interview with the director / 24

INDEX / 2
Index
Synopsis ...................................................................................3
Director´s notes .......................................................................4
Production notes
Images and sound: the challenge .........................................6
A crew of youthful and veteran members in perfect harmony ...9
Powerful alliance of young professional women .................10
Location..............................................................................11
A peculiar rehearsal process...............................................12
Characters
Irene Escolar is June ...............................................14
Tamar Novas is Diego ..............................................16
Ramón Barea is Aita ................................................18
Naiara Carmona is Ane ............................................20
Mariano Estudillo is Aitor.........................................21
The Director ................................................................22
Gariza Films ................................................................23
Interview with the director ..........................................24
Cast .............................................................................31
Crew ............................................................................32
Contact ........................................................................33
SYNOPSIS / 3
An autum without Berlin tells the story of June, a
young girl who returns, by surprise, to her hometown after
spending time abroad. Coming home is painful since both
her family and Diego, her first love, have changed.
She is not the same either and it won’t be easy to mend
the broken bonds. However, just like the southern winds in
autumn, June will stir everything up. She renews contact
with Ane, her now pregnant childhood friend. She gives
French classes to Nico, an odd boy who will help her
recover her lost innocence. She also tries to reestablish
herself within the family circle and resurrect her earlier
dream of going with Diego to Berlin.
NOTES ON DIRECTION / 4
out of a
I belie ve that An autu m without Berli n arose
were
ously
onsci
need to comm unicate thing s that subc
this
ss
expre
to
way
no
was
impo rtant for me and there
a.
exce pt throu gh cinem
’t have
The writin g proce ss was very instin ctive. I didn
I
time,
Over
plot.
the
or
e
a clear idea about the them
that
ss,
proce
re
since
very
a
was
it
that
have unde rstood
when
was relat ed to what I lived throu gh at that time,
and
n
perso
a
as
g
I wasn ’t sure about what I was feelin
life.
what woul d beco me of my
the plot,
That is why the movi e does n’t revolve aroun d
want ed
I
s.
event
of
the dra ma, nor is it only a sequ ence
like at
was
it
what
of
g
feelin
to trans mit a specific
to do
much
has
g
feelin
This
life.
my
in
that mom ent
been
has
one
with return ing to one’s home town. Whe n
one’s
in
it
ize
ideal
to
s
away for a long time, one tend
right
the
is
home
back
going
mind in order to feel that
The
.
worse
s
thing
es
mak
this
l,
arriva
decis ion. Upon
een
betw
lies
movi e talks about the empty space that
is.
there
what we imag ined and what
Nevertheless, I think the main theme is
acceptance. When I wrote the story, I made
a great effort to make the people around me
happier. I tried to change them. This effort ca me
from my best interest and for my convenience.
I wanted everyone around me to be happy so
it would be easier for me to be happy. Later I
learned that searching for happiness has nothing
to do with change. Happiness has much more to
do with acceptance, accepting ourselves and the
people around us just the way we are.
In the movie, I believe this is what June the
main character, has to face. It is difficult for her
to accept things and people as they are. That’s
why she tries to change them, to solve problems
quickly, until she realizes that there is no point.
I think that is the greatest lesson she learns in
the story.
NOTES ON DIRECTION / 5
From the artistic point of view, I always had a clear
idea of the kind of movie I wanted to make. What
worried me the most was being able to transmit the
tone of the story to the cast and crew. In movies, the
tone is intangible and magica l. It makes each movie
different and persona l. To keep it alive and be faithful
to it during the entire process is one of the most difficult
tasks of a director becaus e you never know where it
is exactly and at the sa me time, you know that it is
everywh ere. It’s like trying to keep a fire going during
a rainy night. It rained a lot in our movie.
With regard to the acting, the main quality I looked
for in each of the actors was that it be pure and
organic. I chose them instinct ively, not becaus e of their
experien ce nor based on what they did in the casting.
It was pure intuition. I talked to them and I had a
feeling about whethe r they would be able to do it or
not. My judgme nt was good.
Making movies is a constant learning activity.
The processes are long and it is very demanding.
Each day you discover something new and are
continually surprised. Even today, while I write
these thoughts, I a m discovering things about
the movie that I wasn’t aware of. At the sa me
time I discover the movie, I a m discovering
myself.
