Hailed at last Toronto Film Festival, has just been released in Argentina La Ventana, last film of Carlos Sorin, which continues its commitment to poetic cinema that began with Minimal Stories and continued with The dog.
En Window, Sorín summoned the Uruguayan writer Antonio «Taco» Larreta to star in a sensitive film, About the final days of a writer secluded in a distant country setting, looking forward to your child's visit.
The journalist Eduardo Slusarczuk interviewed the Sorín-Larreta duo for the Clarín newspaper and they both talked about their work on the tape, about production process, how they met, and the literary origin of the story.
I leave you with part of the interview:
Why a writer for the main character?
Sorín: Because the writer has a relationship with the word, with the way of saying it, which is very particular. Precisely because of his status as a writer. He is not like anybody. And I wanted that to show. I would have sacrificed the requirement, if it didn't show up on time. But "Taco" appeared.
How did they meet?
Larreta: During a dinner that I shared, in my city, with Carlos' partner, José María Morales, and Sancho Gracia, the protagonist of Curro Giménez, whom I hadn't seen for a while, I hear someone ask: Would you like work with Sorín ?. Then I warned that I had not heard well, and asked if anyone had asked, to which Morales nodded. So, I said, I'm going to answer you. I would like nothing more than to work on a Sorín film.
How was the filming of La Ventana?
Sorín: What I was looking for was to make a film with a very weak, very finite narrative, so that the viewer can complete things that are not there, or that are partially there. I am one of those who think that cinema occurs in the viewer's head. Therefore, I like cinema that requires you to make an effort to complete your own film. As during the five and a half weeks of filming, the technical team and actors lived in the same place where we filmed, every night I had the opportunity to see what we were doing, to reconcile, to correct. To write the film as it was being made.
Larreta: So much so that I couldn't study my character, because the script was hijacked.
In the film, the gaze of "Taco" is an essential element, as if it were really that of someone who, from his bed, looks at the world knowing that he is leaving. Was that look that of the character, or was it that the actor's own look, stripped of his mask, interfered there?
Larreta: That look came out on its own. We never talked about it, and I discovered it when I saw the movie. But there was no interference whatsoever. It is the look of the Antonio of fiction. It is true that age determines the roles that you are offered, when you are offered one. But that doesn't mean that one's life has to interfere with that of the character.
Sorín: In any case, in my choice of actors, the look is decisive. "Taco" has a great stare. And when I put the camera on, those things come out.
Why did you turn to Carla Peterson and Luis Luque?
Sorín: Because I wanted to work with both of them. They are great actors. Also, I wanted to do a one-and-a-half minute shot, without cutting. I was able to do that with Luque, who is a great actor.
To read the full note, click here.
Source: Clarín