Flying together again

It has been more than a decade since the two worked together on a film, but the bonds Pedro Almodóvar and Argentinean actress Cecilia Roth forged in the 1980s, when both were starting their careers, remain strong and he thought of her when putting together a cast for his new comedy, “Los Amantes Pasajeros” (“I’m So Excited!”).

They last worked together on “All About My Mother”, a drama that earned Almodóvar an Oscar for best foreign film and gave Roth a European Film Award in 1999 for best actress.

“We never stopped seeing each other, writing to each other. Ours has been basically a professional relationship but we share very important years in our lives,” says Roth.

Other cast members include Javier Cámara, Blanca Suarez, Lola Duenas, Raúl Arévalo and Carlos Areces. Almodóvar regulars Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas have cameos.

The rowdy comedy is set on a flight to Mexico in which the crew and passengers contribute to the craziness. The Spanish title, “Los Amantes Pasajeros”, can be translated as “Temporary Lovers” or “Passenger Lovers”. It was released in Spain last month.

Roth, who is set to appear soon in another movie “Matrimony”, began her film career in Argentina and then moved to Spain at the end of the 1970s. There she had a role in a famous movie “Arrebato”, directed by Ivan Zulueta and in Almodóvar’s first feature “Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls Like Mum”.

“Seeing Pedro again is also recovering part of youth, glorious, memorable moments,” Roth says, adding that Almodóvar’s work has perhaps become darker, “but he is also more profound”.

“Pedro was always absolutely coherent in his universe and he transfers that universe to everything he does. When he needs to tell it in a comedy, he tells it as a comedy, and when he needs to tell it as drama he tells it as a drama. He has always been a person who has set his own path, he has never imposed anything on himself as an artist.”

In “I’m So Excited!”, Roth plays an actress who garners more attention because she is privy to many secrets in show business than because of her talent.

Critics say the role is inspired by Spanish actress Barbara Rey, but Roth bristles at the comparison and says the movie is more playful than that. “Of course my character [Norma Boss] refers to others, but all of the characters do. I did not just want to imitate a real-life figure.”

Almodóvar says he chose Roth for the role of a film star facing rough times because she is at the height of her abilities.

Roth agrees, saying she is working in television, film and theatre and all of it is satisfying to her.

“I’ve rejected many things. But everything I do, I chose to do, it is not because there was no other option. It is a huge fortune and I’ve worked very hard for things to be like this.”