Thursday, March 31, 2011

Martyr, the movie that changed my life.

I suppose that I should write about when I first saw Martyr, but I have to start from the beginning...

It was 2005 and I was traveling around South America with a friend, I acted in the National Geographic documentary Outbreak: Curse of the Black Tifus, in a small role and met Jac Avila. He seemed like a nice guy, interesting, we didn't get to talk that much, as I said, I had a small role, and he was the producer.

About a week after we wrapped with the documentary, Jac was screening his movie Martyr, (then called "The Death of Saint Eulalia"), in a festival in Oruro, Bolivia. My friend convinced me that I had to go, so we took a bus, found a hotel, and went to the screening of Martyr, and it changed my life forever.


I was extremely impressed with the production values, the acting, the lights and cinematography. This movie was obviously a labor of love from all parts of the production. And the subject matter, the images, it was like watching a painting come to life and unfold in front of my very eyes. You're going to think I'm sentimental, but I cried a few times during the movie.


The story touched my deeply, the struggle of a woman, Camille, to do something only for herself, something that means a great deal to her, her jealous boyfriend, Julien, who can't see past his own stupidity and how amazing Camille really is.

I saw this movie at a point in my life when I was going through some changes, I wanted to get more into film and less into photography. I wanted to find a more effective way to share my ideas with the world, to develop the script I'd been writing for a few years. Like Camille, I had a story to tell, to act out, and I desperately needed to do it or I would suffocate my very soul. Ok, ok, a little dramatic, but this really meant (and stills means) a lot to me.

After the movie I went to a party where Jac and a few other people from Pachamama Films were having a few drinks. Somehow I just couldn't bring myself to speak to Jac about his movie.

But I knew I wanted to work with Pachmama Films. And that I wanted Jac to produce the movie I had rattling around for years. The rest is history.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

An Interview with my co-conspiritor Jac Avila


Here's an interview with Jac Avila, my #1 collaborator in cinema, by Mike Haberfelner!


Jac talks about his movie Martyr, his collaboration with me in Sirwiñakuy, Barbazul and Maleficarum, and lots of other really interesting topics. Read!

Martyr's Facebook Page

Barbazul's Facebook Page

Sirwiñakuy's Facebook Page

Maleficarum's Facebook Page

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

That's a wrap!


Last night we wrapped on Barbazul, my second film. It feels good to finish. Also something of a letdown. I had the same feeling with Sirwiñakuy.

Sometimes it's best to just jump right back in and make another film. So that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'll be hearing soon from Veronica Paintoux, my muse, to see if she'll be starring again in my third film. Exciting!

Barbazul is my second film, based on the story "La Barbe bleu" (Bluebeard) by Charles Perrault. I've loved this story since I was a little girl and just had to make my own version.



After finding the perfect location for Barbazul's house, I did casting for the wives. And decided to play one of them myself.



Not a lot of directors act, or in their own film for that matter, but I feel that it's important for me to act in order to better understand my actors. I know that sounds pretentious, but it isn't, trust me.

Plus, it's fun! (Except for the smoking part. As a non-smoker myself, I thought it would be easy. Silly me.)

Sirwiñakuy Trailer 2