Poliglocia

Earlier this year, I wrote an adaptation of the autobiography of the Nun Ensign, "La leyenda de la monja alférez". Catalina de Erauso escaped the convent her family had put her into, in order to sail to 16th century colonial South America, where she became a legendary cross dressing swashbuckler. Particular are not only her often retold quarrels, brutal murders, witty escapes and spicy love affairs - these were common material to baroque tales. But Erauso decided to write her own tale, her own truth - his own truth, if one is to be true to the narration. A truth that breaks the narrative of a repentant sinner, so beloved in Catholic fancy then and now, and reaffirms transition and change as a reality. History, in this case, was for me a vehicle to show the weight of reality, even if the tale is one of comedy, irony and multilayered farce. History is composed of accountable instances of rewriting, but the fact that it has been written down attests for the existence of the...

A new take of an old title seems like a safe bet, but it is always an enormous risk. It has to conciliate two opposing elements: the fans of the old title, who want to see more of the same, and the new public, who needs an accessible point of entry. Unfortunately, in this case I am clearly part of the former. I got into Boogiepop like the many few who did back in 2000, by watching the desaturated, obscure and existential anime series. Some kind of interquel to the books it was, pending by threads from larger plots and spinning around one important, unknown moment. After that, I made my way to the life action film and some (not all) of the novels of this magnificent bizarre universe. At first glance, sure, there is a lot more color, and a whole lot cuter character designs. The tone of Boogiepop even contradicts the title, since she is always smiling. Although it sometimes goes with the intricate multiprespectivism of the novels, it also regularly breaks down into chronological narrati...