Carol Rodríguez’s Chavalas resumes filming
- After grinding to a halt because of the pandemic, this feature debut produced by Marta Figueras, starring Carolina Yuste, Vicky Luengo, Ángela Cervantes and Elisabet Casanovas, has restarted shooting
The feature-length fiction debut by Carol Rodríguez Colás will wrap its shoot at the end of June, having resumed after the break forced upon it by the coronavirus crisis. Chavalas [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which is being filmed in the Barcelona neighbourhood of Poblenou and in Cornellà, stars Vicky Luengo (The Laws of Thermodynamics [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mateo Gil
film profile] and soon to appear in the series Antidisturbios – see the news), Elisabet Casanovas (famous for her role in the series Merlí), Carolina Yuste (winner of the Goya Award for her turn in Carmen & Lola [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Arantxa Echevarría
film profile] and set to grace screens in Sky High [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Daniel Calparsoro
film profile] in August) and Ángela Cervantes (Perfect Life [+see also:
series review
trailer
series profile]). The cast is rounded off by Ana Fernández, José Mota, Cristina Plazas, Mario Zorrilla, Biel Durán, Maite Buenafuente, Lluís Marquès and Frank Feys.
The synopsis of Chavalas introduces us to Marta, Desi, Soraya and Bea, inseparable friends from school, who reunite to relive their tragicomic friendship: this new reality will force them to confront the teenagers they once were and the women they want to be. Because almost without realising, they will help each other to make important decisions in their lives. The passing of time and the differences between them will not stop their friendship from prevailing above all else.
“Chavalas does not approach the ‘neighbourhood’ by exoticising it or by boiling its image down to the folklore that it’s been subjected to, especially by the music industry,” remarked Carol Rodríguez. “The film is a fresh and naturalistic proposition that depicts the very essence of the suburbs, without associating them with the marginalisation that they get lumped in with all too often. It’s a real, vibrant, lively neighbourhood, where four friends live through situations brimming with truth, humour and emotion.”
A graduate in Audiovisual Communication at the Ramon Llull University, majoring in Photojournalism, this first-time feature director worked as a producer and editor for more than ten years at production houses such as Eddie Saeta and Boomerang TV Productions. Standing out among her previous works are several episodes of the TV series Bany Compartit (2019), and the short films Breve Encuentro (2016), Vella Rosario (2015) and Una comedia romántica (2012).
Producer Marta Figueras tells us, “All of a sudden, we had to cut short the shoot on 13 March, and the people from Madrid had to leg it in order to avoid getting stuck in Barcelona. When we returned to the set, we worked with all of the safety guidelines, and we ran into things that forced us to rewrite the screenplay, as some scenes depicting physical contact are not permitted. Thus, we gradually came up with various tricks, and we had to hone our imagination, creating situations that have also ended up being entertaining.”
Chavalas is a production by Chavalas la película AIE, in conjunction with Balance Media Entertainment, and with the involvement of RTVE, Televisió de Catalunya and ICEC. It will be distributed by Filmax, which will also take care of its international sales.
(Translated from Spanish)
Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.
