Venice (AFP)

Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas put the laughs on their side on Saturday at the Venice Film Festival with "Competencia Oficial", a comedy full of self-mockery on the failings of cinema.

Signed by a duo of Argentinian directors, Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn, this 1:54 hour film in the running for the Golden Lion elegantly and brilliantly mocks the failings of actors and directors.

Penélope Cruz put on a voluminous red wig to slip into the skin of Lola, a famous director to whom a billionaire - who knows nothing about art but wants to leave a mark in history - decides to order a film.

It was either that or build a bridge.

To work with her, two brilliant actors who are quite opposed: Felix, Hollywood star, sexy, charismatic and so sure of himself, obviously played by Antonio Banderas.

And Ivan, a famous, literate and deceptively humble stage actor - the role was given to Argentine actor Oscar Martinez.

This trio has to prepare for the shoot and rehearse together - not easy when you share so little, other than an oversized ego.

In the film, the director will subject her actors to more or less eccentric exercises in an attempt to make them overcome their narcissism.

Golden Globe will be passed to the mechanical grinder, the two actors, who must play brothers, wrapped in cellophane, and torrents of insults exchanged by two freewheeling performers ...

Antonio Banderas, Penélope Cruz and Argentinian actor Oscar Martinez, at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, 2021 Filippo MONTEFORTE AFP

The director and her artistic ambitions also take it for their rank.

"For me, it was very liberating, very fun to play this wild character, this charming psychopath, at the same time intelligent and completely stupid, without filter and who does not care what you think of she, "Penélope Cruz told Venice.

Who had the original idea of ​​the film and specifies: "It would not please me at all to look like him!"

Pettiness, snobbery, small arrangements with oneself ... "The film basically describes a part of the human being", continued Antonio Banderas.

"In this case, they are actors, but it could very well be applied to politics, or to any human activity."

The screenplay was nourished by the experience of the actors: "Our idea was to show the cuisine, the strategies of the actors to move us", explained Gaston Duprat, who has already directed several films with his accomplice Mariano Cohn , including the comedy "Citoyen d'Honneur" (2017).

In one of the scenes, Ivan lets out grotesque loud cries before filming - a way of getting in condition for the role, he explains.

"This + MMMMAAAAOOOOHHHH + really exists," said Antonio Banderas.

"I shot with an actor who really did that ... The first time, I thought it was a cow!"

© 2021 AFP