Lara Izagirre, Amorebieta, 2015
PRODUCTION NOTES / 6
Images and Sound:
the challenge
According to the director Lara Izagirre, she wanted An
autum without Berlin to have a realistic image. While
including beauty as an element, she did not want beauty to
be the focus of the image. We have tried to find the balance
between the real and the beautiful.
Another thing was that we decided on the 4:3 format, because
from my point of view, it was perfect for telling this story.
This choice means the movie is different from other recent
productions I am very happy with the decision we made.
For her part, Eva Valiño responsible for designing the
sound of the movie, thinks that in addition, the precision
and the sensitivity that produce the sounds, the looks, and
the color, is not a coincidence in this case, but a manner
of transmitting the rhythm and silence, the sensorial setting
where June and Diego grow.
As for the cinematographer’s decisions, Gaizka
Bourgeaud adds that in An autum without Berlin the
characters suffer the consequences of a past which had no
closure and it now conditions their lives. The film narrates
a story of characters where there is a contrast in their ways
of facing their dilemmas. On the one hand, there are those
who like Diego ensconcing themselves in darkness and
tormented by their fears, end up relinquish their dreams.
On the other hand, others like June, the protagonist of the
story, are forward looking. She pursues her dreams and
PRODUCTION NOTES / 7
Images and Sound:
the challenge
emanates light in every action, in every phrase, insignificant
as they may seem. This contrast of light and shadows, of the
attitudes of each person towards what they are facing, is one
of the central ideas of the movie. The photography should
serve to reinforce that, with a palette of appropriate colors,
creating spaces of light through which the characters pass
following the thread of the story, a beautiful thread that leads
us to the final outcome.
Joseba Brit for his part, in reference to the music, affirms
that it is composed of simple melodies, background chords
that are mixed with the images, with the expressions,
creating a buffer for the moments when much is expressed
without words. At times, the soundtrack is composed more
of sounds than melodies, chords created by the wind when
it caresses the present moment, making us try to understand
why a feeling has arisen inside us without us realizing it.
This reflexive music invites one to create in our minds
conversations that don’t exist, the real meanings that lie
behind gestures, and looks that reflect memories that are
blocked with locks.
Koldo Jones, the Artistic Director, is of the opinion that
in terms of composition, the contrasts are essential: Diego,
shade; June, light. The colors have vital importance in this
film as they reflect the emotional world of the characters. The
feelings evoked by the world we have created make up the
baggage which remains with the viewer. We applied ourselves
to the design process with the firm intention of articulating
our emotional response to the script on the images and also
to suggest a conceptual framework in which it is possible to
translate that response.
PRODUCTION NOTES / 8
Images and Sound:
the challenge
Lastly, Iratxe Sanz the costume designer is of the opinion
that the movie speaks of the nostalgia for experiences not
lived, for lost opportunities and of the efforts to reassert
control over one’s own life. So like the changes of seasons,
June arrives without notice and stirs everything up. She is
like autumn, an explosion of light and color, red, orange,
ochre and even a belated green, the last of the leaves that
have not yet withered and that June brings with her in the
warmth of her thick wool sweaters. Diego instead is grayness,
the silence of someone who is anchored in an irretrievable
past and in a present that he is unwilling to confront. This
is transmitted through his clothing where there is a lack of
color, like the sky when it doesn’t quite become blue.
PRODUCTION NOTES / 9
A crew both youthful and
veteran in perfect harmony
The attitude maintained during the shoot itself was very natural,
open and fluid, which contributed to the establishment of a
very close collaboration among the different members of the
technical crew composed of seasoned professionals like Eva
Valiño winner of the Goya award for Best Sound Design for
Te doy mis ojos (Iciar Bollaín, 2013) and Gaizka Bourgeaud
the cinematographer who lists twenty-four films previously
shot in the Basque country in his credits. They were joined
by a majority of young members of the crew from the Basque
country. Outstanding among them are the composer Joseba
Brit, the editor Ibai Elorza, the line producer Iñaki Juaristi,
costume designer Iratxe Sanz and the script Gorka Cornejo.
