Enric Rufas, screenwriter and screenwriting teacher at FX CINEMA:

“Talent is work”

Enric Rufas is a playwright, screenwriter, and teacher of the Master's Degree and Specialized Screenwriting Course at FX CINEMA.

Rufas is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting and respected screenwriters in current Spanish cinema. After winning several awards as a playwright and poet, Enric started a brilliant career as a screenwriter, writing the stories of "The Hours of the Day" (2003), for which he received the Critics' Award in Cannes, and "Solitary Fragments" (2007), Goya Award for Best Film, both directed by Jaime Rosales. Enric has been nominated for the Goya for Best Original Screenplay for both.

He also co-wrote the directorial debut of Fernando Franco, "La herida" (2013), Goya Award for Best New Director.

In addition, Enric recently made his directorial debut with the short film "Victims" (2015) and is preparing to direct his first feature film, "The Weak Ones," for which he is also the author of the screenplay.

Charming and wise, Rufas reveals to us the secrets of screenwriters and analyzes the script of "Pride" (2014), as he is responsible for presenting the film by Matthew Warchus at Sala Montjuïc on July 13.

How do you see the situation of screenwriters in the Spanish film industry?

The current situation is very complicated: without a policy that truly supports culture, it is alone and lacks the necessary conditions to carry out projects with budgets. The industry operates on very precarious margins.

Moreover, many directors want to write their own scripts. The best way for a screenwriter to make a good living is to alternate between film and television work, as television has budgets and values the figure of the screenwriter.

Do you prefer working for a director or creating your own scripts?

I like both options. I believe that commissions are inherent to the work of a screenwriter. It simply depends on whether you commission yourself or if the commission comes from someone else.

When the commission comes from ourselves, we more or less know what we want to tell and ultimately decide how to narrate it; the structure, the characters, the duration, etc. When the commission is external, it is what the person requesting our work gives us.

What would you highlight about the script of Pride?

Pride is a film that explores the theme of conflicting opposites, between a community of miners and a group of gay and lesbian activists. These two groups, in a specific political and social context – 1980s England – appear to be two completely different and opposing worlds. The world of the workers represents a past and stale environment.

On the other hand, the gay world symbolizes a new order of liberation and struggle against repression. Ultimately, a common goal: solidarity and the struggle bring them together, enabling them to learn from each other. This conflict generates very funny and entertaining comic situations, which are one of the film's successful aspects.

Unfortunately, the film often tends to be complacent and politically correct, offering a superficial view of subjects such as workers' rights, LGBTQ+ rights, friendship, and women's liberation. From my point of view, this is a problem rooted in the script but exacerbated by the direction.

Furthermore, one of the things I like most about the script is the portrayal of certain characters whose interactions offer us very interesting and emotional sequences, such as the relationships Joe maintains with his association colleagues.

What projects are you currently involved in?

I always have many projects in progress, including three feature films I am working on with different teams of screenwriters, a play, and a series. Not to mention the joint project at FX Cinema teaching the Screenwriting subject.

I cannot stick to just one job, it bores me and I find it unrealistic...

Is there such a thing as the perfect script? Could you mention a film that has it or at least approaches it?
I hope the perfect script does not exist. I believe that in the world of creation, we are driven by subjective tastes, and that, for me, is the greatness of art.

There are many good films with excellent scripts, such as "Funny Games" (1997), "Unforgiven" (1992), "The South" (1983)... There are so many movies that have marked me and continue to do so... They are not perfect scripts, but they touch and tell the stories they present very well.

Where do the ideas for the Rufas universe come from?

From life. I believe that the work of a screenwriter involves observing reality, being critical, and drawing conclusions that we later present in a story. Everyone is a potential character, including ourselves.

Do you think screenwriting receives enough attention in film schools?

I think there is a pending issue with screenwriting in the sector, both in schools and in the industry itself. Its importance is often overlooked. Without a screenplay, there is nothing, and that is almost always forgotten.

What is the most important thing you try to convey to your students?

Effort and work. Without these two elements, it is impossible to create anything good. One must be fully committed.

What sequence would you like to write and see come to life afterward?

One in which a child becomes a happy, independent man, regardless of his profession. I am trying to achieve this daily with my son. I hope it has a happy ending.

Other than a computer, what do you need to be a screenwriter?

As I mentioned before, effort, work, commitment, care, dedication... a script is like life itself, which is why it requires the same elements. Talent is work.