Eros and Thanatos According to Freud, a constructive impulse that seeks beauty coexists in the human being, but there is also a tendency towards self-destruction that seems to contradict the one truth of our species: that we are the ones who survive.
Fair tells the true story of things so incredible and impressive that it seems impossible for them to exist in real life. Vemos a a group of friends who love sports events.
Especially on BASE Jump, which is a journey that consists of launching from airplanes, flying as much as possible like Superman and opening parachutes as late as possible. And we will die, one by one, until one. One in five.
Gradually, en Fair Manolo Chana (José Manuel Ponga) dies; David Marcè (Álvaro Bultó); the famous chef Darío Barrio (Miguel Ángel Silvestre) and finally, in a tragic and bleak “tour de guion”, Carlos Suárez (Carlos Cuevas), who is the protagonist of the film, during the film journey. The only survivor is Armando del Rey (Miguel Bernardeu), a duo from the popular Madrid tablao La morería.
The latest tragedy, which, as director Salvador Calvo (Madrid, 1970) explained, is just beginning with the film. Here I encouraged the director and the production team to go ahead with the film.
En Fair, aerial acrobatics spectacle (they seem to literally fly like superheroes) mingles with unusual tragedy. An unanswered question is asked: Why do these generally well-to-do men choose to play such a risky sport in life? The above is exceptional for a production, but that is the reality many BASE jumpers die each yearyou have one death list who accredits him.
Goya’s hero in the best direction Bye (2020), Calvo is also the author of other titles such as 1898: Los últimos de Filipinas (2018) or Valley of Shadows (2023). Your intention is to combine fun with dramatic height. Like many classic movies.
Please. Are you expecting such an emotional reaction from the public?
Response. Yes, in a way yes. The story is very difficult and long. Death is present from the first moment, but that’s why the film has so much about life. It was clear to me that I didn’t want to make a dark or depressing film, but rather a deeply vitalistic film. When death seeks so much, life gains enormous value. This inevitably happens.
P. Is it impossible to deny the question why these men risk their lives so much when they know they can easily die?
R. So don’t keep it. And I think Nadia holds it. There is a mystery in life that cannot be completely solved. Like when I said it: I didn’t have a migration solution. Here I have a definitive explanation as to why this is happening. My task is not to give clear answers, but to show reality in its entirety and leave the viewer room for insight.
P. The key line in the film is “It’s tragic to die two years in a hospital”.
R. This sentence is escuché in the thanatorium. Someone commented on the tragedy that happened, and someone else reacted to it.
It had a huge impact on me. Because in the background it restores a very specific philosophy of life. In the case of Carlos Suárez, death occurred within two or three seconds. No extended time limit. And before him, life was as intensely alive as I wanted to live it. This idea is difficult, even uncomfortable, but it is essential to understand these people.
P. What idea explains why you should jump after one of your friends falls?
R. Yes. There is something very clear: If you stop, honey will appear. Ellos hablan de “los phantoms”. If you hold them, start imagining, anticipating, blocking art. The way they have to fight is to follow, turn and jump to show you that the event was circumstances. From the outside it may seem like nonsense, but inside its logic it has meaning.
P. Do you have an addendum to my application?
R. Sure you got it. And there is nothing left to decide. There is a very obvious chemical dimension here. When you face a situation limited by adrenaline, your body prepares for the extraordinary, you feel stronger, more alive, more powerful. If you live, you get endorphins that produce immense joy. Ace engancha. And you also have tolerance: what seems brutal to you the first time, will not bring you the same the second time. The units are investigating a serious crime.
There is a very strong collective component here. He talks about the “trench syndrome” that even soldiers or war correspondents feel. Sharing extreme experiences creates very deep lives. It’s not the same as sharing coffee in a workshop, rather than sharing something that can be harmful. If they create a very intense community, a shared identity. And that’s also part of the attraction.
P. Death is brutal: many will die. Is it a tragedy?
R. It is undoubtedly a tragedy. There are very difficult moments during the process. I went to send them to Armand (the only survivor), a serious middle schooler in Bromo, who please don’t leave them outside. No one could go on. The story takes you away and puts you face to face with the fragility of a very straight path.
P. The death of Carlos occurs during the preparation of the film. How did I impact the project?
R. It was a terrible coup. We stopped and wondered what to do. And the key was the location of his life, which we wanted to follow closely because this story was Carlos’ biggest illusion. From now on, he bought a different size rod. Everything is done with respect, care and delicacy that I have never seen before. During the Academy, the entire technical team cheered dejectedly.
Director Salvador Calvo at the performance of ‘La Fiera’. Photo: Disney.
P. Is it in deference to the people who died very little asking about the movie?
R. I didn’t feel it was a limitation. On the contrary. We choose not to be explicit, not to show certain things, and that has to be done with respect, but also with a cinematographic decision. Living this tragedy of the search allowed me to understand how someone lives inside like this and translate it with truth. I think this gives the film sensitivity and depth.
P. The pictures from the tour are fascinating.
R. I am and now I have a clear goal: to celebrate death. I was very aware of that. Flying is hypnotic, superhero-like in some cases, but the opposite must always be present. Life has value because it is close to death. If you forget that, get to the heart of the story.
P. The structure alternates past and present. How do you get it?
R. I was very interested in how emotions change over time. At the moment of impact, there is often a certain kind of anesthesia, paralysis. Years later, when you notice it, the emotion appears with more force, even before it achieves a concrete thing. In other cases, it is the opposite. Playing with these timelines allowed me to explore the battle of different places.
P. There are two female characters that work as one. Is it very difficult to love someone who can die at any moment?
R. Especially Miriam, who will be Carlos’ new daughter. She is the eye of the beholder. He rejoins the group and gradually discovers the world: vitality, energy, friendship, but also shadow. The public can enter through your eyes without having to share this extreme experience.
P. Where are the real feelings left?
R. Much. The guide shared with everyone involved. Center for dialogue, support and approval. There were obviously narrative choices, but the reality was never forced. Also, don’t overdo anything: what you cover is strong enough. The story pedia contains, not below.
P. The film is a debate about freedom.
R. Yes. At what point are we free to live the life we want? We are all children of others, parents of others, fathers of others. Freedom can be interpreted as selfishness or a lack of empathy. And when death approaches, the question seems inevitable: Am I seeing vividly the life I desire or the life others hope for me? Here it is embodied in the ultimate risk, but it could be applied to many other vital decisions.
P. Is it a self-destructive movie?
R. I believe it is a film about the completeness of the human being. We all have a constructive part and a self-destructive part. Normally these two things are separated: we take care of our body but have too few babies, or we work a lot but on the other hand we suffer. Here everything is repeated over and over again. They are more alive than ever precisely because they seek death. It’s a paradox hard to imagine.
P. It is also a film against the current dominant morality.
R. Let’s live it a society that hides death and punishes any form of self-destruction. Everything is positive thinking, healthy living, control. This story goes against the grain of that morality and for its unpleasantness. But I believe that it is also necessary to look at this saving part of the human being.
P. What do you expect the viewer to take away when the cinema continues?
R. Let him rise with the ability to speak, discuss, think about his own life. I found a viewer who had no relation to this world, who said something I will never forget: “The film does not belong to me, but it gave me the strength to live, to do the things I think about.” If so, it’s all worth it.
Leave a Reply