Entertainment

Almodóvar and the Far West in Toledo: the unexpected place where the home of Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke was built

When we think about the spaghetti western our mind inevitably travels to Tabernas Desert (Almería), the setting for hundreds of productions about the Wild West and a regular location for filmmakers like Sergio Leone. A wasteland that hosted productions of key films in the history of cinema, such as those that make up the Dollar Trilogy.

In a queer and updated revision of the classic westerns, strange way of lifethe new short film directed by Pedro Almodovar and starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke, also traveled to this place to recreate the arid and rude environment characteristic of this genre.

However, the Manchegan filmmaker He also went on this occasion to the stages of the Mesa de Ocaña, in Toledo, to build the home of Silva’s (Pedro Pascal) and Jake’s (Hawke) character. The way to look for a greater contrast between decorations, in a location that a priori no one would expect could function as a love nest for these jeans.

Almodóvar’s western in Toledo

The place was built in the Dehesa de Monreal, a private estate in the town of Dosbarrios (Toledo).. A site I came to after a colleague who had worked in The English [la serie que Emily Blunt rodó también en la zona para HBO Max] would recommend it to me”, declares Eduardo García Alonso to CINEMANÍA, the person in charge of the search for locations for the short film.

Garcia Alonso is already a regular collaborator of the best cinema of the Manchego director, after their previous works together in pain and glory, Parallel Mothers and the human voice, the short film starring Tilda Swinton. A man capable of perfectly translating the filmmaker’s ideas into incredible sets.

“We made this ranch from scratch and it is an ephemeral construction, which we carried out asking permission from the city, the community of Castilla-La Mancha and the foresters. Almodóvar and Antxón Gómez [diseño de producción] They wanted this place where Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke lived to have more to offer than the town they started with. That it was greener, with more vegetation. A greater contrast”confesses about his search for strange way of life.

Dehesa de Monreal, scene of great productions

Close to the historic Toledo town of Ocaña, on the steep secondary road TO-2935 (full of curves) that connects the municipalities of Dosbarrios and Villanueva de Bogas, this impressive spot has become the ideal setting for international productions to move there your recordings. The position close to the old Castle of Monrealalso belonging to Dosbarrios, and the landscapes surrounded by lagoons they instantly fell in love with Almodóvar.

“It’s great to work with Almodóvar, because he always has things very clear and what he transmits is very easy. After the initial art direction visit, we showed him the site and he loved it. It suited him perfectly,” adds the localizer

Other productions such as the second season of the series have also recently been filmed in the Dehesa Monreal Stories not to sleep (Prime Video), which recovers the spirit of Chicho Ibáñez Serrador’s fiction, as well as the locations for other series such as the snow girl and sky red (Netflix), or bose (SkyShowtime).

Movies and series shot in Toledo

The choice of this place is added to an extensive list of Toledo populations, such as Talavera de la Reina, Consuegra, Tembleque, Oropesa, El Toboso, Burujón and Ocaña, that receive an increasing number of productions. A bet for him potential of its natural settings and its historic buildings, located just one hour from Madrid.

In fact, his own García Alonso confesses to having worked previously in the province in places as emblematic as the Hospital de Tavera -the Renaissance building that houses original paintings by El Greco in Toledo-, as well as in other landscapes and dream castles for films such as The man who killed Don Quixoteby Terry Gilliam, and series like white linesfrom the creator of The Money Heist.

“In the province of Toledo there is a lot of filming and more and more. Its proximity to Madrid favors it and the exteriors it offers are very interesting,” confesses the professional on the stages of this area of ​​Castilla-La Mancha. A land yet to be discovered.

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