A trip to Spain to say goodbye to the late Kelly Preston

Madrid

Updated:07/23/2021 00:43h

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There are fewer phases of grief than there are faces in pain. The protagonists of ‘The trip of their lives’ they choose to face one of the most terrible, death, with a smile instead of tears, and take advantage of the blow to account for the past. Like its director, Jules Williamson, who entrusts the protagonists of his film debut with the trip that, after the death of a friend, he had yet to repeat. Thus, in an adventure in which reality and fiction intersect, Sally Phillips, Kelly Preston, Jenny Seagrove and Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips recall the memory of the deceased by visiting, on interrail, the bars and hostels of Europe. Until they reach Palma de Mallorca, in whose cathedral they end the journey admiring the spectacle of the Fiesta de la Luz.

“It brought that spiritual part that went very well with the story and cinematographically I like the theme of light through the window,” says the filmmaker in an interview.

With lost passports, train strikes and romantic entanglements, the four women complete the journey that “the years and the realities of everyday life” made the filmmaker and her friends never return to. There is no grief in the film, because, like his admired Alexander Payne, Williamson enjoys “bringing pain into emotional journeys.” «I like to put elements of humor in difficult situations», acknowledges the director, who was inspired by ‘Entre copas’ and ‘Los descendants’ for this ‘road movie’. “This one is lighter but I hope it’s just as fun,” says Williamson.

Amid all the humor, the death, a year ago, of the best known of the protagonists, Kelly Preston, wife of John Travolta, to which a breast cancer deprived of the promotional trip of a film with which she was excited.

“The parallelism is curious,” he concedes. «It was impossible to know that I was sick if I did not tell you, because brought energy, charisma and liveliness both on and off set. She was passionate about life and a bond was created, “says Williamson of Preston, whom he called” my co-director, “” because she was so generous with her time “and always lent him a hand. In addition to a tribute to her friend, the genesis of the film 20 years ago, this last trip to Spain serves as a tribute and farewell to the actress, who gave her her last role. “It’s heartbreaking to do this promotional tour without her,” he tells of “a great comedy actress,” whom he honors with his mantra: “We’re sad but we want to celebrate Kelly Preston’s life, the bright side, which is what she is. I would have liked.

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