Spanish director David Victori made his global streaming breakthrough with “Firebreak” (“Corta Fuego”). The Spanish-language psychological thriller soared to No. 1 worldwide on Netflix from February 23 to March 1, garnering more than 20 million views in the first 10 days, surpassing the top English-language film in the same period.
In March, “Corta Fuego,” which was No. 2 on Netflix’s non-English programming worldwide from March 2 to 9, also cracked the top 10 in dozens of territories, making it the latest international breakout for a Spanish-language thriller.
“Corta Fuego” is about a mother searching for her missing daughter during a raging forest fire. When a quiet neighbor becomes suspicious, the investigation spirals into a psychological conflict fueled by fear, sadness, and prejudice.
Director Victori is known for his previous thriller film Crossing the Line, the Netflix action series Sky Rojo, The Money Heist directed by Alex Pina and Esther Martinez Lobato, and the legendary film You Would Do It Too.
Produced by Espotlight Media’s Ancho Rodriguez and producer Ferran Tomás, Firebreak features an accomplished cast including Belén Cuesta, winner of the Goya Best Actress Award for “Infinite Trench,” Enric Åker, winner of the Goya Best New Actor Award for “Eye for Eye,” Joaquín Friel, star of the HBO Latin American masterpiece “The Bronze Garden,” and Diana Gomez. ” (“Garcia”), co-starring with Candela Martinez (“Lies of the Past”) and Mika Arias (“The Father There Is Only One” series).
In a conversation with Variety, Victori talked about how she shaped her performance, why she withheld the film’s ending from her cast, and what’s next.
Can you tell us about the filming process for “Corta Fuego”? How was it different from previous approaches?
Three projects ago, I started exploring other ways to direct actors. My first film had a very standard approach. When you finally get the chance to make a movie, you often stay on safe rails. But for the second film, my direction became more intuitive and less controlled, and the results were stronger.
“Corta Fuego” takes that approach even further. He used long takes and gave the actors freedom within the scene. I wasn’t looking for a perfect take. I wanted the situation to feel wild and unpredictable.
The most interesting moments for me are the ones you can’t plan for.
Sound plays a big role in heightening the tension of a piece. How did you approach this score?
That was a big challenge. My editor and I both wanted the experience to be intense, but the problem was always when something became too much. We created a ton of music with composer Federico Jusid and used it throughout the film. Then, when we watched the entire movie together, we started cutting out parts.
When I watch alone, I sometimes feel like a scene needs music. But the silence could be even stronger within the film as a whole. Some of the most tense moments resulted in almost complete silence.
Did the images and motifs emerge naturally in Corta Fuego, or were they planned from the beginning?
Initially, it had thriller elements. A missing girl and suspicions between characters. But I kept asking myself why I wanted to tell this story. Everything became clear when I discovered the metaphor of fire and firebreaks.
Other elements arrived later. For example, I discovered “Fireworks” while watching a documentary about wildfires during pre-production. This allowed me to end the movie on a hopeful note without becoming overly sentimental.
What was the reaction to the release? And what’s in store for you?
When the movie came on, I turned off my phone and remained offline. I asked the producers to tell me only the most important news. I spent that time writing for my next movie. I try to focus on the next story instead of expectations.
As a creator, you can move from passion or fear. If you think too much about expectations, fear will begin to guide you. I always try to get back to my passion.
