Ignacio Lasierra's first film tells the story of a Uruguayan cook, played by Natalia Huarte, who returns to her hometown in Los Monegros after more than 20 years away. There, she confronts her past and tries to rebuild her relationship with her mother. "I am increasingly certain that people from Aragon want to see their own stories on the big screen. This is a film from Aragon, written and directed by an Aragonese filmmaker who lives and works here, and produced by companies committed to making films here. It is a story about roots, belonging and returning to your home," Ignacio Lasierra said on Friday during the film's presentation.
Lasierra knows all about returning, since part of the shoot will take place in his hometown of Candasnos. "It is very powerful because I had to call my parents to tell them that we were literally going to film on their doorstep. Seeing Elena Irureta on the balcony of the room where I lived until I was 18 is something I am still trying to process," the filmmaker acknowledged.
A "VERY EXCITING" PROJECT
Alongside Natalia Huarte, Melina Matthews and Itziar Aizpuru, Aragonese actors Jorge Asín, Marisol Aznar and José Luis Esteban complete the cast. Huarte acknowledged on Friday that Ignacio Lasierra's call offering her the leading role made her "extremely happy," and that their collaboration took shape over a first meal that lasted "only seven hours," the two joked amid laughter.
"There was a great deal of chemistry because we did not know each other at all, and once I read the script, I was deeply moved. As a woman, I was very eager to tell this story with a cast full of women, exploring the sensitivities of reunions, returning home, friendships, desires... As someone from Navarre who lives next door here in Aragon, I think we have a lot in common. I think the story is told with such sensitivity... that it was impossible for me to say no," Huarte acknowledged.
The actress had to step into the role of a professional chef, with help from the team at Zaragoza's Gamberro restaurant. It was "magical," since for her, filmmaking offers an experience that not everyone gets to have. "It allows you to put yourself in someone else's shoes. I was really eager to take on a leading role and experience the whole story, the entire process of creating the character." Huarte was recently seen in "Por cien millones" by Nacho G. Velilla, as well as in "Innato" and "Legado."
Lasierra's limited nerves at the prospect of making his first film are what have left his producers "very calm and excited." "As a producer, it is obvious that a debut feature always brings some nerves, uncertainty and not knowing what to expect... But it is true that Nacho is already a highly established filmmaker, and we are convinced that this project will move people and reach audiences. It is also necessary for cinema to move beyond the most commercial fare and address other stories," they concluded.
