This past weekend the new Spanish drama, Julieta, premiered at the New York Film Festival.
The haunting drama directed by Pedro Almodóvar follows the love, sexuality, guilt and the destiny of a woman named Julieta, played by Emma Suárez (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 The drama hits on numerous historical references from Hitchcock to Almodóvar’s earlier Movida era work.
The movie is set to open December 21!
We got the chance to talk to the film’s lead actors Adriana Ugarte and Emma Suárez about how they got involved in the movie, working with Almodóvar, sadness and more.
Tell me about how you got involved.
Adriana Ugarte: I went to an audition and I didn’t know who the director was and after the second audition I realized that he was Pedro Almodóvar and it was his new film. I was like a kid in a candy store. I couldn’t believe it and I thought maybe it was a mistake or he’s going to realize that maybe I’m 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 I’m very very grateful and very very thankful. It’s fantastic.
Speak about collaborating with Pedro; he is such a legend.
Adriana Ugarte: He is not a legend because he is still alive, but I’m sure that he will be a legend. He is a genius and when I think about a genius I feel that he’s not only an incredible professional and an unforgettable director, he is a person full of beauty inside. I think that’s why he’s a genius because he is connected with life and with the roots of nature.
Speak a little bit about the journey that your character takes.
Adriana Ugarte: It’s a little bit complicated to talk about Julieta because I don’t want to ruin it; it’s a little bit complicated. I play Julieta from 24 years until 40 years so it’s a very long period and for me it was a challenge because I’ve 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.
Your character has to deal with so much sorrow. Can you speak about that?
Adriana Ugarte: I think that it’s not only sadness it’s something more terrible than sadness – it’s guilt. Guilt doesn’t 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 for all of the disasters and the catastrophes that are all around her. But it’s important she deal with all of these things.
Tell me how did you get involved with the movie?
Emma Suárez: I am full of gratitude to work with Pedro Almodóvar 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 Suárez: 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 Suárez: Yes of course! It’s fantastic to be here.
