Eduardo Casanova (‘La piedad’): “In my films I am particularly demanding, and not always for the best”

After her film debut in 2016 with ‘Skins’, Eduardo Casanova presents his second film: ‘La piedad’a radical proposal that is a cross between melodrama, horror and satire on the North Korean dictatorshipwith which he has not ceased to reap successes throughout the international festival circuit.

During your visit to the Sitges Festival 2022, we had the pleasure of being able to talk to him about his film, his interests and how he perceives the success of his film (with Ángela Molina, Manel Llunell and Ana Polvorosa) and that of Spanish fantastic cinema beyond our borders.

electronic billboard: For starters: the whole universe of terrible mothers drives me nuts.

Edward Casanova: OK but We fagots have to be careful not to be scared by the world of terrible mothers. We also have to be careful not to be scared by Disney villains, because in the end we always draw the image of a woman who fascinates us with her wickedness. And I’m not fascinated by terrible mothers, nor Disney villains (even if Ursula is purple). And I think it is a duty that we are fascinated by it, I insist. And I will do it all the time in my films.

EC: What is ‘La piedad’ about then?

THERE IS: We are talking about a person who is a cis woman, who has decided to be a mother and who has a very specific relationship with a child, who is another person who has a very specific relationship with her mother. It was a great concern to me that we broke up, or that he let me be carried away by that learned fascination with wicked people. This is why I wanted the film to have other characters who vindicate women, whether or not they decide to be a mother from a completely different point of view. I am not claiming that all women should be mothers.

EC: Do you think there will be people able to read that background in the film?

THERE IS: Well, people are going to read that in a lot of ways, obviously.

EC: I personally liked ‘Skins’, but this one [‘La piedad’] it looks bright to me. It’s a big step forward, a radical proposal in which from the very first moment it becomes clear what the viewer will have to face. How do you think people will perceive it?

THERE IS: The truth is that I received nothing negative from the film. That’s wrong to say, isn’t it? [ríe]

Really: I didn’t get anything bad. It won the jury prize for the best film at the KVIFF (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival), the best film in the official section at the Fantastic Fest, the Crossover prize at the Strasbourg Fantastic Film Festival, the audience prize at the Fantasia de Montreal. .. All the reviews that have come out of it have been good and the reaction of the press and the public is very good. So, the truth is, I didn’t get anything bad.

EC: But it would be very absurd to think that something negative will not be received by the film.

THERE IS: The reality is that you shouldn’t pay too much attention to criticism. Neither the positive nor the negative. What you should pay attention to, or what I pay attention to, is what I think people who like movies should pay attention to. It is due to be able to make different films in our industry.

eC: It is quite clear that on the international spectrum there is a special passion for fantasy genre cinema made in Spain. How do you perceive it?

THERE IS: There are many Spanish lovers outside Spain. I’ve toured the world with ‘La piedad’, and it’s clear to me that it wasn’t the only phenomenon in festivals. in Austin [Fantastic Fest] there were also ‘Pig’, ‘Manticore’, ‘Venus’ and ‘Old Men’. I mean: a record number of Spanish films screened at a festival in Texas. It’s true that the one that won best film was mine, but Spanish cinema outside our borders works very well. I think this shows the good health of our culture. Launch It is important for Spain and for the institutions to continue betting on Spanish cinemabecause the Spain brand is not just sport: it is also culture.

EC: Given the result of the film, it is reflected that everything is very accurate in detail. Are you a demanding person on set?

THERE IS: I’m a little shy to talk about it, because it’s something you get from the work of actors. I think I’m good. I’m not saying my movies are good or bad, but I think I’m good at directing. What I do is motivate the team, because if the team is content and happy and feels they are doing something that makes them feel good and free, they do their job much better. Therefore, my film comes out better. It’s like my little dictatorshipand I think that’s the only dictatorship that would work: one where everyone felt good, but of course that’s impossible. Or at least it wouldn’t be called dictatorship.

