Is The Angel really a modern version of Bonnie and Clyde?
Lorenzo: Yes, Bonnie and Clyde have a lot of similarities with our film since it is practically the same story about love between two people. In The Angel, it is about love between two friends who are criminals and they are robbing together, just like Bonnie and Clyde. I was told I should watch the film Bonnie and Clyde at least two times before the shooting, that was our main reference.
Chino: Director Luis Ortega said that we should always have this film on our minds, as he did.
Did you have the opportunity to read the book of interviews with Carlos, the person on whom your character was based? Did you see some of the materials in which he talked about his growing up and relationship with Ramon?
Lorenzo: Yes, I read the book. The author of this book, Rodolfo Palacios was one of the screenwriters of the film. Initially, I wanted to copy the character of Carlitos, but I realized that it would be far better to invent a completely different personality. At first, I was fascinated by him, I tried to imitate him, looking for everything that existed about him, but eventually I realized that it was much harder and better to start making it from scratch. It would be like someone paying a ticket to watch imitation, and I wanted it to be a new personality.
How did you build the character, how to get into the psychological structure of a criminal?
Chino: Everything was written in the script, but I had the freedom to create the character I wanted. The director told me to just be what I am, so I could experiment as much as I wanted. What I did in the end was not based on actual characteristics, but I was inventing his traits. In my opinion, the psychology of a criminal does not differ much from the psychology of ordinary people.
What is your film experience and what was it like working with Luis Ortega on this film?
Lorenzo: This is my first film and it was a great experience. After this film, I would like to repeat something similar, but it all depends on the director. Should it happen that next time I work with a director I do not like, maybe I will give up the film. Working with Luis was very interesting, we went on a joint journey where he was my teacher and a great friend.
Chino: I have somewhat more experience on the film than my colleague, but this experience was very unusual. There was always a certain air of mystery on set, I think it is exactly because of this mystery that we are here today. I worked with Luis before on an Argentinian television series that talks about the family of delinquents, which is a subject Luis is interested in. He is truly an incredible man, extremely creative, and he left a powerful impression on all of us who worked on the film. He was like the captain of the ship who led us and motivated us.
What is your oppinion of the film A Clockwork Orange since both films talk about a teenage friendship?
Chino: Luis based the film and the characters on real events and personalities from Argentinian history, but he brought his own perceptions and experiences into this framework. In fact, Luis Ortega, his teenage experience, his attempt to explore different boundaries is portrayed here. I am fond of the film A Clockwork Orange and I think it shows that films which talk about delinquents do not have to be dark, they can actually show someone who is both dark and good at the same time. Someone who seems gentle at first glance, just like the character in the film The Angel. He has blond hair, curls, he looks like an angel, however at one point he seems gentle and the next moment he kills people. I would paraphrase Louis, who once said that if the devil existed, he would be enchanting. That means it is very difficult to recognize bad people.
Did the The Angel enchant the Argentinian audience? Do you have the status of popular actors thanks to this film?
Lorenzo: I believe Chino is much more popular than me. I think it is much easier to become famous when you are shooting telenovelas because the audience watches you for a longer period of time. Films are screened only for two months in cinemas, so fame is a kind of a roller coaster where we go up and down. As for The Angel, I think it was the most watched film in the past year in Argentina.
Chino: There was a lot of talk about the film in Argentina. Lorenzo’s fame skyrocketed after the film. Nobody knew him before, and now he is famous. I have been acting in films for many years and I am well-known, but Lorenzo’s debut has won him great popularity, so I hope this is his first and last film. I am joking of course.
