The idyllic marriage between Carlos Montero and Netflix continues as strong as ever. The creator of some of the most important series in the history of our television, such as ‘Elite’ or ‘Physics or Chemistry’, is preparing his new project, ‘Whenever we fall in love’. He is shooting it in Madrid, in some studios located in a polygon very close to the airport. It is one of the oldest and most historic film studios in Madrid. Its walls have seen the birth of fundamental projects such as ‘Tell me how it happened’, ‘All about my mother’ or ‘High heels’.
Now, Montero has turned them into some kind of time machine. The creator takes us to a student apartment in the Tetuán district of Madrid in 2003. This is where part of the story of “Every time we fall in love” takes place. Da, Jimena, Matt and Irene, the protagonist of the story, live in this apartment. “We were looking for it to be a cozy apartment, where you could live, because it’s a romantic comedy but it has its realistic component”Montero explains “there is a lot of truth in the series”. Irene, as the synopsis of the series says, is a young film student who is preparing a short film. To act, she meets Julio, a very attractive guy who she quickly falls in love with. But time and life inevitably lead them to constant encounters and disagreements that continue to this day, 20 years from the beginning of the century.
It is a structure that the series shares with one of its main references, David Nicholls’ novel “One Day (Always the same day)” and which was later adapted as a film. “There’s a realistic tone with a romantic touch. He’s telling you a very realistic story but there’s always something you want to do well.”Montero says. Furthermore, for the visual and artistic part of the house, the influence came from other very recognizable films, such as the case of ‘Lady Bird’, which inspired some rooms of the apartment.
Discovered the student life
In these rooms you can find movie posters, books, hundreds of DVDs and VHS cassettes. And also a tribute to the writer Almudena Grandes. The gotelé walls and antique and inexpensive furniture exemplify the clear naturalistic intentions of ‘Whenever we fall in love’. The work of the art team is sensational, taking care of even the most insignificant detail in every corner. Moreover, thanks to movable walls and ceilings, the apartment adapts to allow you to wrap in all its spaces, transmitting a feeling of unique authenticity: “We wanted him not to sing on set”.
To model the floor, which actually only appears for a small portion of the series, it took 4 months of construction and testing to make it look as though it is seen on screen. All the rooms exude that 2000s air and the bedrooms clearly present the personality of their characters, from the most indie to the most intellectual. The decoration of each room contrasts with the rest of the house from the color palette used. “At first we were afraid of using so much color because it looked a lot like a sitcom, but it looks very nice.”enthusiastically comments on a Montero.
The temporary location of the apartment is a very important artistic and narrative decision for him. “There are a lot of autobiographical references because I studied their own career, but I didn’t want to go to the 90s when I studied so as not to include too many”ensures. Of course, while he’s done extensive documentation work, he also points out that he doesn’t want the turn of the century to dwarf the development of the plot itself. So ideas were thrown in the air to refer to elements of the time such as the marriage of the current kings Felipe and Letizia, but many of them were eventually discarded. The vestiges of 2003 mainly appear in costumes or on sets, where you can even find posters of Chenoa during his time in ‘Operación Triunfo’.
divine youth
As the creator and executive producer of the series opens their doors to us, the cast of “Whenever We Fall in Love” enjoys improvising a chaotic scene in the kitchen. The series stars Georgina Amorós, Franco Masini, Blanca Martínez, Carlos González, Kyle Scudder and Roser Vilajosan. It’s a very young cast with a lot of enthusiasm. The good vibes between them go beyond the script to imbue every moment of real life with joy. “We had a lot of freedom and I was very happy”Gonzalez says, “and the characters were formed thanks to the fact that we were shooting”.
“I have left many things open for them”adds Montero, who points out that he left them the opportunity to explore what happened to the characters during the 15-20 years between the two temporary moments covered by the series. “I felt very close to the character and I really wanted to make a film within the film”says Amoros – who has already worked with Montero in ‘Elite’ – on the most interesting part of the project, “I also liked the way the series deals with success but above all with failure, which is something that is less seen.”.
love without steroids
If ‘Every Time We Fall in Love’ stands out for anything in Montero’s filmography, it is because of its great difference from previous projects. “Here we are in a completely different tone. ‘Elite’ is a wild and sexual melodrama, that’s something else.”assures the director, “It’s a much more realistic tone, there’s a lot more humor, it’s a quiet comedy. If I didn’t put my name on it, I think people wouldn’t have related to it.”.
One of the great themes Montero wanted to reflect on is love. Hence its title, “Whenever we fell in love”. a title that “it refers to Irene and Julio, who over the years meet and separate. They quarrel many times but many times they fall in love again”Montero says, “And then, while we talk about love, it appeals to the whole audience. I always say that love will die without knowing if it exists, but we always want it.”. And that’s it, in short, if something is clear to the screenwriter, it’s just that “Love is a fiction that you build for yourself.”
“Every Times We Fall In Love” is wrapping up filming, so that’s to be expected lands on Netflix in late 2022 or early 2023although an approximate date has not been given for now.
Source: E Cartelera