The last two had participated with their same talents for the
movie Magical girl (Carlos Vermut, 2014), which was the
winner of the Golden Shell of the 62nd edition of the Festival of
San Sebastian.
PRODUCTION NOTES / 10
A Powerful Alliance between Young
Female Professionals
In addition, there was a clear wager on a large presence of
female professionals in all the facets of the creative process.
Women have utmost importance in An autum without
Berlin, both within the cast and crew. The production
company Gariza Films and EITB took a chance with Lara
Izagirre the novice under thirty director. On her part, she
decided to rely on a wide range of young Basque women to
join her team when the time came to shoot her debut film. At
the same time, her close collaboration with the young actress
Irene Escolar, the amount of energy both invested in the
project and the commitment of both for making the movie
they dreamed of a reality, will surely lead to many awards
and much recognition.
PRODUCTION NOTES / 11
Location
The location of Amorebieta has a specific weight in the story of
An autum without Berlin because it is the home town of Lara
Izagirre, the director, and it is the physical place to which June,
the main character, returns to recover her roots. The importance
of this principal location is connected to the strong emotional
content of its urban setting and of the natural landscape in the
midst of autumn. The townspeople participated as extras during
the shoot, bringing warmth and authenticity to each scene. During
the day of the shoot with the most atmosphere, the crew filmed
with more than 400 of them in the prestigious Arriaga Theatre of
Bilbao.
PRODUCTION NOTES / 12
The Peculiar
Rehearsal Process
Irene Escolar Madrid actress was the first to sign on to
the project, enthused by the originality of Lara’s script and
convinced that bringing June to life was a great opportunity
to prove her talent with a leading role. On his part, the
winner of the Goya award for Best New Actor for Mar
Adentro (Alejandro Amenábar, 2004) Tamar Novas also
showed his support due to the originality of the story and
the challenge of interpreting a character as fascinating as
Diego. Both of them collaborated in the development of the
script for months. Irene also participated together with the
director in the casting process selecting the Basque actors
Naiara Carmona and Mariano Estudillo to bring to
life the two supporting characters who are key to the story.
On the other hand, Lara was happy when Ramón Barea,
recipient of the National Theatre award, with whom she had
worked during the shoot of the short film KEA joined the
project unhesitantly accepting the role of Aita (the father)
because of the good understanding between the two of them
as well as the interest he has shown from the beginning for
the unique cinematic perspective of the Basque filmmaker.
Lastly, during a casting with another 200 children from the
zone of Duranguesado, the young boy Lier Quesadaproved
that he was the face of the character Nico as soon as he was
PRODUCTION NOTES / 13
The Peculiar
Rehearsal Process
in front of the camera with his attitude and his ability to communicate
in the manner appropriate to the role. One might say that Lier is the
discovery of the movie. Naiara Carmona, who played the role of
Ane, June’s best friend and the voice of her conscience, also worked
together with Lier coaching him during the whole process. Their moving
experience together is only comparable to that of June teaching French
to Nico in the movie.
Another peculiarity of the genesis of An autum without Berlin was
the process of doing theatrical rehearsals for the main characters. These
rehearsals, something unusual in the normal dynamics of Spanish
filmmaking, allowed them to create a common language that reverted
into the faithfulness with which the movie recreated the universe that
appears in the script.
THE CHARACTERS / 14
IRENE ESCOLAR is JUNE:
Irene Escolar (Madrid, 1988) is June because of her
sweet aspect, her vitality, her talent for portraying complex
characters and for the importance of being able to give a
performance, based more on expression than on words,
which have made her one of the most relevant young
actresses of the Spanish film and television industry.
Escolar is sixth generation of a family of actors. Thanks to her
work with such prestigious theater directors as Alex Rigola
or Miguel Ángel del Arco, among others, she received the
prestigious “Ojo Crítico de Teatro” from Spanish National
Radio.
In addition, in 2014 she made her first appearance on
television in the popular series Isabel playing the role
of Juana I of Castilla for which she received the Best
Supporting Actress award from the “Asociación de Cronistas
del Espectáculo” of New York. Recently she reprised the role
in the movie produced for Spanish National television La
corona partida (Jordi Frades, 2015).
