A DAY IN THE LIFE

This month, we have the great honor of visiting acclaimed Spanish writer, director and comic artist Alberto Vázquez, whose new movie Unicorn Wars premiered at Annecy and will also screen at Pixelatl and Ottawa this month. He writes, “Two months ago I finished my new feature film Unicorn Wars, on which I’ve been working for almost six years, and right now I am in a very strange phase both professionally and personally. I feel a big emptiness — and also, today is a holiday in August. Even so, I work every day because I have a lot of things to do!”

1

8:30 a.m. I get up and have breakfast: coffee and apple pie. A month ago I had COVID, and there are days when I feel quite tired. Today is one of them. 9:15 a.m. I take a walk before work. I live in La Coruña, a quiet city in the north of Spain. Sometimes it is a boring city, but it has a spectacular landscape very close to home with many beaches and cliffs.

1:30 p.m. Today I went to the home of some animator friends to eat paella — a typical Spanish dish made with rice, saffron and other things you must cook just right. We ate vegetable paella because some of them are vegans. 3:45 p.m. Back to work. I still occasionally publish illustrations, like my weekly one for Pronto magazine. I usually work with India ink and watercolor. I don’t want to lose my spirit as an illustrator and I love drawing on paper.

2

10 a.m. Time for work. Two months ago I started the script for my next feature. I really like screenwriting, but I’m still at a very early stage and not sure about a lot of things I’m writing. I drink three cups of coffee … bad idea!

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6 p.m. I revise what I have written of the script and make character sketches for the future (hopefully) film. Revision is very important, because after several hours I can see what I wrote in the morning more clearly.

7

7: 30 p.m. I go for a walk with my girlfriend Bea, who has just come home from work. This is when we talk, share what we have done during the day, and I complain. She puts up with my insecurities and (sometimes) depressive character!

8

11 p.m. Normally we watch a movie or read, but tonight there are festivities in our city, so we came down to watch the fireworks. It’s a nice way to end the day — but tomorrow, we have to keep writing!