On Fridays ….

Most people look forward to Fridays but if you´re a film buff, Fridays are even better because that´s the day of the week when films are usually released. Browsing through the newspaper or the Internet to find out what´s on at your local cinema turns into an exciting moment when you are a real cinemagoer. Sometimes the excitement comes in the form of a film adaptation as you are really anxious to discover what your favourite book has become on the big screen. As usual, it is not easy to please a reader who has turned a written story into a personal experience thanks to the power of imagination: film adaptations are bound to please but they area also bound to disappoint readers who find it difficult to recognise the characters, the plots, the nuances or even the settings that came alive when those readers opened a book and embarked on a journey devised by the talent and the creativity of an author. Translating the magical power of the written words to the big screen has been and will always been one of the great challenges for film-makers. These days we have the opportunity of watching another film adaptation: The Girl on the Train. The film bears the same title as the book written by Paula Hawkings, an amnesia thriller that became one of the most popular best-sellers last year. The novel received good reviews thanks to its ingenious twists and the creation of an unusual but solid character that may not be so likeable at the beginning of the story.  The protagonist of the story – Rachel – is played by Emily Blunt, an actress who is usually elegant, witty and chameleonic, features that often characterise talented actors. Nevertheless, we must bear in mind that the success of a good film adaptation does not depend only on the cast of actors as there are a number of elements that also influence the final outcome. But even if all those elements were perfect, there wouldn´t be any guarantee of a perfect adaptation: no one knows the perfect formula to make the best film adaptation in the same way as no one really knows the formula to make a good film.

 Have you watched any film adaptation lately? Had you read the book on which the story of the film was based? Do you feel that it is necessary to read the book so that you can fully enjoy the film?

Starry nights at San Sebastián

The 64^th edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival came to an end last weekend. This year the festival could boast the high number of film stars that attended this annual event in the beautiful city of San Sebastián.  I don´t know whether the sky was really full of stars but what is sure is that the streets were full of film stars: Ethan Hawke, Monica Bellucci, Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, Sigourney Weaver, Richard Gere, Fan Bingbing …  one can be tempted to mistake San Sebastian for Hollywood, at least, for a few seconds, of course!! What most film stars point out about this festival when they are interviewed by the local press is the fact that the atmosphere is really great in this city: the city is elegant but cosy and welcoming and traditional Basque gastronomy is a great discovery for all of them.  

Funnily enough, last year there was some controversy because the actress who was chosen to be presented with the Donostia Award was not regarded as the kind of film star that is usually chosen for this award. But this year two Hollywood actors have been chosen for such an honour: Ethan Hawke and Sigourney Weaver. Film festivals call for the presence of film stars who catch the attention of the mass media while they devote time to the promotion of their new films or they receive awards. Obviously, without them, film festivals wouldn´t make the headlines but don´t you have the feeling that sometimes the media coverage focuses on the film stars too much? Those headlines tell us about the arrival of those film stars surrounded by fans, photographers and reporters but very often, they don´t tell us much more about their work, that is, about the films they have made. That´s why, we shouldn´t forget that beyond the glamour, the red carpet and the flashes what really matters is the story that is worth telling about.

                               Sigourney Weaver´s acceptance speech was really touching.