Ivana: I remember when I was shooting it, I was very much a believer that Ofelia was indeed going into this better world. In a way, I felt that brought comfort, and it justified the strength it took to drive that story. The endgame was fulfilled for her. It made the journey all the more beautiful, and I was very adamant about that.
As I got older, I thought, No, this was a coping mechanism. This was a way for her to evade the world that she was living in. Surely it can’t be real.
Now, as an adult, I am actually going back to the belief that it was real — even if it’s in a spiritual way — but I feel that she really does go there.
It’s interesting how it’s been ever-evolving. Every time I watch the movie, I discover something new, and my whole perspective changes, not just on the ending, but on the film as a whole.
That’s one of the beautiful things about the movie, and I think that’s why it holds up so well. There are so many interpretations, and it’s so relevant at any point in time, that it still talks to people.
