Karra Elejalde (‘Vasil’): “I love films that are not classifiable”

become one of the winners of the past 67th edition of Valladolid International Film Weekobtaining the award as best actor ex aequo for its two protagonists, ‘Vasil’ hits commercial theaters this November 4th. First film by the Valencian director Avelina Pratthe film tries to “invite reflection”, through a story inspired by a true anecdote lived by the director’s own father. A drama with nuances of costume in which Karra Elejalde has put herself in the shoes of a very different character from him. “We are night and day. I loved it, it was a challenge for me”highlights the actor.

Vasil (Ivan Barnev) is smart, charismatic and a number one player in bridge and chess., but he has been sleeping on the street since he arrived from Bulgaria. Alfredo (Elejalde), a retired architect, welcomes him for a while in his house before the astonished gaze of his daughter Luisa (Alexandra Jiménez). The two men have nothing in common except their passion for chess. Despite the differences, Vasil will gradually manage to break through the barriers built by Alfredo. And it is precisely that Vasil has this gift: to forever transform the people he interacts with.

Despite being a very distant character from Elejalde’s personality, the Basque interpreter ruled out that it was an extreme challenge, stressing that playing different roles “own” from his “work”. “In other professions we don’t usually ask how we work, we don’t ask a cabinetmaker how he made a piece of furniture or a glassmaker how he did a stained glass window. However, actors, whose professionalism should be taken for granted, always ask us how shall we”, supports the actor in an interview granted to eCartelera during the celebration of the 67th edition of the Seminci de Valladolid.

The figure of the director is essential to obtain a good performance “

However, it is highlighted “pleasure” trying to get into the skin of characters they suppose “a challenge”. “What is true is that I am grateful that directors and producers want to count on me for projects that are very far from my personality. For example, something similar happened to me when Alejandro Amenábar wanted me to be Unamuno in ‘While the war lasts’, being a monosyllabic man, grumpy and introverted “he states, emphasizing it the figure of the director “Is critical” to do a good job.

“You get a good interpretation, you can’t do it alone. You read the script and prepare it, true, but the director is essential to get a good interpretation, as he tells you how and where you should look, how long you should take to respond, shut up “Elejalde exposes, which highlights its affinity for interspersing projects that are completely different from each other. “I like to alternate and, for example, make a comedy after a drama, which an economist would describe as a spread of risk. I describe it as ‘healing’. For example, Unamuno ‘cured’ me by Koldo from ‘Eight Basque surnames’; and Koldo did it with ‘A Esmorga’. For example, ‘La vida padre’ did so with ‘While the war lasts’ and ‘Vasil’ from ‘La vida padre’ “details, highlighting it his next project after ‘Vasil’ is the family comedy ‘Reyes contra Santa’, which will be followed by the drama ‘La voz del sol’.

Secondly, One of the aspects that the actor celebrates the most is that “Vasil” is a difficult film to labelmoving between the drama of the costume designers and the pleasant comedy. “I love films that are not classifiable. We live in an age where everything has to be categorized very precisely. In ‘Vasil’ there is no torrid love, acceleration or shooting, murder, intrigue. What supports the film is the charm and candor of Vasil’s character., beautifully played by Ivan Barnev. It touches on the social question, but it is not a particularly denouncing film, it is not a sordid film, it is not even a pamphlet “comment.

“It is true that it invites a reflection on being aware of how we are and how we communicate, but right there is its magic, in the fact that you don’t know how to classify it. We have been told that it is slow, but that is also where its virtue lies, because it leaves a residue, it leaves room to digest what we are seeing and Avelina [Prat] He did it with great delicacy and care “Keep it up.

A film with “a certain fairytale spirit”

Precisely, the director, also an architect by profession, has tried to tell a story that combines part of a fairy tale with a drama inspired by a real casebecause his father took in a Bulgarian immigrant who was sleeping on the street, whom the director has never been able to meet. “It stuck in my head and that’s when I thought about writing the film”says Prat. “I really thought about it when a story came that I could really tell personally”To add, describing his film debut as a “hybrid between fairytale and social realism”.

“It has a certain spirit of history, but, at the same time, it maintains a social weight and a very strong reality.Especially with the rest of the characters. It is also true that although Vasil is the protagonist and the plot revolves around him, we know little about his past, it is a mystery throughout the film, we never know him completely. We are left with the point of view of those around him “exposes the director, who was also looking for breaking stereotypes surrounded by immigration.

“I didn’t want to work with stereotypes, I find it more beautiful to tell the story of a particular case and then, from there, there are other layers. We touch on social, everyday issues. On the other hand, I find it positive not to have to explain everything, so that the public can complete the story, build their own image of how Vasil’s past was and what his future will be like “.details, understanding how the refusal of immigration is more linked to the economy.

“It is highlighted by the role of Sue Flack, Maureen, who is foreign, but part of a very different reality. First, it comes from a country more similar to ours, the United Kingdom. He is someone with money, who enters society without any problem, is immediately accepted. However Ivan, also European, but Bulgarian, from the east, a region almost unknown to us, with the addition that we have the habit of looking at certain countries of the world with a certain superiority. […] Above all, there is a question of class, of money. Someone who comes to live in Spain without resources, an economic immigrant is seen differently than one who comes to reside in Spain but belongs to the upper class”says Prat.

“We Spaniards have a reputation for having low self-esteem, I’m not saying no, but It is striking that we look with superiority to other countries, such as Bulgaria. I imagine it happens all over the world, in every country they cook broad beans “Elejalde says. “There are immigrants of various kinds and Vasil shows it very well. He is a Bulgarian man, that is a European, who came to Spain to earn a living, but he has no money, which changes the perception of him. […] It is surprising that a Bulgarian person, whose country is a member of the EU, cannot move in the same way. Also, it’s not about race, because, in Vasil’s case, he’s Caucasian. It is rather a bureaucratic problem and invites criticism “adds the actor.

Break prejudices through cinema

“We may not be able to break prejudices, but at least we publicly expose some uncomfortable questions. And just as ‘Vasil’ has changed some people for the better, maybe cinema can too.”emphasizes Ivan Barnev. Film regular of Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanovthe acclaimed tandem of Bulgarian filmmakers, the interpreter accepted the challenge of making a film in Spanish without speaking the language.

“I knew it was going to be a challenge. I never thought I could speak completely in Spanish because the only words I knew were ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’. But I like a challenge and now we have ‘Vasil’.”comments the interpreter, also underlining how the language barrier was not a problem when sharing scenes with Karra Elejalde and how they both managed to have an understanding. “We are so different and yet so connected on the inside. I love him so much, he’s a wonderful person and a brilliant actor. When you have a colleague like him, who loves the profession and supports you one hundred percentthe only thing left is to perform in the best possible way! “Barnev confesses.

“I think we actors have a different kind of language that allows us to communicate despite language barriers. I don’t speak English or Bulgarian and Ivan didn’t speak Spanish. We shot it in the middle of a pandemic, with a high incidence in Valencia, which prevented us from meeting for dinner or having a drink. We went from filming to the hotel and back again, but well, we didn’t get to know each other better, but nevertheless we understood each other very well, had long conversations and connected perfectly. “Elejalde adds.

Avelina Prat directs and writes ‘Vasil’. Together with Karra Elejalde and Ivan Barnev, the cast is completed by Sue Flack, Alexandra Jiménez and Susi Sánchez. Produced by Miriam Porté, Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova. A co-production between Spain and Bulgaria by Distinto Films and Activist 38, released in commercial theaters starting this November 4th, by the hand of Filmax.