punctual because no one
has any time to lose, certainly not people in the film industry. The only ones who do are
the five young women in the waiting room, busy with their mobile phones and their
magazines, compulsively sending texts to see if theyve been invited to something later in
the day, trying to talk to their friends, and always making a point of saying that theyre
not free to speak right now because they have an important meeting with a film producer.
Gabriela is the fourth person
tobecalled.Shehadtriedto interpret the look in the eyes of the first three candidates who
emerged from the room without saying a word, but then, of course, theyre all actresses,
capable of hiding any emotion, be it joy or sadness. All three strode determinedly to the
door and wished the others a confident Good luck, as if to say: No need to be nervous,
girls, youve got nothing to lose. The parts mine.
One of the walls in
theapartmentiscoveredwithablackcloth. The floor there is cluttered with all kinds of
electric cables and lights covered with a metal mesh, and theres a kind of umbrella with a
white cloth spread before it, as well as sound equipment, screens, and a video camera. In
the corners stand bottles of mineral water, metal briefcases, tripods, bits of paper, and
a computer. Sitting on the floor, a bespec- tacled, thirty-something woman is leafing
through Gabrielas book. Awful, she says, not looking up at her. Awful.
Gabriela doesnt know quite what to do. Perhaps she should pretend she isnt listening and
go over to the group of chain-smoking techni- cians chatting brightly in one corner or
perhaps she should simply stay where she is.
This ones awful, said the woman again. Thats me. She cant help herself. She has run
through half of Cannes to get there, waited nearly two hours, imagined yet again that her life is about to change
forever (although shes less and less prone to such fantasies now and wont allow herself to
get as excited as she used to), and she certainly doesnt need more reasons to be depressed.
I know, says the woman, her eyes fixed on the photos. They must have cost you a fortune.
People make a career out of making books, writing CVs, running acting courses, and
generally making money out of the vanity of people like you.
If you think Im so awful, why did you call me? Because we need someone awful. Gabriela
laughs. The woman finally raises her head and looks her up and down. I liked your clothes. I hate vulgar people. Gabrielas dream is returning. Her
heart beats faster. The woman hands her a sheet of paper. Go over there to the mark. Then
she turns to the crew. Put those cigarettes out and close the window. I dont want the sound messed up. The mark is a cross made with yellow tape on the floor. This means that the actor is automatically in the right position for the light- ing and the
camera.
Its so hot in here, Im sweating. Could I at least go to the bath- room and put a little
foundation on, some makeup?
Of course you can, but when you get back, there wont be time to do the recording. We have
to hand this stuff over by this afternoon.
All the other girls who went in must have asked the same question and been given the same answer. Best not to waste time. She takes a paper handkerchief out
of her pocket and dabs at her face as she makes her way over to the mark.
An assistant positions himself by the camera, while Gabriela battles against time, trying
to read through what is written on that half sheet of paper.
Test number twenty-five, Gabriela Sherry, Thompson Agency. Twenty-five?! thinks Gabriela.
And action, says the woman with the glasses. Silence falls.
No, I cant believe what
youresaying.Noonecancommit a murder for no reason.
Start again. Youre talking to your boyfriend.
No, I cant believe what youre saying. No one can commit a murder like that for no reason.
The words like that arent
has any time to lose, certainly not people in the film industry. The only ones who do are
the five young women in the waiting room, busy with their mobile phones and their
magazines, compulsively sending texts to see if theyve been invited to something later in
the day, trying to talk to their friends, and always making a point of saying that theyre
not free to speak right now because they have an important meeting with a film producer.
Gabriela is the fourth person
tobecalled.Shehadtriedto interpret the look in the eyes of the first three candidates who
emerged from the room without saying a word, but then, of course, theyre all actresses,
capable of hiding any emotion, be it joy or sadness. All three strode determinedly to the
door and wished the others a confident Good luck, as if to say: No need to be nervous,
girls, youve got nothing to lose. The parts mine.
One of the walls in
theapartmentiscoveredwithablackcloth. The floor there is cluttered with all kinds of
electric cables and lights covered with a metal mesh, and theres a kind of umbrella with a
white cloth spread before it, as well as sound equipment, screens, and a video camera. In
the corners stand bottles of mineral water, metal briefcases, tripods, bits of paper, and
a computer. Sitting on the floor, a bespec- tacled, thirty-something woman is leafing
through Gabrielas book. Awful, she says, not looking up at her. Awful.
Gabriela doesnt know quite what to do. Perhaps she should pretend she isnt listening and
go over to the group of chain-smoking techni- cians chatting brightly in one corner or
perhaps she should simply stay where she is.
This ones awful, said the woman again. Thats me. She cant help herself. She has run
through half of Cannes to get there, waited nearly two hours, imagined yet again that her life is about to change
forever (although shes less and less prone to such fantasies now and wont allow herself to
get as excited as she used to), and she certainly doesnt need more reasons to be depressed.
I know, says the woman, her eyes fixed on the photos. They must have cost you a fortune.
People make a career out of making books, writing CVs, running acting courses, and
generally making money out of the vanity of people like you.
If you think Im so awful, why did you call me? Because we need someone awful. Gabriela
laughs. The woman finally raises her head and looks her up and down. I liked your clothes. I hate vulgar people. Gabrielas dream is returning. Her
heart beats faster. The woman hands her a sheet of paper. Go over there to the mark. Then
she turns to the crew. Put those cigarettes out and close the window. I dont want the sound messed up. The mark is a cross made with yellow tape on the floor. This means that the actor is automatically in the right position for the light- ing and the
camera.
Its so hot in here, Im sweating. Could I at least go to the bath- room and put a little
foundation on, some makeup?
Of course you can, but when you get back, there wont be time to do the recording. We have
to hand this stuff over by this afternoon.
All the other girls who went in must have asked the same question and been given the same answer. Best not to waste time. She takes a paper handkerchief out
of her pocket and dabs at her face as she makes her way over to the mark.
An assistant positions himself by the camera, while Gabriela battles against time, trying
to read through what is written on that half sheet of paper.
Test number twenty-five, Gabriela Sherry, Thompson Agency. Twenty-five?! thinks Gabriela.
And action, says the woman with the glasses. Silence falls.
No, I cant believe what
youresaying.Noonecancommit a murder for no reason.
Start again. Youre talking to your boyfriend.
No, I cant believe what youre saying. No one can commit a murder like that for no reason.
The words like that arent
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