One of my favorite films from the previous year, Trauma, was an especially brutal and enjoyable exploitation offering from Chile that ended up making my top list of the year for 2018. Now, in what turns out to be great timing as I can release this in celebration of Women in Horror Month, I talk to one of the ensemble female cast of the picture, upcoming Chilean Scream Queen Ximena del Solar, about her career, the Chilean genre scene and the film in general.
Me: Hello, and thank you for taking the time to do this. We'll start at the beginning, where did you get an initial love of acting? What specifically attracted you to working in genre cinema?
Ximena del Solar: Well, I think the love for acting began in my childhood. I remember I was about 6 years old when I saw a famous Chilean actor talking on television about the use of breathing to induce emotions. I think that was the first notion of acting and interpretive work that I received in my life. And it struck me. I remember that I found it fascinating to be aware of it.
For some reason, I cannot fully explain, the horror movies were my favorites. Of course, the movies I watched during that period of my life on the TV were not as violent as those you can watch now (I’m talking about the ’80s). There was no internet, even not a VHS in my home. But classic horror movies were very popular and an aunt of mine used to invite me to join her to watch some of those titles. Not only horror but beautiful fantasy films too. As I watched all those incredible universes I wanted to be part of them. I was conscious, in some way, only being an actress could be the way to live those amazing adventures.
No one in my family encouraged this particular inclination, and yet I began to collect magazines and books about movies when I was very young. I loved the beauty of the actresses, the costumes, the artwork of the sets, the lighting. Everything fascinated me. I fantasized about living that experience of being part of a world that other people could dream about. What attracted me to genre films is what I suppose fascinates the whole world: the materialization of fantasy.
Me: As Chile isn't particularly well-known for such a genre scene, what were the early days of your career like?
XdS: I didn’t start so many years ago in the world of cinema. Before studying and dedicating myself to acting, I studied Linguistics and graduated from the University of Santiago de Chile (USACH). After that, I spent 5 years living in Spain, where, among other things, I started my participation in the audiovisual world. By the time I returned to Chile, in 2011, the genre film scene was precarious, but not non-existent. However, from then until now, there has clearly been an increase in filmmakers seriously interested in making the genre cinema a small industry in our country. For me, it would be a dream that we would achieve it.
Me: How has the scene changed in the last few years since you started your first movie?
XdS: I think the more people working in this area, the more competitive it will become. That will force the environment to innovate in its development. There are good professionals in Chile, but still not enough opportunities for everyone. In Chile, you still depend a lot on state funds to be able to make movies. And those funds are not usually available for this type of cinema (supporting others more, like the documentary or the social drama). We do not have a consolidated industry. The cinema of genre continues being the “poor relative” of the cinema. Despite this, I see that there are more and more colleagues interested in developing terror and fantasy films. Something that is progressing - not only in Chile but also in Latin America, in the genre film scene - is the incorporation of more women in relevant positions. More female directors and screenwriters. That is good!.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing?
XdS: All the characters have some point of interest, but since we are talking mainly about genre and horror films I must admit that until now I have not had the opportunity to perform a villain in a movie and I would love that! I think in this type of characters there is a huge challenge to achieve a result that does not fall into the caricature. I hope to fulfill that dream someday. I love all the characters that I've performed until now, even if they are small. I've learned something from each one and I've given them all something of myself.
Me: That brings us to your new film, "Trauma." What can you tell us about your character in the film?
XdS: Julia is a modern woman, who gets along with ease and confidence. She feels attractive and successful. Overnight, literally speaking, all that security is destabilized. Discovers a hitherto unknown horror and learns to fight for her life. Her priorities, therefore, are modified. Moving from being a fairly individualist entity to one that fights for a common good, even risking her own life.
Me: What specifically drew you to the role?
XdS: Without a doubt, what I like the most about Julia as a character is that she offers a wide range of emotions throughout the film. There was a good challenge that consisted in making all those changes coherent. I love having that experience! I had never before done a scene with so much sexual and physical commitment, for example. Nor had I handled weapons or performed a striptease. The nerves and fear that I felt during the scene of the attack on the girls' house were very real. That scene is endowed with a great realism because during shooting the dynamic was quite theatrical. It was recorded without cuts, giving way to improvisation. 'Trauma,' as well as Julia, has been a school for me.
Me: What kind of preparation do you take to get into the character?
XdS: Well, each actor has his/her own internal methodology. In my particular case, I try to absorb all the information that gives context to my character convincing me this is the only possible reality. It is about making the feelings of the character so true that there is no doubt in reacting in the most authentic possible way to the stimuli that I have to face. There are mental situations that I try alone before I get to a shooting, but I leave a margin reserved for when I really have to live it on set (I mean, some particular experience). Just there I end up releasing everything I have inside.
In the case of 'Trauma,' there was a topic on which we prepared ourselves as a group and also individually: the analysis of diverse experiences of sexual abuse experienced by women (systematic violations committed during the Chilean dictatorship and others of isolated character, without political connection).
Me: Once on set, what do you have to do to stay within that mindset? How did the other actors cope with the extreme material being filmed?
XdS: Already on the set I imagine that each actor develops his own methodology to maintain the concentration or reach certain emotional states. I would love to hear the explanation of the male actors, who played the villains of 'Trauma,' about how they managed to bring out such a level of aggressiveness and evil.
In general, the shooting of 'Trauma' was quite chronological and I feel that this helped me to live the logical progression of my character. Then, I guess that getting to face the hardest moments with the level of realism that was achieved in the film depends on an absolute commitment assumed by all of us. In my particular case, I convinced myself that this was the only reality and I felt very deep nerves and fear.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
XdS: I'm not going to mention the characters (too spoiler maybe), but in a very dramatic scene where a father sacrifices a son I cried watching the recording of this moment (I was not performing, I was just watching behind the crew). Then it turns out that there had to be many shots of that shot and the actor who received it took many hits in the head. Suddenly, the drama of the scene became a funny moment, just missing the music of Benny Hill.
I remember by the time we were about shooting the attack against the four women the team wanted to feast on us with a special dinner day for only four on a small table that they set up as if it were a small restaurant on the set. It was the only occasion in which we did not have dinner mixed with the whole crew, which was the usual thing. They knew that the most extreme moment of filming began and they wanted to have a special detail. It was a nice gesture!
I also remember how nice it was working with Florencia Heredia, the little girl performing Yoya, and the way she impressed us. She was a very sweet, funny and professional little girl.
Me: Lastly, what non-Chilean director, living or dead or even non-genre, would you love to have the chance to work with? Thank you again for this opportunity.
XdS: That is a difficult question. I like many directors! One alive and one dead, you agree?
I know that Alfred Hitchcock was reputed to be despicable with women, but I love his film so much that I would like to have been in one of them.
M. Night Shyamalan is a great director, in full epoch of creative apogee, although already with a great cinematographic inheritance, and it would be incredible to be part of some of his cast.
You can catch Ximena in the upcoming anthology ILL, which will also have the involvement of 'Trauma' director Lucio A. Rojas as well as genre veterans Domiziano Cristopharo, Kai E. Bogatzki and Lorenzo Zanoni, coming soon.
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