Her film career began at age thirteen with the movie Imagining
Argentina directed by Cristopher Hampton alongside Antonio Banderas
and Emma Thompson. Carlos Saura cast her in the movie El séptimo
día; Vicente Aranda in Canciones de Amor en Lolitas Club and
José Luis Cuerda in Los Girasoles Ciegos, where she co-stars with
Javier Cámara and Maribel Verdú.
She also shows her comedic talents in Al final del camino and is
part of the cast of the first movie of the cinematographer Xavi Giménez
Cruzando el límite. Her first relevant role in movies came with El
idioma imposible from first time director Rodrigo Rodero. Based
on the novel of Francisco Casavella, it shows the Barcelona of the
1980’sin its most depressed and less chic version. Irene took the risk of
portraying Elsa, a young, sweet, energetic teenager, with a passionate,
self-destructive personality and an obvious addiction to heroin.
THE CHARACTERS / 15
IRENE ESCOLAR is JUNE:
In 2012 she filmed the movie Presentimientos, starring
Eduardo Noriega, directed by Santiago Tabernero. In
2013 she appeared in Gente en sitios directed by Juan
Cavestany. In 2014 she acted in the comedy Las ovejas
no pierden el tren directed by Álvaro Fernández Armero.
An autum without Berlin is her first leading role in the
movies. Besides which she recently participated in the movie
of British director Hugh Hudson, Altamira and in the feature
film Gernika of Koldo Serra.
The Madrid -born actress
comments on her role:
There are very few feminine characters with the dimensions of June, not
only because she is in every scene of the movie from the beginning to the
end but because she returns to her birthplace full of luminosity and life,
ready to disrupt the lives of others.
She wants to grow and she wants the rest of them to grow with her. At
times she feels blocked and anguished, but her zest for life is overriding.
She is a very luminous character, and when she appears in everyday
situations, she is able to change the atmosphere around her and that is
what got my attention the most.
THE CHARACTERS / 16
TAMAR NOVAS is DIEGO
With his manly physique, his charm and his talent for delving
into the darker sides of the characters he portrays, Tamar
Novas is Diego.
In his filmography he has credits such as La playa de los
ahogados (Gerardo Herrero, 2014), Los abrazos rotos
(Pedro Almodóvar, 2009), Goyas’s ghosts (Milos Forman,
2006), Mar adentro (Alejandro Amenábar, 2004) -for
which he received the Goya award for Best New Actor and the
Actors Union award in the same category-, and La lengua
de las mariposas (José Luis Cuerda, 1999).
He also has enjoyed an interesting career in theater acting
in plays like El viaje a ninguna parte (Carol López,
2014), Ensayando la locura (Juan Carlos Corazza,
2014), Comedia y sueño. La mentira más hermosa
(Juan Carlos Corazza, 2013) –in which besides acting, he
also composed and played the original music for which
he received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor from
the Actors Union. Other plays include Terror y miseria
en el Tercer Reich (Carlos Neira, 2013) and La noche antes de
los bosques (Carlos Neira, 2013). Lastly, he has also participated in
television series such as Bandolera, Acusados and La señora, among
others. His latest work in television will be broadcast shortly: Carlos,
Rey Emperador, a Spanish National TV production.
THE CHARACTERS / 17
TAMAR NOVAS is DIEGO
The actor from Galicia comments
on his character:
I chose to play Diego because undoubtedly I saw something
of myself in him. Some people might interpret his behavior as
pathological, but I believe it is a conscious personal decision
which leads him to isolate himself from others. His desire to
be apart from others is obvious and, instead, when he is with
June I think the opposite happens. She gives him a space
of trust that enables him to have a relationship with her with
greater freedom than with anybody else. She is the person
who has brought the most light into his life.
THE CHARACTERS / 18
RAMÓN BAREA is AITA
The role of Aita (father) was written expressly for Ramón
Barea (Bilbao, 1949). The role of the father of June
demanded the depth of Barea, an actor capable of giving the
maximum with minimum resources, of transmitting to the
audience the tenderness, severity and mystery that envelop
this charismatic character, with restrained sobriety.
Recipient of the National Theater award 2014, the director
Lara Izagirre had had the opportunity to work with him earlier
with the short film KEA (2011). He began his career in the
1970’s forming part of Professional Independent Theater of
the Basque country.
