Mini Movie Inspired By Real Life-Altering Mysteries
By Elia Esparza
In my opinion, actors make the best storytellers and in turn some have gone on to become fantastic film directors. Maybe it’s because as actors, they have to articulate their craft in a natural and simple way and in turn they direct in the same way… immediate and broadly applicable, or so I’ve heard.
Recently, I discovered a short film, It Can Only Be Used Once, by actor/filmmaker Michael DeLorenzo. A co-production between DeLorenzo’s Delovision production company and fellow thespian, Mauricio Mendoza’s True Form Films. Together they have created a magical film that is getting ready for the film festival circuit. Meanwhile, we’ve got a sneak-peek through the movie trailer.
“Since working together on Resurrection Blvd.,” said Mendoza, “we had never had an another opportunity to team up. This project finally reunited us but on an entirely different level and it turned out wonderful.”
Both DeLorenzo and Mendoza are natural born storytellers and know how to deliver viewer-pleasing movies and web series (Mendoza’s Encounters is a web-audience favorite.) It Can Only Be Used Once is a mythical and fairytale gem. It is hard to explain without giving away too much but basically, a young couple confronts a dangerous situation they are unable to escape. Out of desperation they reach out to a mysterious handler with a very specific skill set. But like the magic genie with only three wishes, there’s always a catch.
Far Right: Director Michael Delorenzo
As a director, DeLorenzo (best known for Showtime’s Resurrection Blvd. and Fox’s hit New York Undercover) impresses with the symbolic folklore beach scenes. It Can Only Be Used Once is DeLorenzo’s first film where he writes, produces and directs – turning him into a triple threat. When I asked him about why a suspense-mystery-fantasy as his first film, he said that it was “something very near to me.”
He’s a man of few words.
The beauty of this film is that just about everyone has encountered similar life crises that totally overwhelm even the strongest. “What motivated me,” said DeLorenzo, “was that I had something that I had written and I knew that it could be done with a certain amount of budget, and done very well.”
According to DeLorenzo, he collaborated with the right people. “Mauricio [Mendoza] and Jennifer Grace Farmer (Producer and Executive producer], we all thought my story could be a really fantastic sweet little short. Now in creating the legend (the story within the story), I wanted something that the dad/Fixer (portrayed by Rob Locke)—the ultimate fixer could tell a panicked young couple (Justin Huen and Melina Lizette) to calm them down.”
Mauricio Mendoza, a producer along with his partner, Yeniffer Behrens, who is an associate producer, cast the film and also acts in this short film, said, “Together our goal is to keep establishing True Form Films as a strong producing company along with Dewayne Cox, who also is an associate producer.”
In addition, the filmmakers brought in production designer John Iacovelli, also from Resurrection Blvd. “We couldn’t believe that it had been thirteen years since we had all last worked on a project together,” said Mendoza.
As I dug deeper into DeLorenzo’s inspiration for this film, he couldn’t say too much, it is a short film after all, but he did leave bits of hints. “I kept reading about these generations of kids being raised by their grandparents because their own parents wanted to still go out and party and do other things… or were just absent.”
It Can Only Be Used Once is a mystery that leaves you guessing until the very final scene.
It Can Only Be Used Once
Directed & Written by: Michael DeLorenzo Executive Produced by: Michael DeLorenzo, Jennifer Grace Farmer Produced by: Mauricio Mendoza, Michael DeLorenzo, Jennifer Grace Farmer Associate Producers: Yeniffer Behrens, DeWayne Cox, Arthur DeLorenzo Cinematography by: Sean Fitzgerald Production Design by: John Iacovelli
Cast: Rob Locke, Justin Huen, Melina Lizette, Yeniffer Behrens, Jason Kakebeen, Tara Cook, Silvia Diaz, Mick L. Boyer
Yeniffer Behrens (Mom) with Silvia Diaz (Daughter)
Latin Heat will keep you updated with upcoming screening dates.
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