Sofia Milos plays Celia Amonte, a woman who lost the love of her life to the sea. Emmy Rossum is Vicky, Celia’s free-spirited, independent daughter who breaks from the more traditional Portuguese-American way of life. Actress Lupe Ontiveros co-stars as Vicky’s widowed grandmother, the dispenser of knowledge and the voice of reason who helps calm the emotional turbulence in Celia and Vicky’s relationship. Handsome Brit Jason Isaacs gets a shot at being the romantic lead in “Passionada,” a nice change of pace from his usual fare as the bad guy.
In this exclusive interview, director Dan Ireland talks about gathering together “Passionada’s” talented cast, fado music, and learning about the Portuguese culture.
How did you familiarize yourself with the Portuguese culture?
I stayed in New Bedford and literally lived in the town as much as I could. I went to all the clubs and experienced ‘fado.’ I basically got to know everyone - as much as I could. All of our crew were Portuguese-American people who were from New Bedford. It really became so intoxicating to hang out there and go down to the docks and the wharves. I just basically familiarized myself with the world because I really wanted to make the whole city a character in the film. I really thought it was imperative to do that. I was so blown away by the city that it just seemed natural that it had to become a character. [The city] seemed so much a part of who the people are. The place really dictates who the people are. I felt like I was in a part of Europe. I felt that this was a little pocket of America that not many people knew about. It seemed to have the old lifestyles as well as the new generation, which is really what Vicky [Emmy Rossum's character] represents in the film. There really are three generations of people going on there. It’s so apparent even by walking the streets.
Has the film played in New Bedford yet?
Yes, we did the World Premiere last Monday night. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life because I think it’s so important, it meant so much for me to get it right. It was the first film that was shot there in 85 years. The last one was Lillian Gish in “Down to the Sea in Ships.” I thought if they waited 85 years, it really needed to be done justice (laughing).
What was the reaction of the audience?
Overwhelmingly positive. I was told that the only thing I got wrong with the whole Portuguese thing was I had Vicky call her grandmother ‘Nana.’ It was in the script and when I talked to the writers and the Portuguese-Americans that were surrounding [the production], they said she would call her ‘Nana’ because she is of the younger generation. But the correct name for grandmother is ‘Vava.’ So I messed up there.
If that’s the only thing they could point out, then that’s not bad at all.
I said to them, “Listen, I’m just a poor little white boy from Canada. If that’s all I did wrong..." When I did “The Whole Wide World,” one of the things that was so important to me was capturing the feeling of Texas in the 30s, and that whole era. It was so romantic and it was right at that time when it was pre-World War II. Life was different and just capturing that feeling of what being in a small town in Texas could do to people. I really think that your sense of place is so important in any story that you tell. It really kind of dictates who the people are and the characters, especially within the town. It was definitely in “The Whole Wide World” maybe in a more subtle way, but in “Passionada,” it’s a part of it.
Casting "Passionada," the Shooting Schedule and Sympathetic Characters