As a filmmaker he made Pecata Minuta (1998), based on
a theater text which he authored, and El coche de pedales
(2004). As an actor he has played in over fifty movies
joining the casts for titles including Santacruz, el cura
(J. Tuduri); Entre todas las mujeres (Juanma Ortuoste)
and En la puta calle (Enrique Gabriel). He was the co-star
of Matías, Juez de Línea and Atilano, Presidente (La
Cuadrilla). He also acted in the debut films of prestigious directors like
Alex de la Iglesia, Ana Díez, Enrique Urbizu, Imanol Uribe, Juanma Bajo
Ulloa, Julio Medem and Pablo Berger.
In addition, he recently participated in the much awarded La herida
(Fernando Franco, 2013) and starred in Negociador (Borja Cobeaga,
2014). His latest work in television will be broadcast in the near
future: Carlos, Rey Emperador, a production for Spanish National
television.
THE CHARACTERS / 19
RAMÓN BAREA is AITA
The Bilbao born actor comments
on his character:
The first great intrigue aroused by the character of Aita is to
discover what secret or mystery is behind his silences. An unusual
aspect of the movie is that the shoot of each scene became a
sort of assembly. Lara was very receptive to the proposals of the
cinematographer and the sound director. This is an infrequent
luxury that contributed to the final aspect of the movie being very
much in line with the original idea that appears in the script.
I looked forward to working with Irene. I had seen her in theater
and I thought she was dazzling because of her naturalness and
her enormous acting strength. She is a worthy successor to a
dynasty of great actors.
The story has much to do with the human need to understand
another person, of putting ourselves at the level of their gaze and
understanding them, in order to decide afterwards based on that
knowledge whether to love or hate them. This mechanism works
very well in An autum without Berlin. It generates a need to get
to know all the characters and thereby becomes a very appealing
mysterious world.
THE CHARACTERS / 20
NAIARA CARMONA is ANE:
An autum without Berlin is the first feature movie for
the actress. However, she has an interesting curriculum
of theater experience having participated in several plays
while studying at R.E.S.A.D. and specializing in textual
performance.
The first of these was El mundo al revés directed by
Álvaro Morales and Edurne Rankin in 2009. The following
year she participated in the work , Bajo cero, a collective
creation for the festival “Otras Miradas” of Teatro Gayarre.
In 2013 she performed in El público by Lorca directed by
Nuria Alkorta in R.E.S.A.D. and the following year in the
same space acted in the version of Javier Sahuquillo of La
Orestiada directed by Charo Amador in the role of Electra.
She recently performed in Bancarrota directed by Fabio
Mangolini, which was presented at the Festival of Classic
Theater of Álcala de Henares.
In the film of Lara Izagirre, besides acting she also was the
coach of the young beginner actor Lier Quesada from the
rehearsals and throughout the entire process until the end of
post- production.
The Basque actress comments
about her character:
The character of Ane is different in the script from how she appears in the
movie: a bit nuttier, a more lively girl…However, during the process of the
rehearsals it was clear that she might seem out of sync with the core story
and we started adjusting the role to achieve the same tone.
In that sense, Lara is very open and allows you to give your opinion. She
is clear about what she does not want and makes her decisions firmly, but
she also gives you a large amount of freedom. The movie has something
simple and delicate that strikes an emotional chord, in what is familiar,
something very personal that Lara wants to narrate. You must go see it and
just let yourself be carried along by it.
THE CHARACTERS / 21
MARIANO ESTUDILLO is AITOR
An autum without Berlin is Mariano Estudillo’s third
feature film, after La cosecha (Roberto Santiago, 2013)
and La herida (Fernando Franco, 2013). In addition, he
has acted in numerous short films and has even tried his
hand as a director in that format.
He has also performed in supporting roles in television
series including Vive cantando and Amar es para
siempre. His most important experience, nevertheless,
has taken place in theater performing in works including
among others Julieta y Romeo directed by Antonio
López-Dávila in 2015, Las amistades peligrosas
(Dangerous Liaisons) directed by Darío Facal in 2013 and
En el estanque dorado (On Golden Pond) directed by
Emilio Hernández that same year.
