Crossing for the prestigious public prize of Berlinal Panorama, Eva Libertad’s “Sorda” (“Dove”) sheds light on the world of deaf women and how motherhood forms their relationships.
Picked up by Latido Films in December, the debut function of Libertad is an extension of the Goya-nominated shorts that she co-channeled with Nuria Muñoz, starring her sister Miriam Garlo, a frequently acclaimed deaf actress. In an interview with VarietyLibertad describes how “Sorda” was in the making for a lifetime:
‘Sorda’ was born from the moment my sister is considering becoming a mother. At that time she shared her fears like a deaf woman with me, and I realized that I had never thought about it: the worries of a deaf woman who wants to become a mother in a hearing world. ”
“At that moment I found out that, in addition to the uncertainties we have as women, others are related to deafness that I had never considered before,” she says, adding, “So I asked her to use those fears Writing and a few days later she sent me a big impression on me.
However, she points out that “Sorda” is a fictional film: “It is not based on my sister’s life. In fact, I interviewed deaf mothers to know what their worries and fears were during their pregnancies. If they shared them With their partners, how motherhood changed their relationship with their partner or with their parents, what were the difficulties in communicating with the baby. The film.
Armed with a wealth of material, she chose which details would work best for the fictional couple in her story that focuses on Ángela, a deaf woman played by Garlo, who expects a child with her hearing partner, Héctor (Álvaro Cervantes, “” Adu, “” Ramón y Ramón “). The arrival of the baby strains their relationship and force Ángela to meet the challenges to raise her daughter in a world that is not completely built for her.
She chose ‘Sorda’ as her first feature film to explore ‘the complexity of the bond between the deaf and the hearing worlds: the positive and negative aspects, connection and love, but also the conflicts and collisions’.
“It is something that has been essential in my life because he was Miriam’s sister and that nowadays continues to change his form and remains a challenge after a life with us; A mystery that we have to find out and work every day, “she said, adding,” That’s why Miriam and I always say that we have prepared our entire life to make this film without realizing it. “
Apart from screenwriter, director and playwright, Libertad has a diploma in sociology of the Complutense University of Madrid, who helped her to offer more depth to her characters.
“In addition to creating the psychology of the character, I try to contextualize them in the situation in which they are located. In the case of Angela, she lives in a competent society, who turns his back on his handicaps. I think Angela is ready for the world, but the world is not ready for her. “
She points to the scenes with babies as the most difficult to photograph. “For the character of ONA, the little girl, we needed seven babies, from the moment she was a newborn until she was a year old,” she recalls.
“In the scenes where we had babies, they set the pace and of course the entire crew had to be employed. The shooting plan that my cinematograph and I had come up with did not work because the baby would crack in tears or do something unexpected. On the other hand, that was great, because it brought so much life to the scenes, “she adds.
Asked if she already has her next feature film in mind, she answers: “Yes, I am already thinking about the next project, although I would like to be time to create it calmly … What I am sure is that I would do that Like to work with my sister again. “