INTERVIEW: In this new movie, Mariana finds herself in Colombia, with dreams of Malta
Photo: Estefanía Piñeres stars as Mariana in Malta. Photo courtesy of Cinema Tropical / Provided with permission.
The central character in the new movie Malta is named Mariana, and she has a few dreams for herself, in order to break from her life in Bogotá, Colombia. She takes language lessons, deals the best that she can with her dysfunctional family, and constantly yearns to leave the country and start traveling the world. If there is one place she wants to be it’s Malta, an island country in the Mediterranean Sea.
But writer-director Natalia Santa’s sophomore film is not merely about Mariana trying to break free; eventually this protagonist must ask herself some important, difficult questions about why she yearns to travel. Is she perhaps escaping something or someone? Someone who holds up a mirror for this introspection is Mariana’s new friend, Gabriel, a fellow classmate who has no problem asking these scrutinizing questions, according to press notes.
Malta premiered at SXSW earlier this month, with hopes of expanding to markets around the world. Estefanía Piñeres plays Mariana, and she’s joined by Patricia Tamayo, Emmanuel Restrepo and Diego Cremones. The film follows the success of Santa’s debut effort, The Dragon Defense (La defensa del dragón).
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Santa about her motivations for making Malta. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Was it easier or harder to make your second film compared to the first one?
Although Malta presented a much greater challenge in some aspects, in others it was a bit easier. La defensa del dragón, my debut film, was made without high expectations and with very limited funds. I had no experience as a director; I was learning, and everything was new to me. So premiering at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes was completely unexpected. It was a very happy experience, which at the same time generated great anticipation for Malta.
Much of the interest in this second film was thanks to what we achieved with La Defensa del dragón, and that helped with the search for financing. With Malta, we secured co-production with Argentina and Norway, three state film funds (FDC, INCAA and Sørfond), and the support of EDF, which provided most of the cinematography equipment.
Now, as a director and screenwriter, I feel that the demand was much greater in Malta. I wanted a complex female character, one that wasn’t easy to pigeonhole and that would put the viewer in an uncomfortable place. Mariana, the protagonist, is a woman you can love but who can also generate rejection. She can be both victim and perpetrator in the intricate game of family roles in which she lives. So I knew that my biggest challenge was to make that character believable, honest and convey all the nuances required to make the story solid. It was a very arduous and careful job that we did with Estefanía Piñeres, but also with Patricia Tamayo, who played the mother, and with the other characters surrounding the protagonist. I took the time to build the characters with the actors and to reach the tone and emotions that the film needed.
Why do people dream of traveling internationally and leaving their home? What motivates this impulse?
I think the need to leave the nest to discover the world is inherent in most young people. You can only know who you really are when you confront a world you don’t know. In Colombia, I believe there’s also a need for young people to leave the country because they feel that any place is better than this one. They escape from violence, economic difficulties, and a society where there is profound inequality and very few job and educational opportunities. In Mariana’s case, she not only wants to leave her home to seek opportunities and see the world. Although this is part of her decision to go to Malta, deep down she wants to escape from her mother and her family’s past, to go as far away as possible so she doesn’t have to face the conflicts she experiences every day at home.
How would you describe the central character of Mariana?
As I said before, Mariana is a complex woman; she is very strong but at the same time profoundly vulnerable. In her daily life, she is very methodical. She dreams of leaving and does everything necessary to achieve that dream: she works overtime at a call center, learns languages and lives her sexuality openly, without creating commitments that tie her down. Her only problem is that in her plans, Gabriel comes along, a guy who starts to get into her heart despite herself. She is reaching adulthood and trying not to create ties or responsibilities, but that’s not possible. Mariana must take charge of her emotions and fears, and that means facing family conflicts, not running away from them.
How was it working with Estefanía Piñeres and the cast?
It was the best experience of the shoot. For me, working with Estefanía and the rest of the cast was always a priority. Everything was focused on them. During rehearsals, we sought to create emotional bonds between the different characters. We talked a lot about family history and what was happening beneath the surface for each one. Estefanía understood Mariana very well; she connected with her motivations, her wounds and also with her sense of humor. She managed to give all the nuances that were in the script and take her much further. She did a serious and judicious job; it was wonderful. One of the best things about the movie is the performance.
Was the movie filmed entirely in Bogotá? What is it like to film in the city?
Bogotá is a huge city with a lot of activity. So the challenges of filming in Bogotá are those that a big city presents: incessant noise, traffic, people, insecurity. In addition [there’s] the Bogotá weather, which is very variable; it can go from bright sunshine to torrential rain in minutes. But I think we managed to adapt to the unexpected. Filming in Bogotá means accepting that there are many things you won’t be able to control and that you have to be flexible. If you wait for the ideal conditions, you’ll never shoot.
What do you hope to achieve with the screening at SXSW? A distribution deal? Greater exposure?
We are seeking distribution. For us, SXSW is a great opportunity to enter the North American market and seek different exhibition windows. We want Malta to be seen and reach a young audience, not just Latin, who we know will identify with Mariana and will greatly enjoy the movie.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Malta, written and directed by Natalia Santa, stars Estefanía Piñeres, Patricia Tamayo, Emmanuel Restrepo and Diego Cremones. Running time: 97 minutes. Click here for more information.
