Leonardo Sbaraglia premieres ‘Puán’: “Milei should be proud of Argentine cinema, not try to destroy it”

He is one of the most important (and versatile) actors of his generation and has been risking in their papers. In Argentina he became the fetish performer of Marcelo Piñeyro in movies like Wild horses, ashes of paradise, burnt silver and landed in Spain thanks to Intactthe original thriller Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.

From that moment on, he combined both cinematography: In the city without limitsby Antonio Hernández, Contestantof Rodrigo Cortes, A gun in each handof Cesc Gay and global success wild talesby Damián Szifron.

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Now premieres Puandirected by Maria Alche and Benjamin Naishtatwhich focuses on the Philosophy faculty that receives the same name and in which he plays Raphael, a teachersomewhat pedantic and conceited who aspires to be a professor and who will come into conflict with Marcelo (Marcelo Subiottowhich won the acting award in the past San Sebastian Festival), who hoped the position would be his.

Through this film, narrated in a tone of comedy full of mordantwe delve into that microcosm so special that it is characterized by the defending of the critical thinking and of the rebellion in front of systemand which is released at a time when the Argentine cinema pass for a moment convulsed due to cuts that the president Javier Milei is taking place within the industry.

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Leonardo Sbaraglia receives Infobae Spain through a zoom conversation, at home and next to a poster of pain and glorythe movie of Pedro Almodovar in which he participated and accompanied by his cat.

Question: What interested you the most when making the film?

Answer: I wanted to work with the directors, with María Alché and Benjamín Naisthat, because I really liked their previous works. And the character was also a challenge, because he was a kind of unfriendly edge, so we had to find the right tone and we tried things to make him funnier, less funny, until we found the right language and gesticulation for him. It was a very interesting process.

Q: The film is precisely being released at a difficult time.

A: Notice that when we shot the film, it seemed like a dystopian scenario that gave a very bad vibe. And all that is happening in Argentina now. Well, I would say that it is surpassing itself, because one of the themes of the film is the defense of public education, and that is one of the things that are in danger today. So what seemed like a dystopia now seems like a documentary.

Q: There are many rights that are being threatened

A: Well, let’s hope not, but yes, it is something that is happening. Milei is doing what he proposed in his election campaign and more than half of the population voted for him democratically. But hey, now is the time to try not to lose some rights that have cost us so much effort to achieve. For example, the issue of the abortion law, which is in question after the efforts of one of the most important movements, the feminist movement, that have occurred in my country. So we are a little shocked, overwhelmed with everything that is happening with this whirlwind and seeing how one can resist and fight so that all these fundamental issues are not lost.

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Q: It seems that when the extreme right takes power, education, women and culture are always the first to suffer.

That’s how it is. There is something that historically happens in the processes of savage neoliberalism and that is that they try to end the identity of the people. We are Latinos, we are Spanish, we are indigenous and we want to continue being that way. I suppose that idea is not appropriate because it generates a capacity for struggle, for resistance.

Q: A few weeks ago there was a rally against the dismantling of the Argentine Cinematography Institute (INCAA) and you participated in the demonstration. I really liked what he said, that the president should be proud of his country’s cinema

A: And I said it with complete honesty. We also represent Javier Milei. Just as one feels pride in the national team or when one sees our flag at the Olympics, why not feel the same when one of our films participates in one of the best festivals in the world? I think it’s the same. We represent our people and we take them to the world, to Spain, to France, to Japan, to the United States. And we also carry it representing Javier Milei. So… I don’t know, it’s like this undervaluation of cinema is some kind of nightmare and it’s necessary to sit down and talk. I believe that that is what we need in Argentina, to exchange ideas, establish a dialogue, initiate transformations, build scenarios for discussion and exchange.

Q: Why do you think it has come to all this?

A: I think that part of the Argentine political system should engage in self-criticism, because if not, we would not be going through all this. Just as each of us must do with our lives and our jobs, there are also many things that should be corrected. What cannot be is that things are built, a government with a different ideology comes and they are destroyed. We have to find a balance because if not, really, we are not going to go anywhere. We have wonderful things in this country, wonderful human and territorial raw material. What happens is that other interests come in that involve globalization and that generates external complications.

Q: Do you think there will be a brain drain?

A: I don’t know how things are going to go. In Argentina the co-production system has been very important. If not, it would not have existed, for example, wild tales. Let’s hope that things are not as disastrous as they seem, because Argentine cinema is going through a great moment of international recognition. For my part, and for that of many other people, we are going to continue fighting. Of course, I have the privilege of being able to work in other places, I have more possibilities, but I am going to continue defending my identity.

Q: During the ‘corralito’ era, a greater number of actors came to Spain.

A: I remember it perfectly because I went to live in Spain a year before, but it was for personal reasons. But of course, perhaps because of the ‘corralito’ and the whole situation, it became more difficult for me to return, so I stayed in Spain. And the truth is that they received me wonderfully.

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Q: The central theme of the film is philosophy, a subject that is always on the thread of the study plans so that it disappears. And yet, it is essential to teach us to generate our own thinking.

A: I think it is fundamental, because it means learning to think with perspective about phenomena that are from another era and that have to do, in reality, with our own lives. It is learning tools about the human being, after all. And that seems invaluable to me. Philosophy, sociology, psychoanalysis help us have a perspective on our humanity. That’s what it’s about, being better people, not falling into animality.