03/05/2023 - Ingrid García-Jonsson and Ramón Barea star as the main characters in the film noir with fantasy elements produced by Señor y Señora

Actor Ramón Barea (centre) and director Pablo Hernando (right) on the set of A Whale

Filming is underway for A Whale, the eagerly awaited new project from Pablo Hernando, responsible for Berserker [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pablo Hernando
film profile] and director (with Juan Cavestany and Julián Génisson) of Esa sensación [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Juan Cavestany
film profile]. The film features a cast led by the Swedish-Seville actress Ingrid García-Jonsson (who we saw a few months ago running and screaming in Veneciafrenia [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and who will be in Un amor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabel Coixet
film profile], by Isabel Coixet) and Bilbao actor Ramón Barea (who after shining in Lullaby [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
film profile] has just released ¡Vaya vacaciones! [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a comedy where he delivers in a fun supporting role), the protagonists of this auteur film noir with fantasy undertones.

The filming takes place in Bilbao and the surrounding area over six weeks. According to the director/screenwriter, the rainy conditions during filming fit the tone and atmosphere he is after in the film like a glove. In it, García-Jonsson plays a lone hit woman. Her ability to infiltrate and disappear without a trace makes her a ruthless professional, but that power comes from another world, a place inhabited by monstrous creatures from which she emerges less and less human.

"Compared to Pablo's previous titles, this is the first time he’ll be able to work in a more industrial context and the script itself called for other tools. There’s a highly recognisable film noir cinematography, with a lot of special effects, a monster and several things that required a different financial and logistical strategy", says Leire Apellaniz, from Señor y Señora. "We believe that this film is a step forward, but we think that it will continue to breathe that humour that is so characteristic of Pablo, which is contained but at the same time sophisticated, because he does it from a very intelligent and invigorating place for the audience, so we go to another industrial level, but the essence is maintained".

“Una bellena is structured from the outset as a European co-production and we found an Italian producer, a member of ACE, who was excited by the film: Cristiano Bortone and his company Orisa Produzioni”, continues Apellaniz. "It's been a great experience, as they presented the project to their state fund for minority co-productions and we were the best rated project in their call for proposals. We’re now waiting for regional support, so our experience so far has been very positive. Italy seems like a wonderful country to co-produce with," the filmmaker concludes.

The film is a co-production of Señor y Señora with the Spanish company Sayaka Producciones and the Italian company Orisa Produzioni, financed by the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), with the collaboration of the Department of Culture and Language Policy of the Basque Government, with the support of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual of the Italian Ministry of Culture (DGCA-MIC) and with the participation of EITB. Latido Films handles international sales.

(Translated from Spanish by Vicky York)