World Premiere at Los Angeles Film Festival, June 14 2015, 6:30 PM Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE 8
By Elia Esparza
The 21st Annual Los Angeles Film Festival is happening right now and the buzz around town is focused on Michael Dwyer and Kaitlin McLaughlin’s crime thriller Pocha (Manifest Destiny), starring rising star Veronica Sixtos. And, according to insiders, her performance is nothing less than spectacular.
What a way to kick off a film career.
Pocha (Manifest Destiny) is a “slow-burning thriller and noir western.” Veronica Sixtos’ performance has been described as “a nuanced performance as an emotionally withholding anti-hero in a smartly conceived allegorical tale that confronts the dark side of the American dream.”
Not just any actress could have morphed herself into such a intricate character – it takes guts and confidence—two attributes that Sixtos has in abundance.
The story follows 20-year old Claudia who is deported to Mexico after getting arrested for credit card fraud. She’s a criminal who got caught and ends up on a one-way trip south. But, Claudia is no innocent weeping damsel in distress. No she’s a survivor—the ultimate hustler but with a code of ethics.
Most newcomers tackling on such a challenging role would have been intimidated, but not Veronica. The youngest of four sisters, all working actors, Veronica has been able to pave her own way with her natural intrinsic talent. A singer and musician, recently she was named YouTube’s Artist of the Month and that caught the attention of a major TV show… but we’ll report on that later. Pocha is her first starring film but she has worked consistently in guest starring roles on sitcoms, countless commercials, and she played a small but memorable role in the film The Well, a post apocalyptic thriller that was screened at LAFF in 2014. She also was in the Sundance’s 2006 award-winning Quinceñera.
We asked the film’s director Michael Dwyer what was it about Veronica that cinched it for him. “We’ve seen many actresses for this complex and challenging role,” he said. “Veronica stood out because of the complexity of her auditions. She managed to have both a natural confidence and an underlying doubt. She captured the essence of Claudia’s character: the hustler with a conscience.”
Latin Heat recently spoke with Veronica about the film and her career.
LatinHeat: Is this your first leading role? How was the audition process and/or how did this project come to you?
Veronica Sixtos
Veronica Sixtos: Yes, this is my first leading role in a feature film. The audition process was fortunately painless. When I first met the team I knew something felt right– I was at ease, confident, like I clicked with them. Family friend Jesse Garcia [actor/producer] presented me with the opportunity to audition for this role. I still owe him a lunch for doing me that favor.
LH: Tell me about your character… who is she and why do you think she will resonate with so many women in this same predicament?
VS: My character’s name is Claudia Samaniega. She’s a young Mexican-American stuck between two worlds. Her mother brought her to the U.S. in chase of the American Dream. But things didn’t quite pan out as well as she had hoped. Claudia is far from perfect and is willing to do whatever it takes to make some easy money. After getting deported back to Mexico she begins to understand the meaning of family and human compassion. I think a lot a women will be able to resonate with Claudia because in this day and age it’s common for people to lose connection to their roots. You could call it an issue of identity. In the story not only can you see Claudia’s flaws but also her strengths and I hope women will leave this film feeling empowered and inspired.
LH: You’re a musician and performer — will any of your music be used in “Pocha”?
VS: I was told that a really great composer was hired to do an original score for the film. I’m definitely interested in doing music for films in the future.
LH: Who are your actor and musical icons? Who do you best relate to?
VS: Jennifer Lawrence is currently my favorite actress. I feel like I can relate to her the best because we’re close in age and she’s not afraid to be herself in the public eye. The roles she takes on are usually portraying strong, beautiful women who are also vulnerable and imperfect. I admire her for her natural ability to give authentic, honest performances. As for a musical artist, I would say Taylor Swift. To be honest, I don’t really listen to her music often not because I don’t like it but because I haven’t quite explored her discography yet. From what I know of her, I admire her for several reasons. Like Jennifer, she’s not afraid to be different. She also seems to be a really good person and I think it’s a major accomplishment to stay grounded and humble after reaching so much fame. We’re close in age, her vocal style is in someways similar to mine, and of course, she also plays the guitar. One important thing I look for in a musical artist is originality. She writes all of her own music and is known to write for other singers as well.
