


Thanks to our affiliate Robert Pattinson Unlimited for the pics.
Why should people go see this movie?
Lorca and Dali were two historical geniuses, and to be able to know their relationship would be interesting for anyone. The important thing is that they make a connection because they were very different and they had different ways of thinking, and this is the main issue of the film.
What was most unique about Dali's relationship with Lorca?
What I find very interesting is that at a predetermined period in history, in Spain, two geniuses— Lorca and Dali-became friends and shared their lives. They influenced each other greatly. Lorca would write a play and Dali would produce the designs.
People can't stop talking about the sex scenes you share with your costar, 'Twilight' heartthrob Rob Pattinson. Were they difficult to do?
No. It was not uncomfortable. The hard part was to transmit the emotions of my character. That was the challenge. But the scenes came out really well. I am very proud of this film. I would love for people to see this movie, because it's a very good movie.
Millions of girls want to know what it feels like to make out with Rob Pattinson-tell us, is he a good kisser?
(Laughs). He's okay. He's good.
A lot of people are calling this a 'gay' film. Do you agree that it is?
It's not just that. But I like that people are talking about the movie. I also think that Rob's success with 'Twilight' will make people see this movie, and if they want to see Rob, that's great, because they'll see the film too. He does a splendid and wonderful job as Dali.
This film is entirely in English, but your first language is Spanish. Was it difficult to learn the English necessary to play the part?
I studied for two months with a coach. Each day, I spent many hours studying. I spoke English before the film, but I still had to study to make this movie.
Did you feel a lot of pressure-since you're a Spaniard-to portray Lorca accurately and make your fellow Spaniards proud?
Yes. It's a responsibility. He's not just any character; he's one of the best Spain has ever had, and he was an incredible man. But the same time, it was a pleasure. I'm very excited for the Spanish premiere of the film. I'm interested in the response of the Spanish audience, and I hope they'll enjoy it.
Little Ashes deals with Dali during his academy days, forging friendships with his peers, filmmaker Luis Bunuel and poet Federico Garcia Lorca. Is that a wise focus?
I wasn't sure what story they would weave together because there are so many stories in Dali's life, so many associations with so many different people in different contexts: from Spain, to Picasso and the surrealists in Paris, his connections to the United States, Hollywood, the Beatles, the Pope, (Francisco) Franco, the king of Spain. . . . But I think this was a good filmic choice, to choose a moment of formative intersections, connecting to these other artists who hold great interest for the public.
Especially with Lorca, whom the movie depicts as sharing a homoerotic romance with Dali.
First of all, it's not known if they were lovers. Dali was always ambiguous about it. I don't think there's anything documented about Dali having homosexual relations.
He did have a great deal of curiosity about other people's sexuality. He liked being voyeuristic. These other things are not known, but one imagines from the elasticity in his own identity that he could have been bisexual.
I'm sure that will surprise fans of Robert Pattinson (Twilight), who plays Dali. What did you think of his portrayal?
He did a good job of capturing that noncommittal aspect of Dali, who wasn't committed to the Lorca relationship, nor was he fully withdrawn; he vacillated.
What we're told about Dali — and this is the place where (the film) may have overstepped a bit — is that he was really reticent about any kind of physical contact. They did a good job establishing his reticence, that ambivalence he had about connecting with others.
I was surprised that the movie, at least in early scenes, portrays Dali as socially awkward, not the brash artist we know best.
As (Dali) describes it, he had a lot of social unease. When he met (artist) Paul Eluard and his wife, Gala (who later married Dali), they came to visit and apparently Dali used to laugh uncontrollably, get almost hysterical. Gala, he claims, was the calming influence in his life.
Little Ashes is fairly conventional filmmaking, although Dali's art and life were anything but conventional. How do you think he would feel about this movie?
Dali was famous for saying: "The more confusion, the better." To the extent that the movie shows a confused view of his sexuality, I think he would applaud it.