How did the film project come about?

The project is the brainchild of Nino Fontán, Miguel Alba Rico (one of Lolo Rico's seven children) and Itziar Bernaola. We thought that the 40th anniversary of ‘La bola de cristal’, which falls on 7 October, was a great opportunity to remember a show that still has legions of fans and to pay tribute to its creator.

What message does ‘Los poderes de Lolo’ address? What is the story about?

The documentary is based around Lolo Rico. The public mainly knows her for being the creator of ‘La bola de cristal’, but Lolo was much more. Professionally, she was one of the first women to direct a television programme. She was a cultured person, very creative and with a very special nose for talent and the avant-garde. On a personal level, she was also a woman ahead of her time, who underwent a major transformation after her separation. Lolo went from being a member of Opus Dei to a Communist Party militant and managed to raise her seven children on her own. She was what we would today consider to be an empowered woman.

Did you have any difficulties in getting the work underway?

It's a documentary that we started producing without funding, but we decided to go for a project we believed in to the death. Once we got going and started pre-production, we found out two major things that filled us with energy. First, that Lolo's story became even more powerful the further we got. And secondly, that ‘La bola de cristal’ had left its mark on several generations, who still remember the programme with great affection.

What was the filming process like? Did you face any challenges during the process?

The filming was not particularly complicated. In general, everyone was very happy to participate and all the interviews we were doing gave us a lot to work with. We managed to interview several of Lolo's children, friends and work colleagues, and also many of the artists who collaborated in ‘La bola de cristal’, such as Kiko Veneno, Loquillo, Anabel Alonso, Pablo Carbonell and Javier Gurruchaga.

'Los poderes de Lolo' will participate in the Zinemira section of the San Sebastian Festival. What does this selection mean to you?

We are proud that ‘Los poderes de Lolo’ has been selected and we are very happy that a Basque production company like Baleuko has joined this project.

How do you think audiences will respond to the film?

We believe that we already have a large audience in the ‘children’ of ‘La bola de cristal’. The programme made an impact on many people who were children or teenagers in the early 1980s. They will be surprised by the documentary when they find out who was behind the programme that encouraged them to read and watch less television or showed them the groups of the Movida madrileña. I think that the rest of the audience, especially the younger ones, will enjoy discovering the story of Lolo, a woman more from this era than the one she lived in.

Could participating in a festival of this size help to open new doors?

We think so. The San Sebastian Festival enjoys great prestige both nationally and internationally.

What trajectory will the film take before its release?

It will premiere at the Festival and will then be broadcast on TVE and probably on a platform.

Do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

For the moment, we want to make the most of ‘Los poderes de Lolo’, which has taken a lot of effort and dedication. Other projects are sure to follow...