Tenacity and calculating measures are paying off for seven, hard-working New York Latino filmmakers and actors whose careers are reaching higher ground by virtue of their work in a short films at the internationally acclaimed Cannes Film Festival. Acceptance into the Festival de Cannes will benefit from a prime viewing position within the Short Film Corner from May 13-24th. The talent traveling to France do so with the intent on networking with industry players, institutions, financiers and the most important international reps in the film business to develop their next project – possibly a feature film. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the journey that got them there.
The Seven
Brandon Polanco Sebastian Rea Plinio Villablanca Pablo Andrade Francisco Lupini Basagoiti Adel Morales Monica Palmieri
BRANDON POLANCO Short: Vicky and Jonny Director/Screenwriter
Synopsis: follows a woman’s journey dealing with her memories, and how forgiveness is her only weapon in taking control of her life.
An Austin, Texas transplant Brandon Polanco first came to New York after college pursuing an acting career, then took production gigs to earn a living. Today he is an accomplished Director/Producer/Screenwriter of films and web series, also known for occasionally making cameo appearances as an actor in his own productions. What caught the attention of many in 2013 was his short film Writer’s Block, starring Bryan Cranston who plays Walter White in the AMC crime drama series, Breaking Bad. In 2014 he was writing, directing, acting, and executive producing an LGBT web series; Pride. His latest gem off to Cannes,
Tio Louie: What new doors did this particular film project open for you?
Brandon Polanco: I was open to avenues that tested my creative power and range. This was the first time that I was commissioned to do a work based on budget and style. I was already in the process of writing a script for myself. But this project enabled me to better understand a film that I was developing for myself. This film project was an opportunity to work with flashbacks and address the subject of forgiveness, which was something I needed to apply to my life. However, it was a lesson in personal forgiveness without it being about my life.
TL: How in particular did the subject of “forgiveness” touch you?
BP: As the director, the lead actress Tina Marie Tanzer allowed me to find characters who could stand on their own and that in forgiving a character in the film who played a Director, as well as herself, gave her the opportunity to control her life. The parallel for me was that I had been struggling with depression and strife in my own life. I was going through a period in which I was not very motivated. I had to leave NYC for 6 weeks and return back home to Texas for three festivals, a wedding and a family reunion. Though it was for work it got me back on track. I had finished an intensive production on a web series and random production work. This film project though gave me the opportunity to move forward with my own life and open myself to forgiving others and myself. Creatively also, it helped enrich a lot of my work. This is my fourth short film and my 5th is in post-production.
TL: Sometimes a film project commences as a short and evolves into a feature or paves the way for something else. What are your prospects with this story moving forward?
BP: I hope to develop this into a feature. The short will be the beginning of the feature. The film really takes off with her leaving Jonny. We would continue with her journey in leaving New York City for California to pursue an acting career. We would follow Jonny and his adventure as a young and modern man who is flawed. We would also follow Vicky’s father’s journey and develop a parallel between the two men in her life.
TL: How do you feel about the film going to Cannes?
BP: I am ecstatic and about all the future possibilities. Plus, it’s going to an environment that I have never been exposed to previously. I am motivated to make contacts, and get financing to back my work.
TIO LOUIE/Louis E. Perego Moreno
President of Skyline Features, he is an interactive content producer and educator who for the past 33 years has owned a bilingual (English and Spanish-language) multimedia and educational production company developing documentaries, television programming and advertising commercials featuring Latinos, Blacks, Women, Urban Youth and LGBT. He is also the Executive Producer of PRIME LATINO MEDIA, the largest network of Latino multimedia-makers and actors in the metro-New York area that gather once a month to interview proven leaders in the community.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACT FACEBOOK Group: Prime Latino Media Twitter: @PLMSalon Instagram: PRIME_LATINO_MEDIA LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/in/louisperegomoreno
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