"Erika was born in Sweden; Lust in Barcelona"
Erika Lust welcomes us in her office in the heart of Passeig Picasso. A spacious house (yes, it feels like home), high ceilings, white walls... completely covered with photographs, stills and posters from the history of Lust Films. Here it is not worth blushing . Just contemplate and enjoy the visit. In Erika's office, guarded by the letters L-U-S-T , a large map of the Scandinavian peninsula welcomes us. Why can't I just see a physical map of Northern Europe? We are already inside, deep inside Erika's universe.
Erika arrived in Barcelona 15 years ago, although her first contact with the city was a fleeting visit in 1997, the moment of her crush: "it was a feeling of total love and I told myself 'I have to live here' so after another year of university in Lund, I came back to stay.” Despite having lived in Madrid or Clermont-Ferrand, France, she stuck with the Mediterranean: "I have to live in a city with a sea, there is something in the air, in the salt... Now I live in a flat with sea views and in the mornings when I drink my coffee I feel like it's mine." Is Barcelona a sensual city? "Of course: the heat in this city, the humidity... I love it! You can also shoot in the street if you don't install lights or tripods and that's why we were able to shoot handheld. I try to incorporate Barcelona into my films because Barcelona is part of Erika Lust: Erika was born in Sweden but 'la Lust' was born here ". Amen.
Lust Films Offices
"MANAGEMENT IS LIKE SAILING"
Continuing with Erika's obsession with the sea, it's time to weigh anchor! Let's show the warmth of the city . We left the offices to approach to the Ciutadella Park , looking for shelter in one of the greenhouses to shelter us from the sun and talk about her great project, X Confessions, an online platform that was born as confessional of pleasures, p thoughts that Erika makes come true in short film format : "It's something so rich, so different from what traditional adult cinema is: the fantasies, the adventures, the stories... People are much more crazy, creative, fun... X Confessions allows us to show that diversification of the sexuality".
Currently, Erika leads a team of 15 people in each shoot. " cinema is magic : We put all the components in the best way but... sometimes the light falls just as it has to fall, the clothes fit perfectly with the actors... There are many details and it is very difficult to achieve perfection. Steering is like sailing : I decide where we go but if the team does not row to the same side... we have to invest a lot of energy and transmit, transmit and TRANSMIT".
The exuberant vegetation of one of the greenhouses of Parc de la Ciutadella
The sea of Barcelona, sailing, feeling that the sea is yours in the morning... What obsession does Erika Lust have with the sea? Does she always travel to coastal places? "I don't like to fly and there are wonderful places to visit very close, like the Costa Brava waves Balearic Islands ; I also have a sailing background: I sailed with the Swedish Navy, I have worked as a navigation instructor in the United States, as a lifeguard... browsing you can move freely , not like inside an airplane. What if, I consider myself 'Eurocentric' I feel more comfortable on my continent".
I X-CONFESS: YOUR HOT ADDRESSES
The hardest hours of the morning are approaching. The sun rises as we head to the Born Market (currently converted into a Cultural Center) and among archaeological remains and under an architectural tangle of iron, we attack: where is a porn filmed? "In a wine store (which is very close to Lust Films), in a vintage store, in a small flying club..." Recently the Lust team has been to the Empordà , shooting several stories that will complete the round number 50 of short films published in X Confessions. "In the Empordà we shot a very funny story in a flying club, also a very surreal dream of a mermaid trapped in a swimming pool... _(laughs, lots of laughs) _ we're crazy; and we also want to do something related to hiking and with references to movies like Wild. This is what I love about the project: It's totally different from what's out there. ".
Pla's Bar
The world of imagination has no limits but when it comes to everyday life in Barcelona, what are Erika's addresses? There is no better place to discuss the subject than the Bar del Pla, one of the most frequented by the Lust team. Between siphons and a couple of beers, she confesses that she is very fond of tapas: "I really like to snack here and there in the Terminal ... I would start with The Market , a perfect Peruvian restaurant to drink a good ceviche and a pisco sour . Some essential rods in the Brutal Bar, or in the Puntual... they are all of the same style, tavern, tapas, What I like the most".
Beyond the fury of the tavern, What ritual does Erika follow when she needs to relax? And here goes the bomb. She sneaks out of Lust Films to enter a temple, to the nearby Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar , Y she confesses to the Purisima "It gives me peace, it relaxes me; it's a place to forget everything." But she also gets lost in the beaches "I go along the coastline, as I say", in the Raval, "I love Lo de Flor, which is a small place with great taste" or in the Sec Town , following her love for the cane and tapas ritual.
The purest
Erika is the mother of two girls, ages 5 and 8. The definitive plan for a family day in Barcelona? "Brunch at the Picnic and beach, a lot of beach ; We are going to Guingueta (on Bogatell beach)". And despite not being with family (although almost almost), we headed towards that marina that he likes so much, strolling through the Olympic Village and stopping at the imposing Frank Gehry fish , at the foot of the Hotel Arts .
In this idyllic scene she confesses to being a lover of hotel terraces . "I love that the hotels in Barcelona have opened up to the city. We recently went out to eat _ (referring to her and her husband and CEO of Lust Films, Paul Dobner ) _ to the terrace of The Serras and we are waiting for the opening of the Soho House in Barcelona I know what the building is and I'm keeping an eye on it! I also love the Pulitzer terrace, the Hotel Azul terrace, and the unmissable views from the W."
In the background, Bogatell Beach
A LUST NIGHT IN BARCELONA
We continue walking watching with envy how the people of Barcelona bathe in this white sand urban beach. We arrive at La Guingueta and order quickly: perhaps we are compensating for all the anxiety of the conversation with a menu of patatas bravas, tortilla chips with guacamole (ground at the moment), cuttlefish and, of course, bread with tomato? Does not matter. LET'S EAT (and let's keep asking).
What about the nights in Barcelona? How hot can they get? "The hottest place I know... the La Paloma room in the summer of 2000 . It was a place of red colors, it had a lounge... that summer was particularly hot and people used to dance until a thousand. It closed due to the protests of the neighbors... but IT WAS TOTAL. That's where I met Pablo, on the night of July 6, 2000". Places are also moments and cities, stories. But what would you recommend for a night like this, as hot (or hotter) than that of 2000? "The Bar 68, which is a restaurant but ends up getting crazier at night, clubbing type... That's where I shot Power Pussy and the bartender, Miguel, who made a non-explicit cameo in the short film, **dedicated me a cocktail... called Power Pussy.** It's pink, it comes in a triangular glass and it has white foam on top..." . That has to be tried.
We were left with the desire to set foot in Bar 68 with Erika (perhaps next time...) but before saying goodbye, leaving Bogatell behind us, we asked him about the future of Lust Films, what remains to be done?: "The next step will be a feature film, with a good plot and construction of the characters... I'm also thinking of a TV series without giving up explicit sex ". It is clear: Lust is lust, but also fireproof.
Pantagruelic food in Guingueta de Bogatell
*** You may also be interested in...**
- Erika Lust's hot addresses
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- Manual of use of urban beaches: case of Barcelona - 46 things that you will only understand if you are from Barcelona
- 100 things about Barcelona that you should know - The new Barceloneta: anatomy of a change - Being a foreigner in Barcelona - Nine gastro plans in Barcelona to carry out throughout this year - Breakfasts and snacks in Catalonia to enjoy with children
- Tell me how you are and I will tell you in which neighborhood of Barcelona to live - Barcelona Guide
- All the articles of María F. Carballo