15/06/2023 - The fourth film from the unpredictable Spanish duo Nando Martínez and Juan González hits Spanish cinemas after making an impact at festivals such as Malaga and D'A in Barcelona

(© Daniel Mayrit)

If you saw the hard-to-classify artefact entitled The Queen of the Lizards [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] you’ll certainly want to enjoy the latest venture from the duo Burnin’ Percebes (Nando Martínez and Juan González), entitled Golem [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Burnin’ Percebes
film profile]. The film lands in Spanish cinemas on Friday 16 June, is distributed by Sideral and stars popular names such as Brays Efe, Bruna Cusí, Luis Tosar, Roberto Álamo and Anna Castillo.

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Cineuropa: A character breaks into a thousand pieces right at the start of your new film. When have you felt just like that (personally and professionally)?
Nando Martínez: When something doesn't go as expected or you get some bad news in a way it’s breaking the pre-established or the positivity. So, every time a project falls through or doesn't turn out the way we thought it would, we break a little bit. You don't need an extreme situation like the one in the film to feel out of it.

Is the (surreal) strangeness experienced by the film's protagonist a metaphor or a portrayal of the strangeness we feel every day?
Juan González: It’s a portrayal, somewhat exaggerated and altered for the sake of humour, of our specific context. Sometimes we feel like life, if you look at it closely, is much crazier than fiction, it's just that we take it for granted. The character of Juan (played by Brays Efe) is at a point where life has passed him by and he gradually needs to get his life in order to catch up.

I visited the set where you recreated the protagonist's apartment, with its wall and papier-mâché. Would the film have a different tone if it had been shot in a real apartment?
NM: It would’ve been a different film, not ours. The project had been developed with this aesthetic in mind, which in the end is just another narrative element in the story. The sets, the photography, the costumes... are part of the characters, of their characters and they progress/change with the story. We felt it was crucial to create a world of our own from the outset where the story could take place, so that the audience could empathise.

What was the most difficult and surreal scene to film?
JG: It was a rather nice and unusual shooting. The direction was based on a lot of sequence shots, which made the days sometimes short and gratifying. The difficulties came from technical issues. For example, having to cut through busy streets in Madrid to throw a piano from a crane is something very surreal and extremely complicated, but at the same time fun. You’re nervously waiting to see how the piano breaks while the production and direction assistants are fighting against people who are shouting obscenities at those who are blocking their way. Overall, that's what I miss most about filming: throwing things from cranes.

What have your parents, neighbours and grandparents said about your films, both this latest one and the previous ones?
JG: I remember my parents came to the premiere of Searching for Meritxell (our first feature film) in Barcelona. On the way out, my father was laughing his head off at one particular scene, while my mother simply congratulated me. I don't think either of them quite understood what it was all about, but they were happy that I was doing what I liked. With The Queen of the Lizards and Golem we want to reach a wider audience. Let's say they’re more accessible films, and with them they already have a more formed opinion and critique. My grandmother, for example, is always told that she won't like my films and so she doesn't watch them in order to maintain a good image of her grandson. It’s a mutual non-aggression pact.

NM: Honestly, with Golem, this is the first time that I’ve seen them leave the cinema understanding why I’ve been pursuing this dream of being a filmmaker for so many years. That's a good sign. It means that, as Juan says, we’ve opened up more to the public and made ourselves more accessible without losing our distinct style. For previous films they’ve always waited to read what the press says to see if it's something they’d be into or not, or if everyone agreed that we're all a bunch of idiots.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)