Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz face their egos in the “Official Contest” | cinema | entertainment

The Argentine duo of Mariano Cohn and Gaston Dobrat have already shown that they are taking advantage of their ability in satirical works. They’ve already done it with award-winning films the man next door (2009) or Distinguished Citizen (2016). Now they are back with official contestIt is a film in which they invited another winning duo, Spaniards Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz, along with Argentine Oscar Martinez, to perform the central roles.

Datewho resorts again to his previous aforementioned films, It is about a cinematic process that shows the inner ordeals that characterize the filming of a movie, which becomes a fierce narcissistic battle. Between businessman-turned-producer (José Luis Gómez), director with script (Cruz), acclaimed actor (Banderas) and acclaimed actor (Martínez).

The idea for the script – written by the directors in addition to Andrés Dobrat – It was a large part of the Spanish actors, who created this comedy to make fun of acting.. “This is normal behavior for the actors, no. What you see as abnormal behaviors, but they happen, yes. We saw them, yes, we lived them, yes, but they are not familiar,” Banderas said in a YouTube interview with the rest of the heroes.

“I’ve seen very extreme and difficult behaviour. I’ve seen actors and actresses getting on terribly and then, in the face of the press, telling that they are close friends, that they have been in touch from day one and that the shooting was very nice; and one, on the side, is reluctant not to laugh at That moment, because you’ve seen it all. But playing a character like mine was very liberating. She is an unfiltered character, and doesn’t care what other people think of her, but she’s also one who touches on an important topic, revealing how much you struggled trying to do something interesting.; It’s like saying “I, the older you are, the less you’ll agree with this,” but sometimes it’s time and things will happen that hurt, and you also have to give in to it, but don’t force it, don’t. t manipulated. It imposes it on itself and provokes others. He believes that only from there he can create something of value, and that art can only be accompanied by suffering, and even humiliation of actors,” says Cruz.

Although both have appeared in several Pedro Almodovar films, This is the first time that Cruz and Banderas have topped the screen together, playing the charming star director and actor in the comedy.. Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas shine on screen together in official contest. “Their chemistry is undeniable and we think American audiences will be thrilled to see them come together in this crowd-pleasing film,” Ariana Bocco, president of IFC Films, said when the film was recently about to open in the US.

Martinez says he has never faced such extreme situations. “If I get hired as a director like Lola (Cruz’s character name), I’ll quit. I have no doubts. Presenting yourself as a person is something I have never tolerated.‘, says the actor, remembering for his participation in films like wild tales or Distinguished citizen.

in parody official contestpremiered at the 2021 Venice Film Festival and also shown at the San Sebastian Festival, its heroes are distinguished by their ego, but also by the weakness of the profession that is often associated with insecurity, which makes them suspicious beings. The film was partially shot in the auditorium of the San Lorenzo de El Escorial Theater (Madrid)..

The official synopsis of this black comedy “Cinema within the Cinema” states that after turning 80 and experiencing a small existential crisis, a wealthy businessman decided to shoot a movie, knowing that he had managed to amass a huge fortune over the years. And his life, but without gaining any respect. He has no interest in art, he just wants his name to be associated with the best of the best, whether it’s a Nobel Prize-winning book he hasn’t even read or a reputable film crew about to adapt and at this point in time you don’t even know. Fortunately for him, vanity begins to collide, while jealousy (as well as some “giant rocks”) threatens to spoil the entire project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lutwmc_xT48

In this movie, Cruz, Banderas and Martinez star in characters who could be close friends. Dobrat said on a previous show that he hates “this moral superiority of progressives” and actors who consider their work so important that they are “convinced the audience won’t understand them”.; He also recognized that vanity and selfishness make “artists go where normal people don’t go. The ego must be controlled, or tamed, as Cruz said.”

official contest The premiere will begin on Thursday, March 17th in Ecuadorean cinemas.