Catalan director Raimon Valls talks to us about the researching and creation of his debut film Mai parlarem de nosaltres [+lire aussi :
critique
interview : Raimon Valls
fiche film], screened this week at Mostra de València.

Cineuropa: The film is about a friendship during a weekend away. How did this story come about? Why did you want to talking about friendship?
Raimon Valls: Originally, the characters Raquel and Andrea were part of another story I wrote during the pandemic, but in that one they were secondary characters. It was about someone else. But I really liked these two characters (Raquel and Andrea). I was fascinated by the relationship between two best friends who are so different, and I wanted to write a story with them as the main characters, placing them in an “extreme” situation such as a farewell weekend away. Yes, I wanted to talk about friendship, but most of all, about the cowardice and shame we sometimes feel when we reveal our most vulnerable feelings for fear of showing our weaker side. These two girls are constantly hiding what they really want to say to each other and this makes the film increasingly complicated. But friendship was a very important theme in the film, of course. At that age in particular, it is one of greatest mainstays in your life, and you put all your hope into people you want - or expect - to be with you for the rest of your life.

You reflect the setbacks and complexities of this kind of relationship: conflict, silence... But the film also end with a sort of hymn to friendship. Is that where you wanted to go with it?
Of course. There is no happiness without sadness, and vice versa. I really wanted to show the low points of that relationship and end with that glow of hope and joy. It was also interesting to show how it is only when we manage to open up emotionally with someone and our concerns and feeling that we can find some common ground. It may or may not be satisfactory, but it will certainly be healthy and liberating.

This film has a very intimate tone. Were you clear about how to narrate this story?
Yes, I really wanted to tell the story from that intimate and realistic perspective, which is why I chose to place all the weight of the film on the words, looks and silences of the characters, and for the camera to have a minimum presence over the course of the film. I like to see it as if it were a kind of documentary of friendship, where the main thing is to see how the relationship is broken down and then re-built through the work of the actors.

The music (composed by you) also very much sets the tone of the film and its dramatic moments. Was it your intention to make it a key part of the narrative?
Yes. I knew music was an element that would feature mainly in the second half of the film, but first I had to have a rough cut of the film to see what music would work and what style would best fit the tone of the film. So, after seeing the rough cut and the atmosphere in the film, I was inspired to write that minimalist and subtle soundtrack to dig even deeper into the feelings of the characters.

How did you go about casting for the film? Why did you choose Berta Galo and Paula Vicario to play the two main characters?
I found Paula Vicario by searching for actress profiles on the internet. And we found Berta Galo by placing ads with different actors’ agencies and drama schools in Catalonia. From there, I decided to call them in for auditions; and the chemistry between worked like a charm: Paul had a presence and a naturalness that I just loved, and Berta effortlessly gave her character the necessary maturity and intelligence.