We didn't want to live anymore in the old logic. And I like that. The consequence of that is to create the dream of that, but we all know this dream may be not possible. So here we have the key of the ambiguity of the atmosphere of my films. Is it possible, this dream? Is it as funny as it seems, or is it tragic?
Albert SerraI am quite a positive man in real life. In fact, even when I have a hard discussion with somebody, it lasts only five minutes. Then I forget. And I forgive everything. But at the same time, as I am such an easygoing guy, to create something more intense, I have to be auto-destructive on the making of a film. And this will guarantee some density.
Albert SerraThis is the power of images, the ambiguity. You are never completely sure of anything. With written language, it's more concrete. You have to establish some facts, but in movies, you see things happening, and the exact meaning behind the images is more ambiguous.
Albert SerraWhat am I doing as a filmmaker? What is the goal? To look for the unknown atmosphere that hasn't been described before. This is my only goal. Unknown images. Because if not, it's boring, no?
Albert SerraIn fact, my methodology is based on the idea of waiting for when inspiration arrives for the actors. And that means that the light, the cinematography, everything has to be ready for that moment, so they don't have to wait.
Albert SerraWe didn't want to live anymore in the old logic. And I like that. The consequence of that is to create the dream of that, but we all know this dream may be not possible. So here we have the key of the ambiguity of the atmosphere of my films. Is it possible, this dream? Is it as funny as it seems, or is it tragic?
Albert SerraI wanted to be a real writer, you can put it this way, but I was lazy. So I thought that cinema would be funnier because it's collective, and it's crazy, and it's chaotic, and also because I was based in Spain. So I said it will be easy to make a career of that - because all the other filmmakers there are very bad. And it will be funny at the same time. So this was the point. It will be funnier, easier, and maybe at the end there will be some unknown beauty, and maybe on the way we'll create the dream that a different logic is possible for life.
Albert Serra