The film is about the pre-production of a film and the exaggerated rituals, tics and exercises that directors and actors do to prepare for their roles.
Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz brought some laughs at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday with a comedy that skewered their own craft, and apparently it was as fun to watch as it is.
Read also | Get ‘First Day First Show’ our weekly newsletter from the world of cinema delivered to your inbox. You can subscribe for free here
Audiences brought some excitement to the world’s oldest film festival, which is still battling the coronavirus pandemic, during an “official competition” by Argentine directors Gaston Duprat and Mariano Cohn. The film is in the main competition in Venice, which will conclude on September 11.
The “Official Competition” is about a film’s pre-production and exaggerated rituals, tics and practices that the director (Cruz) and the actor (Bandaras and Argentine actor Oscar Martínez) perform in preparation for their roles. Leads come into play naturally in this naval-turned-look at the art of creating, directing, and producing competition films, ego, jealousy and competition.
“We laughed a lot,” said Cruz, who was also in Venice to present the festival-opening “Parallel Mothers” by Pedro Almodovar.
Directors and actors alike insisted it was a respectable parody of the things actors do to get into the character, although Banderas asked to give an example of an unusual ritual he experienced.
“I’m going to scream a little,” he warned reporters, before sounding a deep “maa” several times.
“It was real,” he said. “I worked with an actor who did this every time we were going to do a scene. When he did it the first time I thought he was a cow. And it was so annoying.”
When he looked into a room full of entertainment journalists covering his press conferences and film festivals, Bandera thought life was imitating art.
“Don’t you guys realize we’re in the movie? If we were in the movie, I’d be asking why I’m in the corner of the table and why I’m not in the middle.” We should do a continuation that includes the press Yes,” he said with a laugh. “That would be awesome.”
.