With Beef [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Asaari Bibang
scheda film], the feature debut by Ingride Santos, urban freestyle becomes a space for exploring identity, conflict and creation for a group of young women. We spoke to one of its actresses, Asaari Bibang, about her character, the director’s gaze and the emotional undercurrent running through the movie. The film, which is released in Spain on 28 November by VerCine, follows several girls from the freestyle scene, and explores themes such as self-expression, family and belonging.

Cineuropa: In Beef, the protagonists are young women from the urban freestyle world, an environment often dominated by men. What drew you to this universe and to the way the film portrays it?
Asaari Bibang: I’m not a rapper, and I haven’t delved too deeply into that world, beyond listening to rap from time to time and working with a leading figure in the genre, Frank T. However, I come from stand-up, another heavily male-dominated field where words are at the centre of everything. In that respect, I can understand much of Lati’s passion as a rapper because, as a comic, I know what it is to build things up from language, presence and truth. And of course, it’s always a joy to see women conquering spaces; that in this case she’s also a black woman, with all the richness of her diversity, seems doubly wonderful to me. I’m fascinated that in Beef's battles, the bars are dropped with all their rawness and flow, devoid of masks. And it moves me to see how everything we live through, the good and the hard, ends up directly shaping our art.

This is Ingride Santos’s feature debut. What was it like working with a first-time director, and what surprised you about her eye or her way of directing?
As an actress, I’m deeply grateful for the creative freedom she gave me. She was genuinely interested in understanding the cultural nuances I considered essential for the character and listened attentively to each of my suggestions. Ingride knew exactly what she wanted from the outset, but even so, she trusted my judgement and allowed me to contribute, just as she did with everyone who advised on the project. Being able to rehearse and talk with her and with the rest of the creative team gave us a very precise sense of how we wanted to approach each scene before getting to set. From minute one, she made me feel part of the project.

The film blends energy, music and raw emotions. How did you prepare to connect with that intensity and with the language of freestyle?
My character is going through a very specific emotional moment. She’s at a point in her life where she has to carry a pain that seeps into everything, yet she always does so with dignity and restraint. Because Aminata embodies the role of the “strict” mother, it was essential to bring nuances of her own to her personality, to open a crack through which the audience could slip in and really get to know her and empathise with her. I drew on Denzel Washington in Fences and the mother played by Susi Sánchez in Lullaby [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
scheda film], among others.

Beyond freestyle, Beef deals with identity, empowerment and expression. What message do you hope young viewers will take away from the film?
Beef is a movie about freestyle and battles, but not only the ones fought on a stage; it’s also about the other battles we fight in life. It’s a story about maternal, sibling and sonic love. It explores how crucial it is to be surrounded by people who lift us up, who give us strength to pursue our dreams and who are willing to hold us when the road gets tough. I’d love audiences to leave the cinema with the same feeling that Dirty Dancing leaves you with: that blend of energy and emotion that makes you believe you can pull off the lift, too.