A True Form Films and LatinHeat Media Institute Indie Film Screening Series Co-Presentation Special Screening – Saturday, May 23rd 7PM – Red Carpet Arrivals & 8PM Screening Downtown Independent Theater, Los Angeles
By Elia Esparza
LatinHeat Media Institute (LHMI) Indie Film Screening Series program has one set goal about films they will screen: Movies have to have a cultural relevance and/or that its storyline has to deal with social issues important to the underserved communities. True Form Films’ After School fits LHMI’s showcasing criteria about a young boy who is determined to stop being invisible to his family and authorities.
Written by Ruben Padilla, After School’s stars Mauricio Mendoza (Resurrection Blvd., Angeles, Blow), Yeniffer Behrens-Mendoza (General Hospital, Desperate Housewives, Sons of Anarchy), Vance Valencia (Contact, Die Hard2) and introducing 14-year old Adrian Moreira-Behrens (Sidewayz, Major Crimes, Stalker). These four actors give compassionate, heartfelt and chilling performances that leave audiences stunned as they take movie-viewers through one boy’s odyssey on a very bad day.
The film also has an impressive ensemble of co-stars—Fanny Veliz, Julia Vera, Andy Martinez Jr., Carly Thomas-Smith, Ricky Saenz, Lawrence Razo, Zylan Brooks, Manolo Travieso, RoseAnn Kelley, Oscar Rodriguez, Isabella Briggs, and twins Emily and Abigail Ozrey. Co-producing partners include: DeWayne Cox, Mauricio Mendoza and Yeniffer-Behrens, who formed True Form Films in 2009.
Co-directed by Carlos Melendez and Mendoza, After School tells the story of how one-day a young boy’s life is forever changed after an explosive confrontation with his abusers.
“The film’s message is important because it is told from a child’s point-of-view,” said LHMI, Executive Director Bel Hernandez. “We read so many stories about youth who venture into crime or gangs, and wonder ‘what has this kid gone through to find himself on the road self-destruction?”
LHMI, a non-profit organization established the Indie Film Screening Series as a way to give Latino Indie filmmakers an opportunity to have their films seen by community. Although most films are screened at film festival, their audience is limited to the cities and venues these festivals are organized. All ticket purchases for After School are tax-deductible.
“Our LHMI Indie Film Screening Series looks to bridge that gap between industry and the community, who are the ones impacted by these issues,” added Hernandez.
We caught up with the filmmakers and actors to talk about the film and on how it is loosely based on several real life stories.
Latin Heat: Out of all the films you could make, what was it about After School that motivated you?
Young Adrian Moreira-Behrens and Mauricio Mendoza
Mauricio Mendoza: True Form Films mission is ‘to make a difference one film at a time.’ This is a subject matter that we felt very strongly about. Ruben Padilla, our writer, Yeniffer [Behrens] and I know people in our families that have been through this. We felt that it was important to give them a voice and a sense of closure.
Yeniffer Behrens: We are all parents and this issue is one of our biggest fears.
LH: How long did it take to shoot?
MM: A whopping 14 days with one pick up day!
Adrian Moreira-Behrens
LH: Your son is in the starring role—was it a difficult decision to let him play Jacky? And, by the way, he is an amazing young talent.
YB: Thank you! Adrian [Moreira-Behrens] is a little pro, I must say. Yes, the decision to cast him was definitely thought out. We gave the writer specific notes about explicit or graphic scenes. We knew how delicate a subject we were dealing with and only through subtle storytelling would it ever work and it be manageable to make. I had a hard time accepting Adrian holding the gun for most of the story, but it represented giving ‘Jacky’ his freedom. We hope we can teach children that speaking up—use their voice—is the best weapon humans possess.
Boys make up 50 percent of the sex trafficked victims in the U.S
LH: What kind of advice did you give Adrian to prepare for his role?
MM: It being Adrian’s first major dramatic starring role, we all knew the challenges in store. We had several table readings and Adrian realized it was going to get really difficult. We asked him numerous times if he was sure he wanted to take it on. He always looked us straight in the face, and said, ‘Yes, I want to play Jacky!’ So we went to work.
YB: During really dark scenes, we would do emotional exercises, breathing techniques, and always having him take breaks to know he was safe and most importantly, he was surrounded by his family on the set at all times. His father was 2nd AD, and Adrian would get to play with his DS and also had his good friend Jack on set with him. We always advised him that this is not real, and that his interpretation in playing this boy in a truthful way given the circumstances felt real. After the shoot, Adrian got to go to Comic Con in San Diego as part of his payment for playing Jacky and Rosarito Beach in Baja to be with his grandmother on a family vacation.
LH: Playing Jacky must have been hard for you. After finishing this film, what did you learn that you believe will help you grow as an actor?
Adrian Moreira-Behrens
Adrian Moreira-Behrens: After reading the script about Jacky’s role, I knew I could tap into my emotions and really feel the characters pain. I think this experience made me grow as an actor and I’ll be able to do any emotional part thrown at me.
I also learned that by me playing Jacky, I represented all the kids that are being abused and don’t have a voice. I believe that the more people who see this movie the more who will be inspired to speak up. I feel honored to be the one to portray Jacky and give kids the voice and courage they never had.
