Alexis Morante directs ‘A una isla de ti’: “We must normalize diverse relationships and make sure they are not the center of the plot”

The filmmaker Alexis Morante presents ‘To an island of you’a romantic comedy filmed in Gran Canaria that vindicates the accent and identity of the island, while addressing a “generational and cultural” conflict between two men who fall in love, moving away from the usual codes by not placing the story “coming out of the closet” in the center.

“I think that perhaps there is an overexposure of films with the conflict of diversity, although it is necessary for films to directly address the conflict of why someone is transsexual or why they have to come out of the closet. But I think what is needed is normalization and that there are films in which diverse relationships are seen without that being the center of the plot“, said the director in an interview with Europa Press, on the occasion of the theatrical release of ‘A una isla de ti’ this coming Friday, April 10.

The filmmaker defends that his film addresses the relationship between two men with “normality” and praises that Gran Canaria “goes ahead of the rest” to allow “anyone to be whatever they want to be.” “The film does not convey that there is a conflict in identity, since it is situated in the next phase which is normalization and from the beginning it is seen that there is going to be a story of love, of feelings and that there are no labels. They are simply relationships and that is what makes them interesting.“, he indicated.

Morante, in his escape from labels, assures that the film deals with many themes, both LGTBI love, touristification and gentrification, and broken families. “Here the Canary Islands and the authenticity of the culture and roots are greatly vindicated.“, he remarked.

In this sense, he regrets that Spanish cinema takes advantage of the tax incentives that the Canary Islands have, without showing the personality of the region. “A lot is being filmed in the Canary Islands, but with little Canarian personality because there are many tax incentives and stories of all kinds are filmed that do not have to be in the Canary Islands. However, this film fights a little against that,” emphasizes Morante, who highlights the Canarian accent with Toni Acosta or Canarian food with mojo picón.