The Catalonian director took a gamble on a documentary about the true-life story and difficulties of the life of a famous gay HIV-positive museum curator. (The Prisma memoirs)
Virginia Moreno Molina
The idea of the documentary “Ignasi M” emerged by chance while Ventura Pons was trying to picture a “silly” North American film without much success.
They have been friends for 28 years, but until now, he had not realised that “there was a film in him”.
He is a director, scriptwriter, film producer and director of Spanish theatre. This is his 25th work and highlights other titles including his first film, Ocaña, an Intermitent Portrait r(Ocaña, retrato intermitente) which was chosen for the Cannes Festival, and “Year of Grace (Año de Gracia) among others.
Through this documentary, Pons thought that “it could talk about things that affect us and other themes, but giving the message: ‘Christ! We have to get out of this somehow!’ ”The story has Ignasi M as the protagonist, a respected museum curator who is going through a hard time, but is still able to tell his story in a light hearted manner and with great positivity. He is gay, HIV-positive and is part of a clinical trial programme. However, his business went bankrupt, his father attempted suicide, his ex-wife is in a wheelchair and he has discovered that she is a lesbian who has two children living in London.
A complicated family united by love and creativity.
Ventura Pons wanted to show a different message in this world full of crisis and complications: “For years we have lived where our wallet has been robbed, but they will not take from us what cannot be taken: the ability to laugh and our urge to ‘get on with it.This film is an example of this”.
How did Ignasi react when you proposed this project?
He went mad. He is a guy with enormous empathy. He couldn’t travel a lot in the film because he had an accident and he has been to Los Angeles, Mexico, and festivals in Italy… we have been together in many cities, in Toronto, Stockholm and Bogota. He has a powerful character and it is real: his truth. It deals with themes that are in the street, without shame and with a sense of humour. He created an empathy that is very difficult to find.
In spite of his constant difficulties, Ignasi shows a lot of positivity.
Of course, sending a positive message above all the chaos in this world was my intention. I thought that by using him it could talk about things that affect us and other themes, but giving the message: “Christ! We have to get out of thi somehow!”
The film deals with awkward subjects including AIDS and religion.
If talking about what affects us is awkward, I am the most awkward person in the world. At the end of the day, films are what directors are.
For example the first sequence that we ran with him is where the film starts when Ignasi discusses the 29 different tablets he takes for medication. I said to him no, we have to roll it again. We have to make it like a Woody Allen film because it is the beginning and it has to be done well.
Why did you decide to keep the project a secret from the beginning?
To protect him. I thought: you believe that it is worth doing this, but what if it does not come out? People will talk. The truth is that success comes as a bit of a surprise to my company because if I had made the film it is because I believed that I had to do it and it was in my interest to do so. So what if in Australia, Japan, North and South America, Europe and everywhere else people mock the film? The truth behind the character and the way of explaining it is very interesting. Talking truthfully about things, but with humour and with an absolutely optimistic message. For years we have lived where our wallet has been robbed, but they will not take from us what cannot be taken: the ability to laugh and our urge to ‘get on with it’. This film is an example of this.
Although in Spain and certain countries the topic of homosexuality is dealt with freely, what is your opinion?
A law was passed by the Catalonian Parliament against homophobia, which no Spanish newspaper has covered. It is a very advanced law. It portrayed the gays as “useless and social dangers”. Evidently a lot has changed.
I am Catalonian and I have to say that our society has always been very tolerant about this subject, perhaps because it has suffered so much.
Morality is also a question of geography, as in certain Arabic countries, children of 18-years-old are still hung because they are found to be having sexual relations. Fortunately, that does not happen here. Western society is advancing a lot at different levels. For example, in Spain, one of the best things that Zapatero did was directly related to this subject. I believe that the big problem in Spain is the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, not the People’s Party, and I regret saying this because I am progressive (I don’t like to say the Left). Before I was more progressive, but my ideas have changed a lot.
Do you believe that Cinema visualizes this subject matter?it depends on what film, but if the film is based on a true story then yes. In Spain there is a tradition of defining film with important gay subject matters. It must be said that this could not be the only theme in the film.
Were you expecting to become so successful?
Well, there are films of mine that have been a great success around the world. It is also unexpected.
Why? Because it is a piece of non-fiction and if it involves truth, interest and travel it will spread to other countries. You don’t travel by the flag if not because you have something that people like to explain. The truth is Ignasi creates an enormous empathy and this is really good because people put a few hours of their life aside to watch a film, so for me as the film maker, the most important thing is that when people see the film they know that you are telling them something that you want to say and that it means something to them.
In the film the characters are very sincere and say what they think.
That is the greatness of Ignasi, he knows how to attract people around him.
What projects are you currently working on?
Several. I am one of those people who prepares everything meticulously and you have to know a lot about what you are talking about. Everyone has room in the cinema, but the type of cinema that interests me are stories with content. Therefore, to tell these stories well at least in the type of cinema that I produce, you have to involve yourself a great deal. If not, you get lost. (The Prisma memoirs)
(Translated by Suzanne Elman) – Photos: Pixabay
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