He worked with Almodóvar, Del Toro and now Tondero: the producer of the MRTA hostage-taking film speaks

What would Almodóvar’s cinema be without women? Whether they are tall or short, Spanish or foreign, the iconic protagonists portrayed by one of the greatest exponents of Ibero-American cinema are always brave people who, through intense passions, seek change in their lives, which directly or indirectly affects their lives. those around them. By a coincidence typical of the Almodovarian world, a young Esther Garcia RodriguezBorn in Segovia (1956), she crossed paths in the mid-80s with a Pedro Almodóvar who recently went from being the “enfant terrible” of the Movida to a teacher, thanks to the film “What have I done to deserve this? ” (1984).

This collaboration was cemented in the film “Matador” (1986), forging a relationship between the producer and the director that, over the course of 37 years, would lead to films that today are considered must-sees for any film lover.

The producer who loved cinema, but never thought to venture into the audiovisual world, began her career as a secretary with the film “Pim, pam, pum… fuego” (1975) by Pedro Olea, but it would not be until the television series “Curro Jiménez” (1976) who would begin her role as production director at a time when high-ranking positions in the cinema were reserved exclusively for men. “For me there is no better definition of what I do as a producer than a person who makes the director’s dreams come true.”García mentions in an interview with El Comercio.

After these first productions, he was followed by films such as “Los bingueros” (1979) by Mariano Ozores, “Be unfaithful and don’t look with whom” (1985) by Fernando Trueba, but it would not be until “The Law of Desire” (1987), At that time, García was part of the production company El Deseo, which would face one of its greatest challenges when trying to capture an ambitious project with a limited budget. “This is one of the movies that I remember most fondly because there were so many problems to solve that we didn’t know how to do it, especially for a company [El Deseo] that was just beginning”says Garcia with a smile, while mentioning that today he could fix those problems quickly.

Now García will work with a Peruvian team to create a film based on the hostage-taking of the Japanese ambassador Morihisa Aoki’s residence, produced by Tondero with a script by Santiago Roncagliolo and Alicia Luna. He also produces Infinity Hill, the company of Argentine Axel Kuschevatzky.

“Ever since Javier Cámara introduced me to Miguel [Valladares de Tondero] Eight years ago, we’ve been looking to do something together. We have been developing several projects together, but this is the one that seemed most viable”, García told the US portal Variety.

Latin Americans in the cinema

Another of the characteristics that complement the mystique of the productions of various Spanish directors, which García accompanied, is the unmistakable presence of Latin Americans in the context of Spanish narrative. A curious fact that reappears when observing the preview of “Strange way of life”, the most recent western short film produced by Esther García together with director Pedro Almodóvar, where the renowned interpreter stands out. During the conversation offered by the producer, the presence of the renowned Mandalorian stood out.

—Pedro Pascal, Cecilia Roth, Ana de Armas, among many others, seem to show that there is a certain inclination towards Spanish cinema by Latin American actors. What accounts for this preference?

The world is at our disposal due to the huge Spanish-speaking market. In addition to collaborating with Pascal, in other productions directed by other directors we have worked with Colombian actors, Peruvian and Mexican actresses. We do this not with the intention of having a Latin American on screen, but because in the world that surrounds us, they are part of the life of all Spaniards. So, if you want to tell stories attached to reality [de la sociedad española]you can perfectly choose a Latin American actor from the other side of the great pond.

—Although sometimes the public confuses Spanish actors with Latin Americans

For us [en España]There is no doubt that the actors are Spanish, but the interpretation of Spaniards as Latin Americans often happens a lot in United States films, a different case from Spanish cinema, because we know that Penélope Cruz or Antonio Banderas are Spanish and not Latin American

—Is there someone responsible for generating this confusion?

Hollywood has claimed some Spanish actors to play Latino roles. We are not talking about Spaniards acting like Spaniards, who are also Latinos, but Spanish actors representing Latin Americans. I think that this type of trend has left that type of confusion in the environment to this day.

A legacy on screen

Today the work of Esther García can be appreciated in films by directors such as Guillermo del Toro, Isabel Coixet, Lucrecia Martel, Diego Galán, Pablo Trapero or Damián Szifron, for whom she feels deep respect and admiration, feelings that she did not experience towards several men who held positions of responsibility and who did not believe that a woman could assume great positions.

It was a hostile path that the current producer traveled, facing terrible moments such as the harassment she suffered in one of her first jobs in the cinematographic world. Currently, with more than 90 films produced, numerous television series and being an active promoter of female participation in the cinema, there is no doubt about the importance that Esther García has for the history of cinema, who is also a member of the Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences of Spain and the Hollywood Film Academy

In this celebration of the career and performance of a figure who reminds us that anyone can make movies regardless of gender, nationality or other characteristics, García feels that he has fulfilled his goal by making the dreams of others come true, especially those of Almodóvar. “I feel that I am a pawn in this work that he creates; His cinema was a complete revolution, not only for the content, but also for the form, generating a style that boasts its own adjective: Almodovarian ”Garcia maintains. Although being honest, what would Almodóvar be without the producer of all his wishes?