Javier Bardem receives the Donostia Award: “You need a huge ego because you want to be seen” | Culture | EUROtoday

The Hollywood actors' strike led Javier Bardem (Las Palmas, 55 years previous) to just accept however not gather one of many Donostia awards on the final version of the San Sebastian pageant. Today, sure, this Friday from the palms of his brothers, Monica and Carlos Bardem, and from his instructor Juan Carlos Corazza, the six-time winner of the Goya award for performing (plus two others as producer), the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. There isn’t any nation for previous males and the Silver Shell for Days are numbered y The detective and dying obtained the award on the Kursaal stage through the opening gala of the 72nd Zinemaldia.

Very excited and with the viewers standing, together with his accomplice, Penelope Cruz, Bardem recalled his first journey to the competition in 1993, due to Golden eggs: “With a huge poster that really pissed me off, which made me wonder what I had done.” He then listed a few of the creators who’ve accompanied him on his appearances in Donostia and thanked his brothers for caring for him whereas his mom labored: “If I am here alive, it is because of them.” He lovingly reminded Corazza, a theatre director and performing instructor, of their work collectively, in quest of “emotional nakedness.” And lastly, he devoted the award: “It is for four people. First, I feel my mother happy in this theatre. It is also for a woman with whom I share my life.” [y se echó a llorar, mientras miraba a Penélope Cruz en el anfiteatro]. And this reward that you simply, Rebordinos and the general public of Donostia, who’re very nice, have given me goes to Leonardo and Luna, our youngsters, two angels and the luck we’ve got had in life. I’ll convey it to you tomorrow.”

Before, she held a press convention to defend her approach of seeing life, with a belligerent perspective in direction of injustice, humble within the face of recognition and a defender of a approach of performing that’s more and more far faraway from histrionics and unbridled dives into characters. And in passing, she introduced that in January, in Fuerteventura, she’s going to start filming The liked one, by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, alongside Victoria Luengo, the place he’ll play an acclaimed movie director who shoots a movie together with his daughter, an unsuccessful actress, after years of father-son estrangement and a troublesome previous that the 2 don’t need to speak about.

His speak started with an evaluation of his social dedication: “There is no other option, because it surpasses any will or desire to do. I am a lucky person, blessed by life, but beyond that, I seek to support those who contribute to advances in civil and social rights. I have learned over the years that you have to choose sides. Unfortunately, these sides exist, and I am clear that there are unacceptable things. This commitment is born from the education I received from my mother, and later it has been nourished by my experiences with my colleagues, because I do not know an actor who is not extremely sensitive.”

Do I generally take into consideration retaining quiet? Yes, I’m human. But self-censorship is what wins, those that assault human or civil rights.

He himself even confessed to being simply moved to tears. He hoped he wouldn't cry on the gala, “although it will happen.” And in response to this Donostia, he stated: “Being awarded for my passion is incredible. And with all humility I still feel that I don't deserve so much attention. When I received the Silver Shell for my passion thirty years ago, I was a little worried about the fact that … Days are numbered y The detective and death I already felt privileged. Today, even more so.”

The figure of Pilar Bardem, his mother, who passed away three years ago, constantly hovered over the press conference, and many of the responses from her youngest son have revolved around her legacy to the Bardems: “Even today I discover how important she was to me, and now to my children. She instilled humility and empathy in me.” He drew from her his rebellion against some current events: “I cannot lose sight of the fact that I belong to a society. Individually, you cannot make changes, but in a group you can.” Among his treasures, a photo of the kiss he received from Pilar when it was announced at a press conference (previously the list of winners was made public hours before the gala) that he had won the Silver Shell. “I am still Pilar’s ​​son. Look, Carlos [su hermano] She remembers an anecdote that I, who am younger, don't. My mother worked a lot, she was a separated woman at a time when being separated was seen as bad. We were lucky to have days when we ate pork chops and pasta with tomato. Other times we didn't. And despite that, every month they came to ask for money for the rights of Sahrawi women and she gave them, which made that little Carlos angry. Actions change more than words. I hope to die as Pilar's son.”

I hope to die being Pilar’s ​​son”

The Bardems have by no means been afraid to specific their opinion on present occasions, and this was the longest response within the press convention: “I have always lived in Madrid, except for the occasional period when I have been away for filming. So I follow all the current events. Do I sometimes think about keeping quiet? Yes, I am human. But self-censorship is what wins, those who attack human or civil rights. I refer to Gaza. What is happening is unacceptable, dehumanizing. The Israeli government is the worst in its history and is committing crimes against humanity. The merciless and terrible attacks by Hamas on October 7 do not justify Israel’s response or policy. Other nations such as Germany, the United States or the United Kingdom have to face and change their position on what is happening, which, I repeat, are crimes against humanity, especially against children.”

After a pause, he continued: “I know that what I say will change little. But criticizing the Israeli government does not mean that you are an anti-Semite. We have the right and the ethical duty to denounce injustices. This far-right Israeli government is not representative of Jews, or even of Israeli society. There is social unrest against these actions. It is our responsibility to ask the Human Rights Court to judge [Benjamin] Netanyahu [primer ministro israelí] and to Hamas leaders for their attacks.”

What is going on in Gaza is unacceptable and dehumanizing. Hamas's cruel and horrific assaults on October 7 don’t justify Israel's response or coverage.

And with out stopping, he turned his speech to different present conflicts: “We have to fight against impunity. There are other terrible situations, which are less talked about, such as Uganda or Ukraine, well, this one a little more, or the climate emergency. With global warming we have reached a point no longer of improvement, but of what we can do to make it less bad. Or how we face the movement of human masses. If we are so worried about immigration, do not reverse the zero pollution zones like in Madrid. If you are worried about immigration, consider what we will do when in Africa the population lives in cities at 50 degrees. All these reflections make me receive the award with joy but without any mood of celebration.”

Speaking about his occupation, which he usually outlined as “fickle, variable, requiring endurance, persistence and faith,” Bardem put collectively his ideas on egos and creativeness: “If you don’t like being watched, you’re screwed. You need a huge ego, because you want to be seen. That said, when you go on stage or in front of the camera, you have to let the ego disappear and become an instrument of the creator. That said, I’m not comfortable with that, I live with that when this exhibition is chosen, like now.”

Has your strategy to work modified over time? “Yes. When I arrived on the set of the collection Monsterwhich is premiering on Netflix, I noticed the 2 actors who have been going to play my youngsters with the complete burden of their characters' emotional and even sexual abuse on their shoulders. And I reminded them that we have been going to spend three months collectively, that they’d actual households who liked them, and that in the event that they carried that weight continually they weren’t going to outlive. I used to be like that. [y se señala el dedo roto en el rodaje de Éxtasis]. Now I select the way to emotionally enter the sequences and above all the way to exit. I believe working from the creativeness is extra highly effective than working from your personal factor, as a result of that’s… solely your factor. Who cares?