Actors Javier Cámara and Belén Cuesta spoke about their project at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, starring in the comedy-drama 5 minutos más. Directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera and written by Berto Romero—who also stars in the film—the story follows a couple experiencing a relationship crisis who become trapped in a five-minute time loop while visiting a rural rental house.
The narrative centers around a singular premise: a couple arrives at a countryside property for a weekend getaway, only to find themselves resetting to the exact same moment every five minutes. The anchor point of the loop occurs just as the real estate agent, portrayed by Cámara, is leaving the premises.
Technical Challenges and Rigorous On-Set Rehearsals
According to Belén Cuesta, bringing the time-loop concept to life required extensive technical precision from both the cast and the behind-the-scenes crew. Speaking with Fotogramas at the festival, Cuesta noted that the primary challenge involved maintaining precise timing across repeated sequences without losing track of the narrative flow.
“We were very scared of the technical part of the shoot and how we were going to manage to square those five minutes,” Cuesta told Fotogramas. “Every time we started rehearsing, we wondered how we would manage not to lose track of time, because we had to nail everything.”
Unlike standard film productions utilizing traditional shot-reverse-shot coverage, the cast spent their mornings in casual rehearsal wear working through the blocking alongside the technical staff. Because outdoor lighting and the natural position of the sun dictated that the scenes must always appear to take place at 6:30 p.m., the production window for each setup remained severely restricted.
Javier Cámara emphasized that despite the heavy technical complexity beneath the surface, the film maintains a direct and accessible tone for viewers. Director Javier Ruiz Caldera utilized numerous visual effects—including specialized gags and subtle prosthetic work—that remain seamless to the audience.
“There is something simple, straightforward about the film,” Cámara stated to Fotogramas. “When you watch it, it entertains you, it stresses you out, but you don’t focus on the technique, and I think that is the great success of this movie.”
Reflections on Time, Career Choices, and Past Regrets
When discussing the thematic core of repeating moments in time, the actors reflected on their own personal and professional trajectories. Cámara admitted that while many people claim to harbor no regrets, he maintains a pragmatic view of his past mistakes.
“People say, ‘I have no regrets,’ but I do regret some things,” Cámara told Fotogramas. “Sometimes I think, ‘Ugh, I really messed up here.’ But I am who I am now, with all my errors and my regrets. I think all of that has settled somewhere to give me more experience, common sense, or perspective.”
Looking back at their filmographies, both actors acknowledged a common tendency to scrutinize their earlier performances. Cuesta explained that viewing her past work frequently triggers a desire to alter specific choices, though she attempts to maintain self-compassion. Cámara contrasted his current perspective as a veteran actor approaching age sixty with his early work in his thirties, noting that accumulated career experience fundamentally shifts how an artist approaches character construction.