Confesiones Chin Chin is a Spanish feature film centered around the Cazador bar in Madrid where two queer actors, Vicente and Lolo, engage in a freewheeling conversation about sexuality, life, and more. During this process, they come across people like Sofia, Roberto, and various other eclectic people who are figuring themselves out in their own weird and unconventional ways. Whether or not these stories will positively influence Vicente and Lolo, or bring their friendship to an abrupt end, is what forms the crux of the narrative. I sat down for a virtual chat with its director and co-writer, Carolina Perelman, to learn about the authenticity of confessions featured in the film, her cinematic influences, and the relationship with food and sex.
Film Fugitives: You’ve claimed that the confessions that we hear in your movie are based on real-life stories. Can you tell us a little about how you came across these tales? Did you have to get somebody’s permission to put them in your film?
Carolina Perelman: Some confessions came from conversations with friends, others from interviews with the cast. Everything remains anonymous—I want it that way because these stories could belong to anyone. As for permission, absolutely. Especially for the dog story and the man who was sexually harassed in Peru.
FF: You kind of throw audiences in at the deep end with the couple on the hill. Since that’s the only scene that takes place outdoors, what was the experience of pulling it off?
CP: I wanted to start with an outdoor scene during the morning because it represents the end of a long night—just like Confesiones Chin Chin. Introductions can be boring, especially when it comes to fetishes, so I jump straight into the dog part quickly and naturally. Why over-explain it?
FF: What’s up with the bar where the whole film takes place? Is it an actual bar that you discovered? Is it a set? Is it an apartment? What was the process of making it look so convincing?
CP: It’s a popular gay bar named Cazador in Malasaña, one of the hottest areas in Madrid. I discovered it because I’m friends with one of the owners who also acts in the film. In the film his name is Vicente and in real life is Enrique Gimeno.
FF: Tell me a little about the movie within the movie, Portrait of a Painter? Was it a meta commentary of your experience of directing actors in a film that’s supposed to feel as authentic as possible?
CP: It’s not a personal meta commentary. I didn’t feel like Filipa del Valle de Ventto during the set at all. Maybe it’s a wink on people’s perceptions about art and artists in general.
FF: There’s quite a bit of food play going on, especially in Sophie’s story. Was Tampopo a big influence there? Also, are there any other cinematic influences that we should be looking for while watching Confesiones Chin Chin?
CP: Sex can be playful, not just about chasing pleasure! Tampopo absolutely influenced me—the absurdity and sensuality of that scene felt fresh and playful the first time I saw it. I love that SofÃa is playing in an uncommon yet childish way. Other key influences are Shirley Clarke’s Portrait of Jason for its raw intimacy and [Rainer Werner] Fassbinder—I love both with all my heart!
FF: Your characters talk a lot about sexuality, relationships, & human nature. Which of them did you find yourself agreeing with the most?
CP: None! Haha. But really—does it matter what I think? Maybe it’s ironic but this film isn’t about me…whether I agree or not is my little secret.
FF: What was the process of casting the actors in the movie? Are there any interesting moments of collaborative magic that’ll remain with you forever?
CP: Some are actors, some are non-actors. But I felt a special connection with all of them.
FF: What is the story behind the camcorder footages? What was the process of procuring them and then using it in the film?
CP: Everyone in the camcorder footage also appears in the film—I wanted to remind us where we all come from: childhood, where play and truth rule. Why does adulthood so often mean becoming dull and being dishonest about our feelings? I wanted to bring back that sense of raw, unfiltered being.
FF: Are there any stories that you wanted to include in your film but didn’t make the cut?
CP: Yes—a scene with a masseuse doing whippets with a client while the clients receive the massage…everything simultaneously. Maybe next time.
