«I have never felt about the Spain Brand, and I am totally from La Mancha, Spanish and European ”, said Pedro Almodóvar, who is competing for three European Film Awards.
About the current boycott that exists in much of the social networks towards the film that is in theaters "The Queen of Spain", by Fernando Trueba, the Manchego director has declared to be totally horrified.
“I am horrified that a tweet can generate such a headline. It reminds me of the worst of totalitarianisms, the worst of ghosts. The one who writes the tweet does not think about the 500 people who have given up their lives to make that movie. I feel sorry for Trueba and the people who worked with him.
«I find the boycott generated by a tweet monstrous and atrocious, and there I also include the responsibility of the media. All this represents the worst of totalitarianisms and the only thing that provokes me is the worst of the ghosts that we have lived. It is shocking, I am horrified and from here I send Fernando and the team all my empathy and affection. Fortunately, the films survive, but everything that is generated around them is very negative for everyone "
These have been the words of Almodóvar.
In addition to this issue, Pedro has stated that continues his fight to lower VAT in the cinema, especially to protect viewers. Claim a reduction in the price of tickets.
“A family cannot afford to pay five tickets to go to the movies. We must continue to protest the increase in VAT and the absolute contempt shown by the Government towards the cinema, but not only against the filmmakers, but also against the audience, who are the first to be harmed by this sharp tax and without explanations. They are doing us all bad ”.
The 21% that is paid in Spain, VAT on each of the tickets is the highest price in Europe.
His idea of Spanish patriotism
The manchego has commented that travel the world with the culture of the Spain Brand, without having to exhibit it in any way. To be Spanish you don't have to "go jingoistic."
These comments by Almodóvar were made shortly before the gala of the 29th edition of theThe European Film Academy Awards. At this gala, held in the Polish city of Wroclaw, the director and his film Julieta they were opting for four candidatures (best film, director and actress for Emma Suárez and Adriana Ugarte)
The German film "Toni Erdmann" was the absolute winner on the night of European cinema and it monopolized the five most important awards, among them the one for best film of the year. The other great favorite, the Spanish «Julieta ”, has gone empty despite being nominated in three categories.
Marlon Brando on social media
In addition to the issue of negative comments towards "the Queen of Spain", by Fernando Trueba, Almodóvar also wanted to position himself on a scandal circulating on the networks.
Is Marlon Brando's alleged rape of María Schneider, which would have occurred during the filming of «The Last Tango in Paris».
On this matter, Almodóvar has said:
«It is not fair that this judgment is made now when its two protagonists are dead. We are in the worst of worlds to deal with that issue. What do the media and movie people do, fuming about something that, if it happened, happened in '72. This also resembles those tweets that reminded me of ghosts from the past. It is within that moral intolerance.
María Scheider knew the script, it was written and agreed. Accusing Marlon Brando as a rapist, according to Almodóvar, 40 years later, does not solve or contribute anything. In reality, there is talk of gender violence. And it is a delicate subject that is permanently present. For this reason, Pedro declares that it would be more positive to solve the problems that surround us in our times.
To conclude on the matter of Marlon Brando and «The last tango in Paris», the director from La Mancha declares: «This theme is the great triumph of sensationalism at levels I would never believe.
Comments on the shootings and their possible risks
Contributing his personal experience, Pedro Almodóvar assures that he would never put his actors at physical or mental risk, although there are other colleagues who do not think like him.
Everything has been done in the cinema, just like in other parts of life or culture. Pedro assures that everything depends on the arrangements and tacit agreements that the director of the film has previously made with the actors and actresses.
Next projects
Almodóvar has announced his intention to direct a television series, after the offer it has received from many platforms.
Although he He does not consider himself a good spectator of series and does not like the fragmented story, or having to stick to a maximum of fifty minutes, you already have ideas to integrate into this format.
Another interesting project for the cinema that the director has is the writing of two dramatic stories of "different tones." He is also working on a film project about the life of Marcos Ana, the poet and political prisoner who died on November 24.
Trueba's sadness against the attempt to boycott of 'The Queen of Spain
Trueba has regretted the campaign that is underway in the networks against his film recently released, arguing that whoever makes the most noise is the one who captures all the attention.
In addition, he has stated that the matter affects him and makes him sad. Encourage viewers to watch the movie and have a laugh. It must be remembered that the film is having, for some reasons or others, a very discreet reception, since its premiere, on Friday, November 25.
The controversy that is in social networks comes as a result of his statements when he received the National Cinematography Award in 2015. In that delivery, Trueba stated that in his life he had felt "not five minutes Spanish."
For his part, the president of the Federation of Associations of Audiovisual Producers of Spain, Ramon Colom, has also wanted to demonstrate in the face of this boycott attempt. He has stated that regrets that "reprisals are taken against those who do not think like us."
"Viewers have every right in the world to go see a movie without being contaminated"Added Colom, who has described the promoters of the antiTrue campaign as" spiteful and vindictive ".
Regarding the data obtained by the film, and the average collected per screen that a film exhibits, very important for the industry, in the Trueba film it has been 1.030 euros. Far are other figures of recent releases. This is the case of 2.914 for "Fantastic Animals", and 2.362 for "Allies."