Notes on the structure of space and time

By Ignacio Oliva

"Nobody´s rose " presents a structured screenplay in four space/time showing different way of advancing on the story. We place the drama in three different stages of movement of history and a natural narrative space, which space does not go through with a narrative that gives a symbolic key to the development of story itself. This approach can be seen at four levels:

The labyrinth of memory

The first driven space / time reflects the consequences of the dark search of DANIEL which leads him erratically and under a dark drive to the evocation of a moment hurt by the memory. This is the space and time of the labyrinth of memory: a place which is sublimated into a kind of "meta-site" symbolized by the train. This train travels around an unreal geography, dreamlike, where the scene itself of revocation is announced, at last, under a concept of fate.

Prisons of thought

Secondly we propose a narrative space in which MANUELA is situated which is crossed by another dark drive: the drug as a refuge and which represents the negation of memory, the claim of voluntary forgetting, personal anesthesia on a not accepted fact. It represents, somehow, a blind life or denied.

Natural present

Thirdly we present the biographical convergence of DANIEL and MANUELA. And, moreover, the representation of a time that falls toward destruction. This is an erratic forward shared a flight based on the distortion and, ultimately, the dissolution of the perspective of reality.

Metaphorical space

Finally we show an space/time symbolic and narrative which draw a face not naturalistic of the film. It is like an "impressionist" space where movement and shape come on from purely visceral sensations. These sequences will provide a formal and conceptual counterpoint to supplement one's emotions of the characters and introduce the viewer into an emotional opened territory.

Ignacio Oliva, scriptwriter and director

Visual references

By Ignacio Oliva 

I would like to put in a simple visual cue in its production planning: long and clear shots, descriptive, without visual sophistication, quite naked, interesting composition. The camera must be a window open to the world and surface of things, environment, and of course information about the characters. I see it shoots without visual rhetoric, without ornament.

I would like to work with the cast in the way of composing and create characters with emotional climates. References of dialogues about things that characters, looks and views can speak by, silences, gestures and hidden codes. I wish it was a film to feel, to be drawn. I am very interesed in Aki Kaurismaki films, his simple quality in expressive draws and environments supported by a refined artistic design with colours and concepts in its simplicity.

Lights in the dusk Aki Kaurismaki. 2006

LI like Alan Rudolph environments, outdoors above all, visual concept of city. This will be very important for "Nobody´s rose": Shots wich can show and discover concepts of the city as: "distance", "chaos", "ghostly props" "figure” and “place."

I am interested in dark and magnetic quality in characters of Pedro Costa films like “Ossos”, for example. “Nobody´s rose” is negative and positive at the same time, quite dark and bright.

Huesos Ossos. Pedro Costa. 1997

I am interested in David Lynch's disturbing world in “Mulholand Drive” and “Inland Empire”, especially about indoor spaces, stylized but contrasted lighting, log style black American cinema of the fifties, connected with German masters emigrated to the United States 

Mulholland Drive. David Lynch. 2001

Simple spaces but disturbing in its composition, which reveal details of the characters, which disturb but do not overwhelm, suggest internal simulations, however, I do not see concepts such as morbidity or psychology, I imagine a visual and artistic language not psychological.

Compositional style interests me very much, visual compositions shots and its relation with painting tradition. 

DANIEL lives in a space without memory or personal references. We could say that he is a man with no inner life, and he lives in such a anonymous and temporary territory with white walls. DANIEL space must be clean and its own order, like an intimate prison, an essential space. There are no books, no pictures, no photos. He could has, for example, a Jewish candelabrum with seven arms for ties, a table where he writes, sometimes on cards with very small letters and green ink. Over the table there may be some cards with extrange writings. It can be said that there lives a person who "does nothing". He has the nihilism of Bartleby, his behavior is hypnotized by its austerity, his lack of mystery. I think "Nobody´s rose" is a film of insticts.


Ignacio Oliva, guionista y director.

Ignacio Oliva. Screenwriter and Director

                        

He was born in Murcia, in 1963. Graduated in Fine Arts at Polytechnic University of Valencia. He increased his studies on cinema in Zagreb Film (Croatia) with Bogdan Zizic and in Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, (USA) with Marketta Kimbell.

He has written scripts for fiction films: “Falsos Años”, written with Juan Diego and adaptation of the novel “Tríbada” by Miguel Espinosa (1995), “Dirección única”, (2000 based on the book of the philosopher Walter Benjamin). “La rosa de nadie” (2004) and “Conversación en la montaña” (2009).  

He has written and directed more than twenty documentaries, among others: “Pigmeos de África Central” (2000), “Visiones de Fernando Arrabal” (2001), “Memoria del tiempo devastado” (2005), “Quechuas del Valle del Colca” (2006), “Almodóvar por dentro” (2006), “Diario de Mongolia” (2008).

He has written and directed seven short fiction films in 16mm, 35mm. and digital: “Incidencias” (1996) 16 mm, “Sky Radio” (1996) 35 mm, “La isla de papel” (2003) Digital, “Pies de zorro” (2004) 35 mm, “El Puente” (2006) Digital, “Sade” (2007) 16 mm / Digital, “Femme”. (2007) 16 mm. / Digital.


Since 1989 teach about film at Faculty of Fine Arts in Cuenca. He has written books of film theory “La imagen sustantiva” y “Eterno Eisenstein”. (Ediciones UCLM).. (Ediciones UCLM). He translated the american method of acting written by Jeremy Wehlen “Instant Acting” for the editorial Mensajero (Bilbao). Member of " Equipo Reseña" as film critic, he has pursued for over ten years in the magazine " Reseña" and the annual volume “Cine para leer”. He has taught numerous courses, seminars, masters, workshops and conferences in various Spanish universities and in Portugal, France, Italy and the United States.