmother that I loved
that. And then afterwards when César The Uruguayans in Uruguay are very and admired didn’t talk to my uncle, her
Troncoso came in with his personality, he pleased with the film because it shows the eldest son, because my uncle was related to
added all those little details of looks. problems that we have. We have to build a a right wing politician and my grandmother
solid society and institutions and not live was towards the catholic left wing sector.
In the Q&A session a Uruguayan audience only on dreams. It’s very common to get So that very sad part of our story where we
member was concerned about the general criticism from people outside of the country were intolerant and things were drastic.
downbeat portrayal of Uruguay in recent that, “You’re not portraying my country I think it’s something that we have to talk
films. Do you see your film as a political like it is.” I think I am. I think if you do a more about and that is universal. I wouldn’t
film? There’s one line in it that says, good film, from a critical point of view, it bring a subject that is only specific to
“Punishment is the politicians that we have, speaks well about your country. Uruguay—to make a film you want it to be
but what we need is a miracle.” Are you seen in other places—so I would definitely
happy with the way Uruguay is portrayed? What shines through very clearly is the do something related to this intolerance but
Well, first of all I’m going to say something warmth that the characters have for each that also speaks to other people. n
20 by Filmmakers. For Filmmakers.
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