There is one very bad thing when you are asked about your flaws and the answer is this “I am very generous” or “I’m very picky”. It’s embarrassing to talk about flaws while enumerating compliments. I have many faults but I also have something that I still don’t know whether to classify as a fault or a value: an excessive demand. In my films I am particularly demanding, and not always for the best..

THERE IS: Nor do I imagine you as a tyrant on the filming set…

THERE IS: If my film is about dictators, it doesn’t mean I’m a dictator, I’m not a tyrant when I direct. Maybe, in other moments of my life, yes, but when I’m directing, no. Especially since the best way to get what you want is to be kind and make each other happy.

EC: There is something of Frank Henenlotter in your cinema.

THERE IS: I love ‘Basket case’!

EC: And there are also many John Waters and Pedro Almodóvar.

THERE IS: They are two of my favourites. I also love the kind of humor that Roy Andersson works on or the cinema that Carlos Vermut makes. I don’t want to sound selfish, but the truth is, I haven’t seen any movies in a long time. The only one I saw last was “Manticore”.

EC: Why don’t you watch movies anymore?

THERE IS: Precisely because I don’t want to grasp what others are doing, because out of generosity I want to offer the public new things and, in the end, unknowingly if you watch movies, you end up doing things that have already been done. Another reason is because I’ve seen many, many. I’m, well, I’ve been an inveterate movie buff, bordering on the unhealthy. I realized that I enjoy making them much more than watching them, and that my source of inspiration is not other filmmakers or directors I admire. For me, my source of inspiration is reality, which is the most terrifying.

EC: Would you make a horror film?

THERE IS: Yes, my next film will be pure horror. absolute gender.

eC: Can we know anything about that project?

THERE IS: No hahaha. I’m going with the idea of ​​making a horror film. But then I don’t know what will end up coming out and it might look like an Eduardo Casanova film.

EC: And that’s fine too.

THERE IS: Is very cute. So is speaking in the third person like Aida Nízar as I just did. Another thing that would be very nice is to be able to talk about the statements of Ortega Cano and his “seed of strength”.

CE: LOL. Come on.

THERE IS: In other words, that Ana Rosa Quintana should return to this plan is bizarre. Making room for that toxic masculinity. Is heavy. It borders on my fascination with kitsch and I find it fascinating that on that show you talk about politics and then move on to that. After all, it looks a bit like ‘Piety’.

EC: How do you mix your themes with North Korea’s politics?

THERE IS: Totally. It is evident that I am not in favor of any state of oppression. Y I think the whole world is an oppressive place for everyone.

EC: Were you asked if you are in favor of dictatorships?

THERE IS: Of course.

EC: Going back to horror, what are your favorite horror movies?

EC: ‘The Devil’s Child’, ‘Suspiria’ and… I don’t know: ‘Camp Flipy’.

EC: Finally. I have to ask you about the transition from Ana Belén to Ángela Molina as the protagonist.

THERE IS: For me it was very important to have my mother’s approval. I have always deeply admired (and admire) Ana Belén. But the pandemic has completely separated us. She changed our dates and when the calendar came up it was impossible to match her. I wish I could work with Ana Belén again, because there are recorded rehearsals and other things that I keep in memory.

I never proposed the film Ángela Molina to her, because I never thought that a legend and an incredible actress like her would want to work with me. Her script came to her through her representative, Ramón, whom I have to thank very much. It was he who told me that Ángela had read the script and that she wanted to talk to me and make the film. I could not believe it. I panicked a bit. And we both agreed that the aesthetic I was going for was one she wanted too. She’s amazing and we got along great. And, of course, my mother was fine with her acting in the film..

EC: Furthermore, you managed to ensure that your histrionic interpretation did not creak compared to that of the rest of the actors and actresses, all on very different registers but without anyone being out of tune.

THERE IS: I think they are all in the same tone because it was necessary. Because the film belongs to his unique universe. And it was necessary for them to suffer that cinematographic dictatorship we were talking about.

EC: I don’t see a better conclusion to the interview than this one.

THERE IS: Thanks a lot, really.

‘La piedad’ will be released in theaters on January 13, 2023.