If on Sunday the star of the film festival was Angelina Jolie, on Monday the passion was collected by the Betis Isco Alarcón footballer, protagonist of the documentary In silence, Rolled by her partner, the actress and director Sara Sáámo. Despite moving with crutches, Isco attended children and attending the film’s premiere before and after the projection. Of course, to speak, as on the screen, spoke little, because, as Sálamo points out, “it is a parco in words.” And he joked: “I’m already talking about the double.”
In silence He plays all his letters with passion: there are no speakers before the camera, but the look of a documentary filmmaker who can access the silent recovery of one of the best current Spanish players, which broke the left fibula on May 16, 2024 in a league match in Las Palmas. The end of the league was lost, the possibility of going to the Eurocup, and at the end of the summer he went through the operating room.
“Betis considered making a short piece of the recovery of his injury, and he pointed to me,” Sáámo told the colloquium after the premiere. She doubted: “After many years working as an actress, when our relationship began it seemed that everything I had done before was not worth anything, which started from scratch. And now, after preparing a lot for the jump to the direction (I had already directed several short films), did I want to embark on a process related to him? Well, because I hope it is understood from the heart.” The film has dedicated a year of work.
Isco next to his side by attending … and with crutches. He recovered from the injury, enjoyed a formidable season with the Sevillian team that included being finalists of the European Conference League … and in August the left fibula broke back for a entry into a friendly match with Málaga. “It is because of the film’s promo,” Ironized Sáámo. “As an actor I am from the method,” Isco said.
“In the background, as the title says,” explains the director, “I wanted to show the silence with which he works in contrast to the noise outside, that surrounds him.” The press writes, fans shout. Isco is still in the gym, strengthening the leg, only guarded by doctors, Fisios and the Sálamo camera: “That closeness the same has benefited me that it gone against, because trust gives disgust (laughs).” It is that from the club I have made many facilities, and at the same time on the tour we have found many stones … there was a time when we thought if we did a documentary about a film footballer ”.
Indeed, on the screen there is a tense situation in a sequence in a car, and at the same time access to the couple’s children (always on their backs or off camera, Sálamo is only portrayed in reflexes). They are the ones who spend the most painful questions, such as: “Dad, are you going to be always injured?” In San Sebastián, Sálamo recalled that he is very jealous of his intimacy, but that not to take them out was False Isco’s day to day.
There was time for football questions: What are the three best players? “Messi (long reflection after the name of the Argentine), Christian, who was my partner, and Iniesta who gave us the World Cup.” And the three stadiums that have impressed him most? “The Bernabéu, for the magnitude (played at Real Madrid between 2013 and 2022). San Mamés, for how it squeezes. And that of Galatasaray, for the environment.” Hey, we are in San Sebastián. “Well, as we beat you the other day, it seemed too much to me.”
How does Isco carry an injury like this? “I like that phrase that says that football gives you a chance every seven days. After a bad game you work hard those days and you will be ready for revenge. That is the message of the documentary and the one I want to convey to my children. One is never prepared for an injury, although now I go through a moment of my life where I can face it. And I know how the way is.” And with everything, he almost bother him “day to day, having to bother for any need” to those around him.
For Sálamo, it is fundamental, in the times of youtubers And explosive successes, “make it clear that if you want, you cannot always; which does not mean that we should fall into defeatism.”