Can you tell us about your latest film project and the process you went through in bringing it to life?

My latest film project is Guerra, Alfonso. El hombre detrás del político (english title, Guerra Alfonso. The man behind the politician). It´s a documentary movie about Alfonso Guerra, who was Vice Prime Minister of Spanish Government from 1982 to 1991. When I was a child I was very impressive about Alfonso Guerra, his work into government and even his charming as politician. I decided to shot this documentary movie to come into his political thinking and his personal life, because really I was very interested in him since my childhood such as I have told.

 

What inspired you to become a filmmaker and pursue a career in the film industry?

I love cinema since I was a child. Movies are my passion during my entire life. I don´t imagine my life without motion pictures. And I want to stay in any place where I may stay near from movies. So, I am really trying to do everything I can for satisfying my passion. I like vampires movies so much, in this way, I need the cinema like the vampire needs the blood for living, if I may use the metaphor.

 

What challenges did you encounter during the filmmaking process and how did you overcome them?

Talking about Guerra, Alfonso. El hombre detrás del político, the challenges were basically two: First, the money limitations because I produced it by myself. The second, relationed with this, was my difficulty of making the documentary assumming every little function. It´s very troubled to direct, to produce and to control every little detail because nobody help me in production. That´s the principal trouble that I may face such as an independient filmmaker.

 

What was the most memorable moment for you during the production of your film?

Can you share any interesting anecdotes or behind-the-scenes stories from the making of your film?

The most memorable moment for me was to have the opportunity of meeting Alfonso Guerra personally. It was a remarkable moment because for me, the documentary was born from my admiration for him. And by the way, it was also memorable may filming the documentary itself because when you are a independient filmmaker it´s a real miracle to get come real your project at last.

 

The anecdotes are always relationated with my low budget. I remember that before shooting our first take for the interview, Alfonso Guerra ask me if we did have make up for him before but we didn´t have any make up for him because we haven´t money enough.

 

How do you approach storytelling in your films? What themes or messages do you try to convey?

Well, in this case, we are talking about a documentary and really the script is quite different that when you are writing a fictional story. At any rate, I write a script that is really a draft of what I want to show in the documentary, and later, I select the archival images and elaborated the questions that I want to ask into the documentary.

 

In this way, the most important for me if that the documentary reflects the principal themes that you ask yourself when you were preparing it behind the camera, before shooting. That´s the key for me.

 

What is your preferred genre of filmmaking and why? Are there any specific directors or filmmakers who have influenced your work?

Nowadays, from 1997,  such as filmmaker, I have shot two action live shorts, a documentary short and two documentary feature, and I also coproduced a comedy short. By comparision, I have directed three documentaries and two action live short. The reason for this if because, during the years, it´s easier shooting documentaries because I need less budget and creative staff  that if I may a fictional movie. 

 

But when I have directed non documentaries works, my action live shorts, are relationated with drama and comedy genres. Even I have coproduced  a comedy short, Le pique nique in 2008. Such as a filmmaker and a spectator, I love cinema and I love all genres. Speccially I love comedy, but others genres also. For example, I love also the horror movies.

 

I have many filmmakers who have influenced me. But I only will take some of them: Charles Chaplin, Jerry Lewis, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, François Truffaut, Harold Lloyd, Akira Kurosawa, Fritz Lang, José Luis Garci or Manuel Mur Oti, are some of them.

 

How do you select your cast and crew for your film projects? What qualities do you look for in collaborators?

I select my collaborators between the people I know. They must been professionals but even more important it´s that we have a good relationship between us because I need to be comfortable with my creative staff and in this way, it´s very important to me to feel good in their company not only in professional term.

 

Another criteria that it´s important to me is that the collaborator was humble. I don´t like vain people.

 

I never have yet worked with an entire professional team into a high level production, but if some day I do, I´ll need to meet before, personally, to the main professional chiefs such as director of photography or editor, because I don´t want to work with anybody who don´t like me.

 

Finally, another important thing is that I need to work with people who loves cinema like me. If you don´t love cinema you aren´t for me.

 

How important do you think film festivals are for independent filmmakers, and what has been your experience with film festivals so far?

Festivals are important to present your work around the world. At any rate, I think that the most important festival it would be the commercial theaters and I´ll like to get the opportunity to get my movies are disponible for every spectator. 

 

Unfortunaly, only a few movies are disponible for commercial theaters and in this context, a cinema festival is a great place to show your movie.

 

Can you tell us about any awards or recognition your films have received and how they have impacted your career?

I have been lucky because Guerra, Alfonso. El hombre detrás del político has been awarded in diferent cinema festivals around the world, such as Pacific International Film Festival in Vancouver. It has been my first international award.

 

Also my documentary has been selected in other festivals in Europe (London) or Asia (India).

 

I am so grateful for all this and is a gift for continuying in filmmaking.

 

How do you handle feedback and criticism of your films? How do you use it to improve your craft?

Well, nobody wants not been loved, is it? I suppose when anybody do something honestly want to have a good criticism. For me, really, in a deep way, it´s about the trouble to be or not to be accepted. If they don´t like your movie, you feel like if you were get out of a party.

 

When you make movies, even in a retricted form or in a limited distribution, you must accept that many persons won´t like your movie, and you must be prepared for this.

 

You only may be honest with you and you must work and make your best way, trying to learn about your fails. That´s all.

 

What do you enjoy most about the process of filmmaking? Is there anything you find particularly challenging?

I like make movies, I really enjoy it. But if I may elect something special about it, I may say that the moment when you feel that you have met the idea for your new movie it´s really excitement. A filmmaker is happy making a project, but when he is looking for or waiting for a new idea, that´s really desperating. So, for me, when you meet your new film, your new idea, is a wonderful time.

 

During the production, I like specially the editing process. The movie lives in the montage. I always control the edition personally, even working like editor.

 

Also I love to control the shot during the filming, I always control the shot using tbe camera by myself before the shooting, working together with the director of photography or even, such as in my shorts, taking the camera personally.

 

How do you approach the distribution of your films? What strategies do you employ to reach a wider audience?

That´s a good question. It´s difficult. I suppose that the principal diferrence between a independent filmmaker and an industrial filmmaker. The distribution is very retricted unless you have a good production service or company supporting you.

 

Strategies? Well, festivals are one. This interview also. And praying, praying for somebody love your project and decide to produce you. I don´t know.

 

What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers who are just starting their journey in the film industry?

I think really nobody needs advice. I haven´t advice when I was younger. Even many people said to me that to make cinema, specially in Spain, was impossible. And in some way they had reason because if have past thirty years and I haven´t yet make a movie with commercial distribution.

 

But in the worst conditions, I would making cinema because it´s my passion. So, you may receive an advice, and it´s welcome. But if you don´t love enough noone advice will help you.

 

Because cinema is like to love a woman. Nobody need to tell you, Come on man, try to love her! You will try to love her because it´s your passion. That´s the way. And cinema for me is that woman. 

 

Is the only thing I may say. It´s that an advice? I don´t know.

 

Finally, can you share with us your future plans and upcoming projects as a filmmaker?

Pardon me in this question, but I confess, I´m a superticiuos man. I don´t like to talk about upcoming projects. I only will say that I hope to make me continuying working in cinema in the next years. That´s all folks!