SYNOPSIS
A war prisoner in 1937 Spain struggles to survive while nationalism is destroying her cause. The war itself provides the most basic of needs to survive like: shelter, food and water, but leaves love and human contact untended. She and her captor will undoubtedly feel that void.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
 |
Born in Mexico, Alvaro Zendejas started working with digital video at fourteen, his first noteworthy achievement was his faux ufo video that got on a national talkshow in Mexico when he was 18 in 2001. Months later he was selected in his first film festival for an animated short film Hypen Genome. In 2005 he won Best Experimental Short Film at the Morelia International Film Festival with L’Instant Avant, next year he won Best Animated Short Film at the Baja California Film Festival, he travelled to New York, Seattle, Arizona, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Mexico City to showcase his work. In 2007 he was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the Mexican Academy Awards for Sheep Poem. His work has competed in Scotland, England, Cuba, Spain, all around the U.S., and the Czech Republic, where his latest animated short film was shown in 3D stereoscopic glasses in High Definition. In late 2008 he finished his latest live action short film The Blind Revolution, dealing with Nationalism against the Popular Front in 1937 Spain. This year he graduates with a Degree in Communications.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
"When I returned home after being nominated for that coveted Award, I found myself drained of any ideas to keep working on my passion, then I remembered what was the point of making short films in the first place: To tell stories. I tried to fit in to the filmmaking world so young (since I was 15), but it was impossible to get anyone to listen and join in. So my escape was animation, and I had become associated as The Animator, even though my fantasy is to make live action films… interesting irony.
I was lucky enough to have a good story proposed to me, about Irela, a woman who finds herself between comfort and her ideals, in other words, the Stockholm Syndrome. My initial attraction and fear of the project was its setting: Spain 1937, just before the Spanish Civil War. It would be interesting visually to travel to another country and period, but on the other hand it would be something never attempted before where I come from, where the typical short film is either about immigrants or modern love stories that teach you about the sins of infidelity and drug use.
The initial challenge was creating the world; a nomination for the highest cinematic honor in my country, would not be enough to win a grant or support to make a short film overseas; having been rejected with the proposal, and having a team supporting me every step of the way, I did my best not to let the team down and use what was available to us: Digital cinematography, private colletors lending us authentic weapons, straps, props, down to a military blaket that even survived World War II.
I am quite happy with this short film, even if it doesn’t jump out at the screen and yells: Injustice, Corruption, Sex! This short film has no pretentions but to look at how love is tricky, how you are often pushed into accepting what your life has to offer you. It is not an anti-war film, it is not a love story, it is simply Irela’s story. It’s her great opportunity to prove to herself what matters the most: The idea of love? Or The idea of the cause?"
--Alvaro Zendejas
^ back to top
‹ back to film list
‹ back to programme |
SHOWTIMES
SUN. 5/17 at 9:00PM
Stockton Empire Theatre
CAST AND CREW
Production: High Indole
Screenwriter: Alvaro Zendejas
Producer: Alvaro Zendejas, Melissa Carrasco
Cinematographer: Alvaro Zendejas
Editor: Manuel Valverde
Production Design: -
Sound: Celia Quiñonez, Jesus Padilla
Principal Cast: Patricio Amaya, Lexie Baños
SOURCES
Print Source:
High Indole |