LH: Vance —Wow! Is all I can say about your grandpa portrayal—did you have any doubts about being in this film?
Vance Valencia
Vance Valencia: I had no doubts whatsoever about playing this controversial role. Playing the bad guy is fun and often times the scoundrel is remembered long after the hero has gotten the girl and saved mankind. More importantly, however, I am an actor not the character and although I do not identify with the character, I accept that not all humans are noble.
My job is to portray any character with as much truth as possible. That there are people in the world that actually behave the way my character does in this movie is outrageous, despicable and damnable. But, this is a story that needs to be told because it confronts what I consider a societal illness, which needs to be addressed. Consequently, this is a character that must be exposed not denied simply because he represents the darker side of what humans are capable of becoming.
LH: What do you hope audiences take away from your movie?
MM: We hope to start a conversation about this subject matter… teach children to speak up and parents to ask questions, even when they dread what some answers might be.
LH: Have you ever had similar roles to portray? And, what did you learn from the character you portrayed?
Yeniffer Behrens-Mendoza
YB: This is my first role as a cop in the U.S.. I did play a Mexican detective in a Mexican film with Luis Gatica. What I learned as Officer Olivia Hanson in After School is that the commitment behind a law enforcement job is to stay in control and resolve the problem at hand for the greatest of all good. To save a life… to save the world, it all comes from the same place of making a difference in the world. Also my role as Officer Hanson represents single working moms.
MM: I have not played a role like Michael Brooks ever and that’s why I told Ruben to write this kind of character. As an actor I’ve always played characters who are in control of things: a doctor, lawyer, detective, and the bad guy in a suit always in control. I wanted to step out and play a broken person—something that the industry has not yet seen. We as actors should be able to play everything but most of the time the industry put actors in categories and that’s where we stay. I also wanted that for Yeniffer. She is one of the best actors I know and I don’t say this because she’s my wife. I wanted people to see her step out of how people normally see her. She has incredible range and she shows it in this film. For Adrian I just wanted something that showcased him as this film does. I think Ruben did an exceptional job creating the characters that I asked him to create.
30 percent of children who are trafficked reported sexual abuse by someone in their family and 14 percent disclosed sexual abuse by both someone within and outside of their family
LH: After School is in your face about the abuse that is currently happening in our own neighborhoods, in our own families—
MM: That’s why we made this film, because we want people aware of the problem in the U.S. And, introduce them to organizations like Youth for Human Rights International and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children—they exist for the protection of our children.
YB: Child sex abuse and sex trafficking of children generate huge public outrage. We hope our film is able to reignite our disgust and stereotypes surrounding this taboo issue. We need laws to protect instead of making it more difficult to address the real problem/dilemmas and oppression of those children who need our help the most.
Thank you, Mauricio, Yeniffer, Adrian and Vance for making a movie about what mainstream media isn’t telling us about: the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the United States… in our own neighborhoods.
After School brings together two souls who are in suffering in silence until they are forced to face their crippling fears and fight back because they have nothing else to lose.
For tickets, go to: http://afterschool.brownpapertickets.com Tickets limited, early online purchase recommended. For more info on the film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3093720/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10
After School screens on Saturday, May 23, 2015 Downtown Independent Theater — $12 Tickets 251 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
About True Form Films (TFF):?True Form Films, Inc. is an experienced and culturally diverse, full service production company, whose goal is to deliver powerful, high quality solutions for production needs. Founded in 2009 by actor Yeniffer Behrens with the objective and vision to create films that matter and inspire. The company believes in making films that have strong messages with commercial appeal. Today, with producing partners, Mauricio Mendoza and DeWayne Cox, they create and co-produce productions like Lourdes Colon’s Create Option C: My Journey With Cancer, a critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary that will be screened at 2015 Cannes Film Festival. In 2010 Mendoza, Behrens produced Soul Sisters episode for the award-winning web series Encounters. http://www.trueformfilms.com/home.html
About LHMI Indie Film Screening Series:?Latin Heat Media Institute (LHMI) is a non-profit organization which utilizes multiple platforms and strategic alliances to inform, educate, connect, and empower Latinos in entertainment by providing the resources and tools, as well as insight into relevant issues in the entertainment industry that inform and advance Latinos in media. For more info CLICK HERE
About “After School” Film:?A completed narrative feature film produced by True Form Films, which has garnered multiple awards: two Best Film Awards, two Best Actor Awards for Adrian Moreira-Behrens, three Best Director Awards, two Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress! There have been many more nominations including Imagen Awards and recently, five more for the prestigious Maverick Film Awards! After School has been an official selection in the Idyllwild International festival of Cinema, Encuentro Mundial de Cine Latino, Xicanindie Film Festival, Georgia Latino Film Festival, Viva Latino Film Festival and Hispanicize 2015 in Miami.
Producers: Yeniffer Behrens, DeWayne Cox, Mauricio Mendoza Writer: Ruben Padilla Film Directors: Carlos Melendez, Mauricio Mendoza Cinematographer: Mike Testin Editor/Post Production: Stephen J. Murray Composers: Joel Clarkson, Isaac Owen Richardson.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3093720/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_2
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