Today, we had the opportunity to chat with Isabel Coixet, a film director whom we have been able to interview on the occasion of her latest film "The bookstore", based on the book of Penelope Fitzgerald. We leave you with his words and remind you that this great film can be seen in the cinema since last November 3, the day of its premiere.
Actualidad Literatura: Good afternoon Isabel, how are you? First of all, thank you for this interview for the website of Actualidad Literatura, and personally, I would like to tell you that I am quite happy to be the one to do it for you, since I have followed your work for many years and your films are one of the few that I can watch over and over again and not get tired of. What caught your attention? from the book "The Bookshop" ("The bookstore") of Penelope Fitzgerald to say I want to make a movie of this?
Isabel Coixett: Well, it seemed to me a book of fierce nihilism, of great intelligence, with a character with whom I identify a lot, which is Florence Green, the protagonist. And it seemed to me a story that, although apparently small, had a universal resonance that I liked and interested me.
AL: As I have already read and as you have just said yourself, you have a predilection for the main character of the novel, Florence Green, to the point of feeling super connected to her as never before had you been with any other character in your films ... Why than? What is Florence Green like and what can we get from her experiences?
INNER: Well, because he is an innocent character, somewhat naive, humble, coherent, who really loves his books and who believes that he has to do something in his life,… I like him, there are things with which I identify. For example, in the scene where you go to the dressmaker and she is trying on your suit. Florence sees that the suit does not fit her, and yet she has to put up with how the dressmaker tells her "Bah! Don't worry, nobody is going to notice you ". I like to reflect these small ruin in everyday life, where there are many people busy making life unhappy for others ...
AL: Penelope's book talks about a bookstore that is created out of nothing and in a super hostile environment. We can say that in part, it closely resembles the reality that the world of booksellers and literature in general are currently living ... Do you think that the advancement of technology and the appearance of e-books Has it contributed to a great extent to that little literary consumerism or, on the contrary, do you think that errors were already being produced in terms of education, book prices, etc. that have caused this love for literature to decline?
INNER: The price of books seems silly to me, because if there is one thing in Spain, it is bookstores and libraries where you can read whatever you want. Anyone who does not read today is because he does not want to. What is not there, of course, is an incentive for children to motivate them to read. Reading is essential: to write, to live other lives, to have fun, to learn, to move around the world ... It is essential that you like books!
AL: What values and reflections can we get so much from the book "The bookstore" as from your movie, Isabel?
INNER: Well, I don't know ... Besides making the film, I think it is open to many interpretations ... There the viewer wants to give it and what inspires it.
AL: What do you recommend to our readers? Actualidad Literatura? Read Penelope's book first and then watch her movie or vice versa?
INNER: (Chuckling) I don't know… I think the book is wonderful, it's a great novel. I also think that the film is softer, in some way, I have changed aspects of the novel that seemed very difficult for the viewer to swallow on a screen ... In that sense, I have tried to soften it and give a light above all, because as already I said, the book is of impressive nihilism. I have tried that there was some hope.
AL: And going into more cinematic issues, how has it been working with actors of the stature of Bill Nighy and Patricia Clarkson?
INNER: Well Patricia, it's the third movie since I'm doing with her, so I'm delighted. And Bill is a wonderful actor, Bill is a marvel ... But hey, the protagonist of this film is Emily Mortimer, who is in all planes.
AL: Referring to her: Why did you decide to have Emily Mortimer play the title role of Florence in your film? What captivated you about her to decide on your work in this film adaptation, Isabel?
INNER: She is an actress who whenever I saw her in movies and series, I thought she had something ... There is something there that never made her a protagonist. And I felt that it could be from this novel.
AL: Finally, I do not want to abuse your time and generosity: If you had to keep the story of one of your films, what would it be?
INNER: They all have something… I like each one for very different reasons. I have a lot of affection for "Things I never told you", because it was a movie that was made like this one from "The bookstore"Through thick and thin, no one understood my reasons for doing it, it was kind of very complicated… But at the same time it was nice to finish it and wear it as I wanted.
AL: And what is Isabel Coixet's favorite book?
INNER: This question is difficult… There are many books. Perhaps Stendhal's "Red and Black" is a book that I always return to, it seems wonderful to me.
Again, thank you for your time Isabel… Thank you from all the team we manage Actualidad Literatura. Best of luck in this film and may it be very successful.