Juan Diego Botto promotion: two hours of sleep, 30 interviews and hundreds of kisses

When Juan Diego Botto (Buenos Aires, 47 years old) opened his eyes on Friday morning in San Sebastián, he had not been in bed —or in the city— for more than two hours.

And when he leaves his room at 10:30 on the first floor of the María Cristina hotel, he has already had “a liter of coffee” and is convinced that he is facing a very long day, almost close to a joke. .

If yesterday (Thursday) he was in Martos (Jaén), today Friday this is San Sebastián and tomorrow Saturday the lunch will be in Móstoles (Madrid).

In between, dozens of interviews, several excited toasts, a lot of nerves.

And kisses, many kisses.

As Luis Tosar, another of the actors in

"Sometimes we seem like politicians to those who put babies in their arms."

More information

The immersion of Penélope Cruz and Juan Diego Botto in the drama of evictions

The actor and now film director with

is in the middle of the tour of his play

Both the premiere of the film at the Venice Film Festival and the screening in the Perlak section of San Sebastian of

his debut as a director, have been intertwined with his performances of

And the actor, National Theater Award, staunchly defends the stage, but also his film.

On Thursday, when the performance of his monologue in Jaén ended at night, a car was waiting for him with the mission of depositing him as soon as possible (with obligatory stops for the driver's rest) 799 kilometers to the north, in San Sebastián.

When Botto entered the hotel, it was just dawn.

There he was waiting for his partner, the journalist and co-writer of the film, Olga Rodríguez.

"At least someone hugged me for a couple of hours," jokes the actor hours later, with another coffee in hand.

Juan Diego Botto leaves his room at 10:30 in the morning. Javier Hernández

At half past ten in the morning, Botto doesn't look tired.

Nor twelve hours later, when she leaves the film party in a taxi with Rodríguez and her friend from school, Sergi, on her way to say goodbye to her friend, partner in front of the cameras and producer of

Penélope Cruz, who had previously withdrawn.

The performance in Móstoles on Saturday prevented her from being at the delivery of the National Film Award for the actress.

In that morning start on Friday, Botto joins him in the lobby of the Luis Tosar hotel.

Both cross the Plaza de Oquendo to record an interview with Movistar in a studio built on a terrace of the Victoria Eugenia theater.

Kisses and photos with fans begin, impossible to go unnoticed.

Until nightfall, Botto's life will take place between these two buildings, a limited space that won't even let him see the sea.

Half an hour later, at 11:00, she returned to the hotel, although to continue with television interviews on the side terraces of the hotel establishment.

The sky opens up and a fear that it will rain on the red carpet of her gala disappears.

Botto doesn't care about the promotion.

“It's part of my job, and more so on this movie, which I've directed, co-written, driven...,” he says.

Shortly before, Sergi, Botto's lifelong friend from school, and by profession, a ham maker, appeared.

They look at each other as if they were returning to their childhood, and Sergi will be the one who makes the actor laugh the most for the next few hours.

Twelve noon, time to go back up to the first floor of the María Cristina, to suite 128-129, which the festival reserves for promotions.

There, in the central room, the journalists wait, while in a small room, equipped with television equipment, Tosar and Botto sit.

Increase the intake of gum, some coffee, and the reporters parade.

At night, Botto will confess:

“The questions that I am asked the most are how Penélope Cruz entered or sponsored this project and why I make social cinema.”

And what has surprised you the most?

“One that has made me think has been from Luis Martínez, from

which has asked me how

and

Juan Diego Botto and Luis Tosar cross Friday at 10.40 in the morning from the María Cristina hotel to the Victoria Eugenia theater to make the first interview.Javier Hernandez

Penélope Cruz completes the promotional trio starting at 1:30 p.m.

She has been at the festival since Friday night, but poses at the entrance to the hotel at 1:00 p.m. so that the photographers and cameras can bear witness.

Somewhat belatedly, the actress sits in the mini-TV studio.

No one is lacking in their responses, which underline the importance of telling what is currently happening with evictions.

"Housing exemplifies the problem of poverty in Spain," she says.

At 2:50 p.m., on the run, Botto leaves the

and returns to the theater, while Cruz faces two more interviews.

The director has asked to check the sound of the projection.

"In Venice I didn't like it, and I want it to come out well here."

