Paloma Suau brings the classic “The Lady of the Camellias” to the present.

Making a movie in the middle of a pandemic can be a living manifestation of magical realism. Work “bubbles” must be generated, and the body of talents and technicians must be allowed there, constant COVID-19 testing must be carried out, physical contact must be limited, so it is a new way of making movies accepted as presented, or discarded.

Director Paloma Suau took on the challenge of producer Rafael Abudo Massó to create a script in October 2020, bring it – both physically and in text – to the present and bring it to life in front of the camera this month. It was the opportunity the Puerto Rican filmmaker longed for.

“A while ago I was looking forward to being called as a director and not having to produce because it’s very difficult to do both, and I was looking forward to being called to hire me and do something” , said Suau.

The script, as originally presented, did not connect her. It was a tragic version of the novel “The Lady of the Camellias” (1848) which he fortunately had the freedom to transform and bring to the present in an authentic Puerto Rican context. Thus was born “Las Camellias”, a film set in a somewhat more advanced time within the pandemic, while retaining the nuances of the original world of dancer and prostitute “Margarita”, played by Denise Quiñones.

“It’s a classic work, but we’re navigating a sea of ​​clichés and I wanted to see how that was transformed into a kind of homage to something that’s part of our idiosyncrasy, because clichés are real and make up a lot of who we are, but the challenge was to navigate through it without one charrería, make a good movie, and then I said, the only way to do this is to change the rhythm, modernize it and find humor through some characters played by some top-notch actors, and create these relationships within them where we this language achieve that although we do it seriously, it makes us laugh ”, said the director.

The cast includes Xavier Morales, Mickey Negrón, Anushka Medina, José E. Hernández, Salomé Monroig (daughter of Glenn Monrig, Suau’s sister), Erick Rodríguez, Junior Álvarez, Carola García, Yan Collazo, Bryan Villarini, Luis O ‘Farrill, Marian Pabón, Israel Lugo, Cristina Soler, Modesto Lacén, Cordelia González, Camila Monclova, Heyda Salamán, Braulio Castillo, Jr., and Alexandra Malagón, among others.

“There is no disregard for death, or COVID, or all the serious things that happen, or impossible loves, but within the situation it is done in such a way that we laugh, because even in the ugly there are always beautiful things and in everything there is always humor ”, Suau thought about the optimistic message he wants to leave in the audience.

“If you don’t know how to turn the tragedy into something you can laugh about, we’ll keep getting caught because these are very difficult times,” he said.

“Las Camellias” begins with the character “Margarita” (Quiñones), to whom the brothel owner, “Osman” (Junior Álvarez), announces that a major television producer will visit them at night, fueling her illusion that she is leaving that environment behind. an other world. That same evening, “Armando Vidal” (Xavier Morales) arrives at the club to enjoy his bachelorette party, and there is confusion, very typical of comedies of error, that starts a love triangle between these characters.

The transvestite character “Rubí”, represented by Villarini, is a tribute from the director to the late Antonio Pantojas, who played “The Lady of the Camellias” at the time.

“Another happy accident”

In honor of the title of his most recent documentary, “The Happy Accident”, Suau spoke enthusiastically about the content of the project to his work on set. On Monday he completed the first phase of filming in the “bubble” made in Aguadilla and today begins the second phase in San Lorenzo, which will last three days. The last two weeks are in Aibonito.

“It was great, I’ve wanted to make a narrative feature for a long time, it was a full collaboration,” he said. On a cinematographic level, he “plays a lot” with the senses, so he combines long camera images with transitions to short, closed shots.

Work on site with Denise, he said, it was a pleasure. Previously he directed it in the project “Elena Santos”.

“The work he does is so extraordinary in his characterization … He is a person of teamwork,” he explained.

Both will have their first experience directing a sex scene, one as a director and the other as an actress. “It’s a relief to have a lead actress who plays.”

At the technical level, “Las camelias” integrates Abudo Massó, executive product; Yamara Rodríguez, producer, Willie Berríos, director of photography; Luis Edgardo Maldonado and Emilio Olabarrieta, art; Tita Núñez, wardrobe; Bryan Villarini and his team, make up and sound, Margarita Aponte.

The songs in the film, “En boca de todos” and “Vamo ‘there”, are compositions by Glenn Monroig, performed by Denise Quiñones and Salomé Monroig respectively.

Shooting ends on March 15 in San Juan.