- The film, starring Isak Férriz and newcomer Julia Sulleiro, premiered at the RTVE Gala
The 70th SEMINCI today hosted the world premiere of Leo & Lou, a co-production between Spain, the United Kingdom and Romania directed by debutant Carlos Solano, nominated for a Goya in 2016 for the short film Strangers on the Road. The director, along with actors Maggie Civantos, Isak Férriz, Julia Sulleiro and Manuel Manquiña, co-writer Carlos Camba, and producers Miriam Rodríguez and Gervasio Iglesias, presented the film, included in the Special Screenings section, at the RTVE Gala held at the Teatro Zorrilla.
The chosen family
A grumpy man, played by Isak Férriz (Bank Under Siege, Burning Body), and a 10-year-old girl who has run away from a shelter (Julia Sulleiro) embark on an impromptu journey together along the roads of Galicia. Like a contemporary Bonnie and Clyde, Leo and Lou intertwine their paths, building a friendship that shatters all expectations.
Diversity is something that the film conveys and defends through its own plot. Leo stopped speaking after the premature death of his parents in an accident at sea. Scarred by this trauma, he has lost his ability to connect easily with other people. Lou provides him with a safe space where he can be himself. To achieve this, working with sign language was a cornerstone of the project. ‘In the casting, we were looking for children who could sign. Julia comes from an inclusive school where this language is taught,’ said one of the film’s producers, Miriam Rodríguez.
The director, who captures a non-paternalistic view in the film, concluded: ‘Deaf people are citizens, they should teach that in all schools. I find it terrifying to live near someone and not be able to communicate with them, and there is something perverse about ignoring these people. It makes me wonder how we have treated deaf people to make them feel that we have left them behind. I think we need to stop and try to understand their way of seeing the world.’
A family film
More than friendship, Leo and Lou find family in each other, challenging the idea of strictly biological criteria. ‘Lou left Galicia to escape his own family past. But alongside Leo and through this journey, he matures. Thanks to this, he reconnects with his father, something he had been meaning to do for many years,‘ said Isak Férriz. The actor also praised the work of the young performers: ’I like working with them because of the enthusiasm they bring to their approach to their characters and the scenes. Julia is a naturally gifted actress and it was great fun to treat our work as a game.’
Gervasio Iglesias, deputy director of film at RTVE, highlighted Leo & Lou’s ability to reach a wide range of audiences: ‘We have to support emerging talent and, above all, this idea of being able to make films for all kinds of audiences. There’s nothing better than going to the cinema and coming out with more energy than you had when you went in. In that sense, this is a film not to be missed.’