LH: How old were you when you first started to act, write songs? What music instruments can you play?
VS: When I was 11 my parents moved us from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles to pursue acting. We jumped into improvisation and acting classes right away. I soon started booking commercials and doing student films and then eventually started booking guest star roles on tv shows. Music has always been a part of me. My dad always used to tell me that I had music in my soul because I constantly had a tune in my head. I would hum a made-up melody though out the day. In elementary I remember writing lyrics about losing my homework, best friends moving away, and boys I liked. I was never able to fully complete a song because it was difficult to do without an instrument, so I started writing a lot of poetry. When I was 16 I picked up a guitar for the first time. There was a cute boy in my summer school class who I had a crush on. He was trying to make a little bit of cash and it was going around that he was offering guitar lessons. I jumped to the opportunity. I didn’t realize what a life-changer it would be to learn how to play. As soon as I learned my first three chords I started writing songs and completing them with ease. It was like magic.
Thank you, Veronica! We’ll see you at the Pocha (Manifest Destiny) premiere!
Follow Veronica Sixtos on Social Media:
Youtube: https://youtube/veronicasixtos
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vero_sixtos
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VeronicaSixtosfanpage
Instagram: https://instagram.com/verosixtos/
World Premiere – Los Angeles Film Festival 2015 Sunday, June 14th
Tickets: https://tickets.lafilmfest.com/Online/ Look for Pocha (Manifest Destiny).
Pocha (Manifest Destiny) Veracity Productions 83 minutes In English/Spanish with English/Spanish Subtitles Director / Cinematographer: Michael Dwyer Co-Director / Writer: Kaitlin McLaughlin Producers: Alicia Dwyer, LJ Kim (also First AD) Executive Producers: Roberto Urbina, Jesse Garcia Co-Producer: Brittany Farr Key Field Producer: Kathleen Dwyer
Cast: Veronica Sixtos, Jesse Garcia, Julio César Cedillo, María Del Carmen Farías, Roberto Urbina, and Jorge Jimenez
About Veronica Sixtos: Veronica is the youngest of four sisters born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area to Mexican & Portuguese parents who from an early age recognized their daughter’s natural intrinsic talent and relocated the family to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. It was only a matter of months before young Veronica was cast to appear in commercials, TV sitcoms and then made her debut film role in The Sundance hit, 2006’s award-winning Quincenera. She had a small but significant role in The Well, which screened at LAFF in 2006. Veronica’s starring role in the feature length film Pocha (Manifest Destiny) premieres at the Los Angeles Film Fest on June 14, 2015. (www.LAFilmFest.com) on June 14, 2015. Veronica’s earlier appearances include the TV series Strong Medicine, Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, and recurring roles in Disney’s wildly popular Wizards of Waverly Place (as Nellie Rodriguez) and TBS’ Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (as Alexandra Hernandez) following up with a role in the feature film The Prankster. As a musician, Veronica’s debut music video “Stars,” led to an offer to sing the theme for the film Secret Asian Man: Rise of the Zodiac. Today, Veronica continues to accumulate credentials as an acclaimed musician, as she currently continues working on her first EP. Her YouTube channel, where she has shared numerous acoustic performances including cover versions suggested by her audience, has accumulated more than 7,000 subscribers. IMDB: http://www.imdb.me/veronicasixtos
About Pocha (Manifest Destiny) Film / Veracity Productions Raised in the US, Claudia, 22, is an undocumented immigrant who speaks very little Spanish and is living beyond her means in a twisted version of the American dream. After she’s arrested for credit card fraud, Claudia is deported to México. Speaking no Spanish and lost in her foreign “homeland,” she reluctantly takes refuge at her estranged father’s cattle ranch. As she clashes with her unyielding father, her attempts to return home to the US thrust her into a dangerous bond with a dangerous smuggler, Ricky. Caught between her father’s sermons, Ricky’s promises, and the encroaching military, Claudia must navigate a tightrope of impossible choices. Claudia must choose between reconciling with her estranged father or possibly partnering with a dangerous smuggler to return to the U.S. Both a slow burning thriller and western, Pocha (Manifest Destiny) POCHA follows the transformative journey of a young woman confronting the high price of American ideals in the dark places between two cultures.
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