The actor, native of Sevilla, resident
in the Basque country comments:
I like to prepare my characters just enough to understand them in the
way I was taught during my learning process, and then begin filming
a scene as if it were a rehearsal and react according to how the other
actors behave. It is a real pleasure to work with Irene because she
also acts intuitively. It is the same with Lara because coming from the
filming of a series, she gives you tranquility by saying: “we are going
to stop the entire crew and talk about what is happening with the crew
and the technicians in order to achieve the spirit of the movie and
make it evolve together”.
The movie unfurls a very broad range of emotions. The audience is
going to laugh, to cry, and to feel identified. We have done a good job
and I think the viewers will be surprised by all the feelings that surface
during the screening.
THE DIRECTOR / 22
Lara Izagirre Garizurieta graduated with a degree in
Audiovisual Communication from the UPV (University of
Basque country). She took various film courses at New
York Film Academy, at the Film School of San Antonio de
los Baños and at ESCAC.
In 2010, she founded the production company Gariza
Films. Since then, she has written, directed and produced
various short films. Among her works, outstanding are
Bycicle Poem (2010), KEA (2011), Next Stop:
Greenland (2012 – Best Movie of Adventure Sports
TV BCN Sports Film; Best Adventure Movie of the
Vertical Festival of Moscow; Best Movie of the Festival
Internacional del Aire, among others)-, Sormenaren
Bide Ezkutuak (2013 – Best Short of the Film and
Cook Festival) and Larroxa (2013).
An autum without Berlin is her first feature film. Her second
feature film, Gora beherak (working title) is in the script writing
phase and already has obtained a subsidy from the Basque
government for its development. The film narrates the story of
grandparents who are forced to go to live with their granddaughter
because of the breakdown of the elevator of the building in the
town where they live.
Her activity as a Basque filmmaker under age thirty is notable for
her previous work and her present prolific film work, which she
combines with academic activities. Among her favorite filmmakers
she counts Andrea Arnold, Sofia Coppola and Chantal Akerman.
GARIZA FILMS / 23
The production company Gariza Films initiated its
activity in Amorebieta in 2010. Founded with the goal
of producing audiovisual projects of excellent quality, it
also provides audiovisual services to third parties. It has
a young staff with extraordinary professional experience,
who give themselves over entirely to each of the
productions. The main goal of the production company
is to convert words and ideas into images and sound. Its
obsession is to tell stories. In order to be able to move
forward with its own projects and third party projects, it
always relies on the best professionals in the sector.
Other services such as: rental of material, production
of corporate videos, consulting and communication
services and workshops and courses are offered as well.
INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR / 24
INTErvIEw wITH THE dIrEcTor
THE GENESIS
What is the origin of the
characters of UOSB?
In this case, some of the people I know
inspired me. There are elements of
my friends and family in the story and
surely a lot of myself. When I wrote it,
I picked out what interested me most
about them in order to create complex
and interesting characters.
At the beginning of the movie,
why is it that everyone feels the
need to resolve their conflicts
from the past in order to be
happy?
I don’t thing at the beginning of the
movie all of them need to resolve their
conflicts from the past to feel happy.
I think there are some characters,
for example, that are happy from the
beginning.
In the case of June, who left the town
right after the death of her mother
and comes back unexpectedly, I
don’t think she arrives searching
for happiness or wanting to resolve
conflicts. I think that the reality she
finds upon her return is what makes
her resolve issues from the past and
perhaps that is what makes her a bit
more happy at the end, although I
think it would be more appropriate
to say it leaves her more tranquil and
with the strength to move forward.
Do you see something of yourself
in her bravery, her lust for life
and how she makes others feel
like striving to be better?
I think I am a courageous person, like
June, with a lot of desire to live my life
and move forward. In that sense, I see
myself reflected.
INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR / 25
INTErvIEw wITH THE dIrEcTor
Why did you decide on a
character who is so radical,
complex and at the same time
attractive like Diego for the male
protagonist?
I needed someone very different from
June as a contrast. Diego is radical and
accepts himself with his radicalness.
He has other problems that affect him
but he lives in his own world, made to
his own taste before the abrupt return
of June. I also think that he accepts
June without judging her. He is very
generous.
