Maria Ripoll, filmmaker: "Women lack proper budgets"

“The Ghost of My Wife” is his new film, a grief comedy that hits theaters on February 20 and opens Monday in Seville.

Fernando maintains a seemingly stable life with Maria, what his wife does not know is that he is having an extramarital affair.However, everything goes up in smoke when the lover tells him that he accidentally ran over his wife... From there, lies, guilt and suspicion intertwine in the story, where the hero begins to hear and see his dead wife everywhere.At this point, the question is inevitable: is this a burden of conscience or is there something supernatural behind this appearance?"Ghost of My Wife" builds on this premise, Maria Ripoli's new film, which opens in theaters on February 20.

According to Ripoll, he is currently in a "special creative period". After directing 15 films, she said that she feels "in a good time", she is satisfied with her work and wants to continue. However, he admits that he would like some projects to be more effective, "the field is difficult. And now there is a lot of pressure on young people, because the film is an expensive industry and there is a lot of competition," he said.The past 30 behind the scenes and behind the cameras have helped him learn to approach the work calmly, put the speed aside and spend time with all the characters "and enjoy each process.

“My Wife's Ghost” comes to Catalan from the hands of producer Gustavo Ferrada, with whom he collaborated on “Vivir Twice”, a film that was widely released on Netflix.It was he who sent him the script, the original idea of ​​Germán Aparicio, a document that made him unable to resist laughing "from person to person".However, he warned the producer that it was "very difficult to do", to which he answered publicly "you can do it".

The script was finalized with Olga Iglesias and Araceli Alvarez de Sotomayor, respecting the original power of the text and "an architecture that expresses comedy and suspense".Keeping the gear intact was the "biggest challenge" of the project.The result is a "criminal comedy that snowballs without stopping, combining extreme situations with constant intrigue", the story is "unstoppable" and also plays with increasing time.

This is not the first time he has spoken about the loss of his film production.He recently directed a drama focused on sadness, but now he returns to that emotional territory from a more humorous perspective."The difference is the taste," and the difference in data is one of his main directives.

It is this versatility that has allowed him to be a part of completely different works, genres and locales throughout his career.His international travels included interventions in the United States, Mexico and India, where he shot the film "Rastros de Sandalo", and all these experiences proved that there is a common factor: the human factor, regardless of cultural or industrial differences."Filmmaking is a field and an art at the same time, and thanks to its technical support and artists, films are made possible."

In that respect, the cast's performance of 'The Ghost of My Wife' stands out.“I wanted to work with Javier Rey ever since I saw him in 'Velvet,'” admitting that not only did he achieve a great professional result, but he also met “an amazing person.”creates the enigmatic pharmacist"; and the courage of Loreto Moulion, who "dives into comedy without first delving into the genre." In this list of special mentions, Ripoll does not forget casting director Rosa Pinot, responsible for organically bringing together a very diverse cast.

Kino pending topics

This demand for teamwork ties into another of her concerns: the status of women in the film industry.Co-founder of CIMA, the Association of Women Cinematographers and Audiovisual Media, she believes the sector has made significant progress in recent years, although she insists inequalities in access to funding persist.the highest grosser in Spanish cinema a decade ago, until Aranto Echevarria surpassed it with The Infiltrator, and I'm happy because the time has come for it to happen.

Another thing he thinks should be useful is gender recognition.María points out that "It is difficult to win Goya for the theater. Theater is more valuable, while the film is more difficult. However, he is clear about his compass: the viewer. "I like to make films for the public", he added.

In a social context that, he notes, causes saturation and pessimism, the director encourages the public to go to the theater, especially if you consider that "cinema is a collective experience, especially in comedy, because laughter is contagious and can provide the necessary respite."With "My Wife's Ghost" we not only try to entertain, but also allow the viewer to leave the room with a different energy and a different view of reality." I hope the house is full!" he concluded