This past weekend the new Spanish drama, Julieta, premiered at the New York Film Festival.
The haunting drama directed by Pedro Almodรณvar follows the love, sexuality, guilt and the destiny of a woman named Julieta, played by Emma Suรกrez (older) and Adriana Ugarte (younger), over the course of 30 years. The film starts as Julieta is about to leave her life in Madrid behind when a chance encounter brings back sorrowful memories of the daughter who abandoned her at just 18 years old. The drama hits on numerous historical references from Hitchcock to Almodรณvarโs earlier Movida era work.
The movie is set to open December 21!
We got the chance to talk to the filmโs lead actors Adriana Ugarte and Emma Suรกrez about how they got involved in the movie, working with Almodรณvar, sadness and more.
Tell me about how you got involved.
Adriana Ugarte: I went to an audition and I didnโt know who the director was and after the second audition I realized that he was Pedro Almodรณvar and it was his new film. I was like a kid in a candy store. I couldnโt believe it and I thought maybe it was a mistake or heโs going to realize that maybe Iโm not the appropriate actress for him, but no. I was just scared and afraid and everything was like an ease, like a dream. I am enjoying a lot of the process and Iโm very very grateful and very very thankful. Itโs fantastic.
ย Speak about collaborating with Pedro; he is such a legend.
Adriana Ugarte: He is not a legend because he is still alive, but Iโm sure that he will be a legend. He is a genius and when I think about a genius I feel that heโs not only an incredible professional and an unforgettable director, he is a person full of beauty inside. I think thatโs why heโs a genius because he is connected with life and with the roots of nature.
ย Speak a little bit about the journey that your character takes.
Adriana Ugarte: Itโs a little bit complicated to talk about Julieta because I donโt want to ruin it; itโs a little bit complicated. I play Julieta from 24 years until 40 years so itโs a very long period and for me it was a challenge because Iโve never had in my life a daughter of 11 year-old. Then I realized the type of teenager that I was like very terrible, so yeah it was a very incredible process. Julieta is a very pure character, but she is not naive she is a very mature character but her life is going to be a little bit unfair.
Yourย characterย has to deal with so much sorrow. Can you speak about that?
Adriana Ugarte: I think that itโs not only sadness itโs something more terrible than sadness – itโs guilt. Guilt doesnโt let you progress and it is a very hurtful feeling, I think maybe guilt is the main character of the film. But Julieta is not responsible forย all of the disasters and the catastrophes that are all around her. But it’s important she deal with all of these things.
ย Tell me how did you get involved with the movie?
Emma Suรกrez: I am full of gratitude to work with Pedro Almodรณvar to know his universe. I love this movie. I worked a lot to give him all that he needs to do Julieta. There is a special book that I read from Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking, and this book was very important for my work to prepare Julieta.
How did sadness inform your development of the character?
Emma Suรกrez: The pain is so deep, it is when you already cry a lot and the pain is really inside, the emotion is condensed.
Are you excited to be her at the festival?
Emma Suรกrez: Yes of course! Itโs fantastic to be here.