Even today, when I see the movie what
I feel for Diego changes. Sometimes,
I am with him all the way and other
times I would like to murder him. I
think he is a very complex character
who can be very generous and selfish
at the same time. These are very
different but real things,that coincide
at certain moments of the story. He is
a complicated character whom I adore.
Do you think June and Diego
would be different without the
expressions, physiques and
talents of Irene and Tamar?
I believe that Irene and Tamar were
the perfect June and Diego for the
story. I am very happy with each of
the contributions they made to the
characters. I think they delivered
themselves body and soul to their
performances and for me that is
priceless.
Did the presence of Ramón Barea
in the role of a key character like
Aita (the father) give you more
confidence?
Of course he gave me confidence.
Knowing that Ramon trusted in the
script and in me as a director was
essential from the beginning. I hold
him in high esteem as an actor and a
person and I think he feels the same
about me. When you feel that during
a shoot, it helps immensely and gives
you a lot of confidence.
What was it like filming with him
again?
A few years ago I shot a short film with
him and it was a pleasure. I had the
same experience during the shoot of An
autum without Berlin. He is a fabulous
professional. An actor who knows how
to move forward with a character, with a
INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR / 26
INTErvIEw wITH THE dIrEcTor
naturalness that I find amazing, is very
important for me. Ramon is marvelous as
a human being and that comes through
on screen.
Will he be your talisman actor for
your movies?
I don’t know yet, but I do know that I
would like to work with him again. Time
will tell.
You decided to do an intimate
story based on feelings in which
the looks and silences allow the
viewer to construct a story based
on his or her own experience. Is
that the kind of film you like?
It makes me happy to think that I have
achieved those things. It is the kind of
movies I like. The movies that don’t try
to manipulate my feelings for whatever
the director or writer want. The kind of
movies that give the viewer freedom, that
give the viewer the marvelous power of
ending the movie from his or her own
perspective.
What filmmakers or works of
literature were your reference
points when writing the script and
when you were filming the movie?
I wouldn’t say I had any specific
inspirations for this movie. I think
that at different levels I have always
been inspired by three filmmakers,
Andrea Arnold, Sofia Coppola and
Chantal Akerman.They have nothing
in common between them but I
think the three have been important
for me although I don’t think about
their movies while I am writing or
directing. I think they are present in a
subconscious way.
Could one say that the movie
shows different types of love:
romantic, family, friendship, and
the challenges that come with
maintaining those relationships
despite difficulties?
Yes, I think it is a movie about love.
Not a movie about love with capital
INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR / 27
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letters, but about different kinds of
love, the kind written with small letters
but that is more trustworthy.
It could also be said that the
movie shows family relationships
as a permanent challenge for
maintaining harmony and that a
lack of communication is more
prevalent than with friendships
where everything flows naturally
and it is easier to find support
and feedback.
Do you think that this is the
reality today where people
communicate less within the
family and find it necessary to
create alternative bonds?
I think that harmonious and fluid
communication is difficult in a society
like ours. You have to take care of
communication day after day and
express what is the hardest to express,
but the daily rhythm and our culture
don’t help. We communicate more and
more through the new technologies
and that means that human contact
disappears or is colder.
I think it was difficult before, and
now it is a tremendous amount of
effort. You have to learn to listen and
communicate the feelings inside and
outside the family. To take time every
day to talk, to hug, to “waste time” with
our loved ones or just doing nothing
in good company. Human beings are
social beings and the truth is, at times,
we forget.
THE SHooT
What was it like shooting in your
hometown?
Shooting in Amorebieta was one of the
great decisions we made. The people
there got very involved and it was very
special from the first moment...
How was the challenge of finding
locations in Amorebieta and
Bilbao?
My mother is a geographer. She is
from Amorebieta and knows Bilbao
quite well. She and I explored all this
neck of the Woods to choose the best
locations.
INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR / 28
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What was more difficult: the
scene with the extras in the
Arriaga theater or shooting with
the inexperienced young boy Lier
Quesada?
Filming with a child was one of the
biggest challenges of the movie. Lier
was 7 years old when he shot the movie.
We picked him out of a casting of over
100 boys. He won us over from the first
moment and we decided he would be
Nico. In this aspect, Naiara Carmona, an
actress in the movie, who coached him,
helped me a lot so that his performance
reached the great level it did.