The press team for the film, the public relations of the festival in charge of this team and the technicians of the theater have juggled to fit the test.

The process is fast, and curiously Botto asks to lower the volume, when the usual thing is to raise it.

The technician agrees: "These chairs absorb almost as much sound as a human body, so there is no difference between a full and empty stalls."

Tosar, Cruz and Botto, in the television interviews at 2:00 p.m. at the hotel.Javier Hernandez

Back to the hotel, to one of the restaurants, the Saigon cafe, where this time he will meet fifteen members of the team.

Encarna, Penélope Cruz's mother;

Goya Toledo, friend of the actress;

Luia Mayol, Tosar's actress partner;

Nur Al Levi, actress and Botto's sister, who also appears in the film;

and other cast members such as Adelfa Calvo, Font García, Aixa Villagrán and Christian Checa.

Botto had planned to say hello and go up to sleep.

He sits down, and Olga Rodríguez senses it: “If he sits down, he doesn't get up.

And he has to sleep until 18:00.”

Indeed, the actor stays the entire meal, in which he toasts excitedly for the team that has accompanied him in the challenge.

And there will be almost no nap.

Leaving the meal, Botto crosses paths in the hotel cafeteria with Fernando León de Aranoa, who is presenting his documentary on Joaquín Sabina.

They begin to chat: León was the one who encouraged him to direct, because if the material was his, who better to direct it.

The rest time decreases until it almost disappears.

Gala at the Victoria Eugenia

At six in the evening it is time for the show.

It is the agreed time to leave the hotel and walk the red carpet to the gala.

Contrary to the main red carpet of the festival, that of the Kursaal, this one is not covered and allows a large public on both sides, behind the fences.

At the end, before posing for the photographers, there are members of the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages, holding banners with slogans such as "Stop evictions."

Botto directs the steps of the entourage towards them, and both he and Cruz pick up protest shirts with which they pose.

Inside the theater, at 6:30 p.m., Botto remembers on stage that 25 years ago

when the new Kursaal did not even exist.

That you feel one more in this city, and that this public imposes on you.

More applause.

In the box, part of the artistic team stays to watch the film (for them it is the first time), others return to the hotel to rest, others participate in the red carpet at the opening of the festival, and Botto and Rodríguez stay in the room VIP of the theater, after seeing the start of the projection.

Juan Diego Botto picks up a PAH t-shirt on the red carpet at the Victoria Eugenia.javier Hernandez

That hour will be dedicated by the people of the production company and the press team to continue checking networks, recharging mobiles.

Botto confesses, without ever sitting down: “I'm nervous, of course.

It is the first screening with an audience in Spain.

And on top of that here, at the San Sebastián festival”.

How many times have you seen

“Well, I don't even know, from 30 to 40″.

He talks about the Dardenne brothers, about Laurent Cantet, whose cinema he idolizes, about Montxo Armendáriz, whom he loves and respects... At some point during the day he has smoked, something he doesn't usually do.

He insists on the importance of the team, of colleagues, "of all those who work on the film".

Very discreet, not a malicious comment comes out of his mouth.

Instead, he remembers "all the times that Penelope, as a producer, has supported me."

15 minutes before the end of the screening, he returns to the box.

From there she sees the end of his film, which ends with a bleak sign, reminding us that 400,000 evictions have been carried out in Spain, and 100 a day still occur today.

Tosar and Penélope Cruz enter, and with the lights on comes the apotheosis.

The stalls stand up, the public from the other boxes applauds furiously.

Only one person is still: Botto's little nephew, son of Nur Al Levi and musician Alejandro Pelayo, is crying, scared by the end of a character.

Botto takes him in his arms and finally the actress who embodies that role will approach him, to show him that what happened on the screen is fiction.

Leaving the theater returns Botto's distress, who will only breathe on the bus that takes the film crew to a private party at the Aiete palace, at the other end of La Concha.

It's 8:50 p.m.

The director stands up: “Benidorm is a place that you are going to love.

Welcome to this journey of the Inserso”.

As throughout the day, Botto looks at Rodríguez and says: "We'll only be here for a moment, it's to be with the team, and we'll go to bed", so that his actions despise him later.

Yesterday, Saturday, on the way to Móstoles, after leaving San Sebastián at 11:30, he was smiling: the effort was worth it.

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