VIEDMA (AV) "It was a wise choice choosing to film in Rio Negro," said Viggo Mortensen to this newspaper. A few hours before leaving for La Pampa, where the shooting of the film in which he plays a Danish soldier will proceed, the renowned New York actor told us that "the experience of filming in the area of La Lobería has been very special for everybody in our crew."

He also asserted that "after shooting for a couple of weeks, I feel Lisandro Alonso - the director of the feature film - is putting together a very good story, and the landscape near the coast has a lot to do with it."

Mortensen, who traveled around the province with his family in the sixties when he was a child, and lived for several years in Argentina, expressed his surprise at the beauty of the area. "What a place! The people who live in this province are very lucky; I think it´s necessary to make an effort to take care of places like this," said the actor in an email he forwarded to this agency.

He also decided to give his opinion about the preservation of the place and said that he hopes "the citizens won´t allow politicians and entrepreneurs with few scruples and less love for natural spaces to destroy the jewels that those unique landscapes in this part of the world are. Such variety of land, flora and fauna! Once ruined, it´s difficult to restore them. I see that the exploitation of mineral resources and gas is about to enter a new phase in this province. It's good to be able to create new jobs, that the economy is able to grow, but it seems to me, on the basis of what I've observed in other parts of the world, that there are healthy and not-so-healthy ways to take advantage of what there is in the land. 'Fracking,' for example, as has been proven in the U.S. and other countries, is not a healthy method for extracting gas. The land, the water, the people and the animals suffer a lot. Short-term economic gains are not worth the trouble and sickness that the most harmful methods bring. I hope that such practices are not permitted to ruin this beautiful part of the country as has occurred in so many other countries. There are more responsible ways to access the same resources and help create jobs and wealth," he thought.

As for the film - the name of which is still not known - he says that his role is that "of a Danish soldier who comes to Argentina with his daughter during the so-called "Conquest of the Desert" era in the nineteenth century. "Vilbjörk Malling, the young Danish actress who is playing my daughter and her mother who accompanied her have had a good time during the shoot." He said that "Vilbjörk hadn't worked a lot before this production, but she is very calm and professional. She says she has loved spending some time in La Lobería, and, like me, she has felt very inspired by the landscape of the coast. The people who live around there have treated all of us in the crew with generosity and kindness, and those who came from Viedma and Patagones to film with us did a very good job."

He reaffirmed that "it was absolutely a good decision by Lisandro to choose to film in Rio Negro. How fortunate that we have permission to do so! I think it's going to be a very beautiful movie, to a large extent thanks to the charm of this area. I hope that the citizens of this beautiful province will be proud of its contribution when they see the movie."

Mortensen and the crew left the seven rented houses and headed off to La Pampa, where they will continue filming. The cinematographic activity of the last 15 days caused a rare stir in the small coastal village, which welcomed more than 50 people from different places. In addition, extras from Patagones and from Viedma participated in separate scenes that took place near the sea and inland.

Viggo Mortensen himself was seen strolling through the provincial capital and Patagones in the last few days. The residents keep to themselves colorful anecdotes that they will always treasure in their memories.