Describe the visuals and the
photography of the movie and
how you think it has influenced the
enigmatic and at the same time
warm and enveloping atmosphere
of the film.
In reference to texture, we were not
looking for sharpness. We were
looking for a realistic and beautiful
soft focus, which is sometimes hard
to get with digital. We also wanted a
slight touch of smudge in the image,
so it wouldn’t be perfect. The color,
on the other hand, was determined by
autumn, which inundates everything
in the movie.
The hand held camera was another
characteristic of the image. I wanted
a hand held camera to follow the
characters without standing in the way
of them, just letting them be.
The sound and music also helped
create the atmosphere I was looking for.
We worked on each of the backdrops
of sound with much affection and the
music was essential for accompanying
the characters on their journeys.
Could you say that the landscape
is another character?
I think the landscape is always another
character. It gives a personality that
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a different landscape wouldn’t give.
Amorebieta helped us a lot; it gave
character to the movie.
place in autumn.
What do you think the costumes,
artistic direction, sound design
and soundtrack contributed to
the charm of the movie?
Everything together and well
combined. Everything is essential and
important.
Why would you recommend this
movie to the audience?
Because it is lovely and pleasant to
watch above all. Because it is moving
and allows you to feel identified with
its characters. Because many good
people worked on it and it shows.
Because it is my debut film and I will
only make one. I could recommend it
for many reasons. But what can I say?
It’s like it it’s my child.
Was the climate an ally or a
handicap?
It was both an ally and a handicap. We
filmed in autumn to represent autumn.
But as it turns out, the first weeks were
like summer. That helped for filming the
exteriors but it also made it more difficult
for it to look like the movie had taken
THE FILM
Do you think young people who
can feel identified with the
protagonists will like the movie
or do you think that it will reach
viewers of all ages?
I think it can reach a certain sector of
young people, but also much older
people. It talks about things that affect
young people but things that older people
also understand.
Do you think it shows a generation
of youth disenchanted because
of the crisis?
I don’t think so. I think it shows young
people who do the best they can during
an era of crisis.
What contribution does it make
in comparison with other recent
film releases?
Lately a lot of the Spanish movies we
are seeing are commercial comedies.
Our movie is neither a comedy nor
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Irene and Tamar are enthusiastic
about their participation in
the movie. Do you think their
performances are worthy of
awards?
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that
Irene Escolar deserves the Goya for Best
Breakthrough Actress. Many people are
saying this after having seen the movie
and I don’t think they are mistaken. ,
Tamar Novas is also very good but as he
already won this Goya with Mar Adentro,
it’s more difficult.
is it commercial. I believe it reaches
another more intimate, more familiar
and more realistic place. It is moving
and makes you feel and think, which is
something I think we need.
Do you think that Naiara, Mariano
and Lier might have promising
film careers after being part of the
cast of UOSB?
In the cases of Naiara and Mariano,
I hope so. They decided some time
ago to become actors and I hope this
movie opens many doors for them.
They are excellent and I think they
have great talent.
Instead Lier told us the other day that
he does not want to be an actor and if
he sticks to that opinion, it will have
been lovely for us to have the only
performance of such a special boy.
Is anything special planned in
Amorebieta for the townspeople
who experienced the shoot
firsthand?
Yes, there will be special screenings,
discussions and even special offers to
see the movie. The town gave a lot to us
and we want to reciprocate.
CAST / 31
June: Irene Escolar.
Diego: Tamar Novas.
Aita: Ramón Barea.
Nico: Lier Quesada.
Ane: Naiara Carmona.
Aitor: Mariano Estudillo.
Pili: Paula Soldevila.
Sofía: Itziar Ituño
Midwife: María Isabel Díaz
Dentist: Pablo Viña
CREW / 32
Director and screen writer:
Lara Izagirre.
Format: HD 4:3 Color.
Duration: 95 minutes.
Executive Producer:
Gorka Izagirre.
Composer: Joseba Brit.
Line Producer: Iñaki Juaristi.
Cinematographer: Gaizka Bourgeaud.
Decorator: Koldo Jones.
Costumes: Iratxe Sanz.
Make-up: Ainhoa Eskisabel.
Sound: Eva Valiño.
Editing: Ibai Elorza.
CONTACT / 33
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