MIGUEL ANGEL SOLA (JUAN - ADULT)
Miguel Angel Sola, one of the greatest Argentinean actors of his generation, has won many prizes in international festivals in South America and Europe. With a theater background, his latest spectacle, THE TRUE HISTORY OF ADAM & EVE, inspired by Mark Twain's short story, has been running for the last two years. His performance has been prized by numerous Argentinean art critic's associations.
Sola has an international acting career. He has performed in, among others, ASSASSINATION IN THE SENATE ( 1984) by Juan José Jusid, TANGOS, GARDEL'S EXILE (1985), SOUTH (1985) by Fernando Solanas and HOUSE OF FIRE (1994) by Juan Baptista Stagnaro. In 1997, he won the grand prize for best actor at the Havana festival for his role as a soldier in BAJO BANDERA, by Juan Maria Jusid. The same year he was chosen to interpret the leading role in TANGO, by Carlos Saura, filmed in Buenos-Aires.
For Miguel Angel Sola, Juan is a very intriguing character of great complexity: "I see Juan as a man who has undergone a long period of affective anesthesia. During those last twenty years, which he lived abroad, he gives the impression of having canalized all his energy into his profession. When he comes back and encounters Lilith, it is for him very symbolic. Ana and Lilith seem to be connected by the same spirit. That is why, after having run the risk of being destroyed by his first love, he commits an extreme act which, according to him, should protect him."
MARIA LUISA MENDONÇA (ANA)
Young Brazilian actress with theater background, Maria Luisa Mendonça began her career in 1987 in the play THE BRIDE'S DRESS by Nelson Rodrigues, under Carlos Wilson's direction. She has acted in several plays directed by Moacyr Goes, such as THE GIANTS OF THE MOUNTAIN by Pirandello and ROMEO & JULIET by William Shakespeare.
Se was discovered by a wider audience in 1993 through the televised series "Renascer" (Born Again), TV Globo, and then in the mini-series "Engraçadinha" (The Funny One), 1995, and in the series "Explode Coração" (Explosive Heart), 1996 and "Corpos Dourados"(Golden Bodies), 1998.
FOOLISH HEART is her first participation in the motion pictures.
Maria Luisa says that in order to interpret her character she took inspiration from a Matisse mobile which oscillated above her daughter's cradle: "Ana oscillates in the same way as the colored mobile which changes color and position according to the light and wind. She gives me the same feeling as the mobile - she is someone in perpetual transformation - but complete and intense in all that she does. I believe that what she really wanted was simple: marry and live with her beloved".
XUXA LOPES (LILITH)
Stage artist since 1977, Xuxa Lopes won the 1992 Shell Prize for best actress in Ariel Dortman's play THE DEAD AND THE MAIDEN, under José Wilker's direction. Among her other stage roles, it's worth mentioning Sam Sheppard's FOOL FOR LOVE, in Hector Babenco's remarkable stage production.
Her last part was the creation of Gabriel Vilela's MARY STUART, highly praised by the theater critics.
Xuxa Lopes also took part in some TV series and films, among others, "Valse Dream" (1981) and "Das Tripas, Coração"(1984) of the film director Ana Carolina.
For various reasons, Xuxa Lopes involved herself intensely in the fundamental character of Lilith. As Hector Babenco's wife, she has worked with him from its creation and did not conceal her great desire to interpret it: "I see her as a woman of total liberty, who has no notion of sin. I believe she represents the disorder which appeared in Juan's apparently organized life. Although her name represents the moon's black side, I wanted her to appear in this story like the sun in Juan's Life. It is a great pity that he could not understand it"
WALTER QUIROZ ( JUAN- YOUNG )
Walter Quiroz began studying theater in Buenos Aires at the age of 12.He made his début three years later in a rather polemic televised series "Socorro Quinto Ano" (Help Fifth Year), a critique of the Argentinean education system. At 17, he was contacted by the producer Fernando Solanas to interpret the leading part in the film THE VOYAGE. This film represented Argentina in the 1992 Cannes Festival and received the Great Prize from the Technical Commission. He also played in PERFUME DE GARDÊNIA (Gardenia Perfume) by Guilherme de Almeida Prado and in THE IMPOSTOR by Alejandro Massi, a project by Maria Luisa Bemberg.
With FOOLISH HEART this young actor confirms his very strong bond with Brazil. He explains: "Out of my four films, three are linked to that country. I am very proud of incarnating part of the memories of Hector Babenco, who was born in Argentina and is now residing in Brazil".
About Juan's role, he says: "Like this character, I am also preoccupied by the future, and in a similar way, I have decided very early that I will be a movie actor. Now, like him, I question myself and always look for the best way to legitimate what I do"
Special appearanceNORMA ALEANDRO (JUAN'S MOTHER)
Norma Aleandro is, without doubt, the first lady of Argentinean theater. She is known internationally for her role in OFFICIAL HISTORY by Luis Puenzo, for which she won the Feminine Interpretation Prize in the 1985 Cannes Festival as well as that of the New York Art Critics Association (1986). OFFICIAL HISTORY won Oscar for best foreign film in 1986.In 1986 and 1990, she was one of the presenters at the Oscar Ceremonies, and was nominated best actress in 1988 for her role in GABY by Luis Mandoki.