Few movies handle to weave collectively historical past, tradition, and humanity as superbly as Los Frikis, a narrative that sheds mild on the punk subculture in Nineties Cuba and the unconventional sacrifices of a bunch of people who injected themselves with HIV as a method of reclaiming autonomy in a society that sought to suppress their identification. Directed by Mike and Tyler Inexperienced, Los Frikis is a deeply transferring movie that captures the uncooked spirit of revolt, brotherhood, and survival towards the percentages.
On this unique interview, I had the privilege of talking with the movie’s gifted leads, Hector Medina (Viva, Sergio & Sergei) and newcomer Eros De La Puente, whose portrayals of two brothers navigating a turbulent cultural and emotional panorama have been extensively praised. Medina, who brings a wealth of expertise and depth to his function, displays on how the music, costumes, and defiant spirit of Cuban punk formed his character and knowledgeable his efficiency. In the meantime, De La Puente, in his function movie debut, opens up concerning the challenges and triumphs of getting into a task so emotionally charged and deeply rooted in historic context.
From their connections to the subject material to the behind-the-scenes magic that introduced pivotal moments to life, Hector and Eros supply a captivating glimpse into the making of Los Frikis. Right here’s the interview by which we delve into their inventive journeys, the ability of punk, and the deeply emotional moments that outline this extraordinary movie.
A nonetheless from ‘Los Frikis’ (Photograph Credit score: Lord Miller)
Aayush Sharma: Congratulations to the group for the success of ‘Los Frikis’—it’s such a good looking and heart-touching story. My first query, Eros, is about your character, who idolizes his brother, Paco, however undergoes a posh emotional journey all through the movie. As a first-time actor working in your debut film, how did you method portraying your character’s evolving notion of his brother all through the story?
Eros De La Puente: I feel what allowed me to be prepared was to be very current. Like, even when I wasn’t performing in that second, even when I didn’t have that scene, I used to be there watching my brother’s scene or each, you already know, like, simply to concentrate on what he’s doing in order that then it will be simpler for me to be type of like his little brother, as a result of I’m serving this man, and I’m following this man. So I’d say that was a giant step, and never simply as a personality, like Gustavo and Paco, however I feel that all the pieces was deliberate out superbly as a result of then he was like my older actor brother. He has far more expertise than me, and he was this man that’s guiding me by means of the journey. So we sort of went—like, we did precisely the identical factor that occurred within the film exterior of the film, you already know. I feel the method of, like, me making an attempt to be Paco in a bizarre manner or looking for myself by means of Paco simply occurred. Simply occurred as a byproduct of our superb relationship. We’re like two others.
Aayush Sharma: Hector, the punk subculture performs a major function in shaping your character’s identification. How did the music, costumes, and cultural parts of punk affect and inform your portrayal of him?
Hector Medina: Properly, the Rock and Roll Spirit helped me loads. I imply, being at all times on the lookout for freedom. And the Cuban tropical punk from Cuba, there’s a particular band. I imply, to be a punk in Cuba in these instances was actually exhausting. And people folks have been so, so courageous. Courageous. In Cuba, at that second, listening to American music was prohibited. To have lengthy hair, was a prohibition. To suppose otherwise, was a prohibition. In order that and that spirit from the Cuban tropical punk, impressed me loads. Simply being made me be. Being some time, be indignant, hungry, and wild. These are two issues that assist me loads.
Hector Medina as Paco in ‘Los Frikis’ (Photograph Credit score: Lord Miller)
Aayush Sharma: Hector, you have been born within the late Nineteen Eighties, and this story is about within the Nineties, that means you have been rising up in actual life through the time these occasions have been unfolding in Cuba. Whereas rising up, did you hear tales concerning the misplaced freakies and individuals who injected themselves with HIV? Additionally, did your notion of those people change whereas engaged on this movie?
Hector Medina: Sure, sure. I, I used to be born in 1989. I bear in mind after I noticed the primary freaky, I used to be like 5, six years outdated, and my aunt advised me, “Don’t, don’t take a look at him. Don’t take a look at him.” Yeah, dd, folks, and loopy folks. However I used to be so on this, these those who they have been so completely different in, imply, in a, in a communist nation, tropical nation. Think about that. That look was so completely different—lengthy hair, the garments that they wore. The primary time that I noticed an electrical guitar, the sound, was so completely different. After which at 13 years, I met Helson, who’s alive proper now. I feel he’s the final freaky, the final, the one people who find themselves alive, the one Friki who injected themselves with HIV, who’s alive. And I met him at the moment, and he was so good, so variety, at all times defending the job, the younger guys within the place, as a result of I used to go to this place, the place they solely put rock and roll music, and it was like a paradise in the midst of my city. It was a unique tradition, completely different folks. I imply, I fell in love, with these folks and so, and acquired engaged with this story.
Aayush Sharma: Eros, that is your first movie as an actor, and earlier than this, you have been engaged on a brief movie. Now, right here you’re on this unbelievable movie, which, if folks don’t know, has been nominated for six awards on the Latino Leisure Movie Awards—congratulations on that! As an actor working in your first function movie, how was the expertise for you?
Eros De La Puente: It was extraordinarily exhausting at first as a result of I used to be getting used to all these new issues, and I needed to be very ready when it got here to realizing my character. Earlier than that, I used to do theater, the place all the pieces occurs so as, however with a film, it’s shot out of sequence. So, I needed to know precisely the place my character was at each level within the film. That was positively a problem. However as soon as I had all that information and was absolutely ready, getting on set felt like the very best factor ever. My information and analysis met Hector’s analysis and everybody else’s analysis, and all of it got here collectively. We created this magic on set that made me really feel like probably the most snug man on the planet. All of the concern disappeared. I wasn’t even pondering anymore—I used to be simply current within the second, reacting to Hector, reacting to Adria, and responding to each little factor on set. It will definitely turned a lot simpler to do.
Eros de la Puente and Adria Arjona in a nonetheless from ‘Los Frikis’ (Photograph Credit score: Lord Miller)
Aayush Sharma: The final scene, the place your character tells your brother that he doesn’t have AIDS, is extremely highly effective. The camaraderie and the deep bond we see between the 2 of you at that second are actually transferring. Can you’re taking us by means of that scene? How did you method it, and what have been the feelings like whereas delivering these dialogues and capturing that scene?
Hector Medina: Oh, I like that scene in Los Frikis. Additionally, that scene was my casting. Oh, after I did that scene, the day after, Mike and Tyler, the administrators, referred to as me and stated, “You bought the job.” And that scene, from the primary day within the film, I used to be holding all my feelings only for that day. It was a tremendous expertise to try this scene with Mike and Tyler collectively as a result of we constructed the character collectively. They needed to get to some extent the place I might cry and snigger on the identical time. We needed to make a tremendous final scene as a result of it’s the final scene, and we had to ensure it labored, or the film wouldn’t. That day was so glad as a result of we did it effectively.
Eros De La Puente: I feel we did effectively. And I simply do not forget that day—it was such a demanding but in addition lovely day as a result of we had this lovely second earlier than going to shoot the scene. We have been collectively, speaking—no, not likely speaking, I’ll right myself—simply sitting subsequent to one another in silence. Why did I simply be in there? You recognize, we have been simply sitting subsequent to one another in silence, with out speaking. After which we went on set, and we did the scene. And we simply felt this bizarre, type of invisible thread connecting us. And it was lovely.
‘Los Frikis’ is coming quickly to streaming.
