Paco Plaza Director of The Grandmother – Cineuropa

Any director would aspire to wanting someone to walk out of their film at the movie theatre

24/09/2021 - Horror comes pounding on the doors of San Sebastin with brute force in this film by the Spanish director, which was penned by Carlos Vermut, the winner of the Golden Shell for Magical Girl

We talked genre films with Paco Plaza, whom we have to blame for scaring us senseless with Vernica[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Paco Plazafilmprofile], Eye for an Eye[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Paco Plazafilmprofile] and some of the REC[+see also: trailerfilmprofile] saga. Now, for the first time, he is taking part in the competition of the San Sebastin Film Festival, with The Grandmother[+see also: trailerinterview: Paco Plazafilmprofile], an out-and-out horror flick that boasts a storyline written by another filmmaker who has a penchant for exploring uneasy territory: Carlos Vermut (the winner of the Golden Shell for Magical Girl[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Carlos Vermutfilmprofile]).

Cineuropa: Out of the blue, San Sebastin has chosen a genre film like The Grandmother for its official section, as if it were feeding off SitgesPaco Plaza: Our plan was to go to Sitges, but if youre offered the chance to go to an A-list festival, you cant say no. Having said that, I have the feeling that Ive sneaked in, as there is no tradition of horror films at this festival. I was surprised to receive a call from Jos Luis Rebordinos, its director, but he seemed really enthusiastic about the film. The mere fact that theres a Spanish horror feature in competition is a triumph, and I see it as a gift. Were happy because theyve also picked it for the BFI London Film Festival, and well be going to Sitges as well.

Lets see how people react to it: it could take people by surprise, as its an unabashed horror film and doesnt try to hide it.Genre is not some kind of alibi, not like those movies that are ashamed of being genre films and, deep down, talk about other things instead. No, this is a horror flick: its got witches and vampires. Afterwards, we can read into it what we like, but it makes no apologies for being a genre feature.

Back when you premiered Eye for an Eye, you waxed lyrical to me about Raw[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Julia Ducournaufilmprofile]. Whats your view on genre films now, in Spain and in Europe?Theyre better than ever. I think the bastion of quality cinema now is genre because within the mainstream, the rest of the films are about superheroes or theyre sequels. Disregarding auteurs and experimental titles, which are out there in their own category, I think that the hopes for quality mainstream cinema are being placed in horror. Titane[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Julia Ducournau, Vincent Lifilmprofile] won the Palme dOr, and there are many more interesting titles looming on the horizon. And if you look at the Sitges line-up, its crazy, as the quality is so high something thats sorely lacking in any other given genre, where theres a glut of these remixes of Italian and French hits, as each country is making its own version: as if we couldnt dub them! Horror is becoming a bastion for auteurs, and its audience is receptive to more experimental propositions.

Horror films are now even starting to become existential, philosophical and nihilistic, not to mention politically incorrectYes, youve got an excuse to put whatever you want in there: whatever the baddie does, it goes in there. Ive noticed a lack of originality, especially in US films. I liked Nomadland, but it was exactly what I was expecting it to be in other words, it explains something to you, and does so very efficiently, but it doesnt happen the same way as it does in Raw, which makes your head spin round and round. I asked myself: What has this director just been telling me?

The Grandmother begins in complete silence.Yes, no one speaks for the whole introduction. Furthermore, you dont hear the grandmothers footsteps; its as if she were floating. Its like she doesnt weigh anything. These kinds of details can only be truly appreciated in a movie theatre. Thats why, if we want to make features to show in the cinema, we have to offer a different experience from watching it at home. Nowadays, television is so good that it poses a challenge: we have to do something else because in that realm of developing complex characters, over the space of four seasons, thats something youre not going to have in one-and-a-half hours. Its a battle that theyve already won. Are you going to be able to make something better than that? No, so you try to do other things, like Gaspar No did with Lux aeterna. I think those kinds of offerings are missing in Spain (admittedly, France is something of an exception in that regard). Here, not many people would dare to do something different. Well, there is Chema Garca Ibarra, whom I tutored on the Directing course at ECAM. We had some crazy discussions, and I loved his screenplay for The Sacred Spirit[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Chema Garca Ibarrafilmprofile]: youre not going to see that on Netflix, because Chema is the new Vermut.

To wrap up this chat, has anyone walked out of a screening of one of your films?Yes, a few people walked out of the movie theatre during REC[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Jaume Balaguer, Paco Plazainterview: Julio Fernndezfilmprofile]. For Eye for an Eye, people were upset by the final shot: some have even told me that they will never forget that image. Its an aspiration worthy of any director to want someone to walk out of the theatre.

(Translated from Spanish)

Read more:
Paco Plaza Director of The Grandmother - Cineuropa