Short Films
Program 7 – “The Unexpected”
Join us for a collection of short films made by some of the brightest and upcoming filmmakers.
Filmmakers will be in attendance for a post screening discussion.
The Presence
El Problema de Maria Luisa
El Salvador / 2022 / 17 min / Drama / Texas Premiere
Synopsis
María Luisa is a little girl who refuses to interact with other children. Her mother, encouraged by Maria Luisa’s teacher, goes for professional psychological help. The diagnosis is clear: María Luisa believes she has an imaginary friend. Her parents will try to get rid of the problem by forcing her to play with other children. However, the situation is only going to get worse.
About the Director
Luis Javier Funes (San Salvador, 1981). After graduating in Graphic Design, he works as a motion designer and there he discovers his passion for cinema. In 2009 he studied Film Directing at the TAI Film School in Madrid, where he wrote and directed his first short film “PARPADEO”, selected in 2011 by the Spanish Short Film Agency (ACE), the Madridimagen Festival and the Ícaro Festival of Central America. He returns to El Salvador to direct advertising spots for different local brands. In 2014 he founded his own film production company INTRIGA FILMS, where he currently works as a producer, screenwriter and director. “THE PRESENCE” (“El Problema de María Luisa” in spanish) is his third shortfilm as a screenwriter and director.
A Latino Hollywood Nightmare
USA / 2022 / 20 min / Horror Comedy / Texas Premiere
Synopsis
After being offered a role on a stereotypical Latino show, George Garcia experiences a nightmare a little too close to Hollywood’s reality.
About the Director
Jeff Valdez is a serial entrepreneur, who has been producing, writing and directing TV and film for over 25 years with the likes of Nickelodeon, Disney, Showtime, NBC and HBO Max. He has been credited with pioneering a new category in American television, the English Language Latino Market. He also created and was the CEO/Chairman of Si TV, the first ever English-language TV channel in America (now called Fuse). In 2018, Jeff founded New Cadence Productions with partner Sol Trujillo. The company is responsible for producing The Garcias reboot as well as Comedy Chingonas, an all-Latina comedy special, and both the 2nd and 1st Annual HA Comedy Specials, which are all available on HBO Max.
Dead Enders
USA / 2023 / 12 min / Horror
Synopsis
A disaffected, young gas-station clerk on the midnight shift must learn to give a damn about something after malevolent mind-controlling bugs are set loose by irresponsible oil drillers.
About the Directors
Fidel Ruiz-Healy and Tyler Walker are award-winning Writer-Directors from San Antonio, Texas and Bucks County, Pennsylvania respectively. After meeting at NYU, they’ve collaborated on narrative films, music videos, and commercials. In 2018 they were selected to be co-Fellows at the NYU Development Lab for Feature Script Writing with their 1960s jungle spy film, Orinoco Flow. Together their work has screened across the world at such film festivals as Sundance, SXSW, Slamdance, Hamptons International, Fantasia, Palm Springs Shortfest, and Mill Valley, along with being featured in publications such as NPR, Vice, Pitchfork, MTV, Filmmaker Magazine, NYLON, LA Weekly, along with numerous Vimeo Staff Picks. Their debut feature – The Homefront – produced when they were 19, was an entrant in the US in Progress Poland finishing festival where it received the top post-production award. Their work has generated over 30 million views across various platforms. They currently operate out of Los Angeles, CA where they write bios in the third person such as this one.
Saturday Fuego Diablo
Sábado Fuego Diablo
Canada / 2022 / 12 min / Drama / Texas Premiere
Synopsis
Montreal, 1981. To distract themselves from the war back home, four Salvadoran siblings hit their first Montreal night club, but do not get in. Refusing to end the night at that, the siblings look for another way in and bump into another group of friends, who had the same idea…
About the Director
Anita Abbasi is a writer-director based in Tiohti:áke (Montreal). Hailing from two disparate immigrant backgrounds — Pakistan & El Salvador — Anita’s work explores diasporic identity, (dis)connection to the “motherland”, our desire to be loved and Western popular culture. Cinema, music and laughter have always been places of belonging for her. As such, her stories, though mainly drama, often cross genres into comedy and dance musicals.
What’s Left Behind
Lo Que Dejas Atrás
Honduras / 2022 / 11 min / Horror
Synopsis
Pablo and Marta moved to Spain in search of a better future, but they are tormented by the absence of their daughter.
About the Director
César Liang is an independent filmmaker fromHonduras.
One Serving Per Can
Una Porción Por Envase
Colombia / 2022 / 10 min / Drama & Animation / U.S. Premiere
Synopsis
After running aground in the middle of the ocean, a couple -owners of a small family tuna company- has survived by eating only canned tuna. She hungers to be saved, sending rescue messages by empty tuna can. He wants her. His efforts to keep her at his side will become the vehicle of her freedom.
About the Director
Miguel Otálora – Colombian animator and filmmaker. Graduated from Vancouver Film School (Classical Animation – 2010) and Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Graphic Design – 2005). Director of the animated docuseries Las Crónicas Elefantiles and Animation Supervisor for Rick and Morty (Season 3 to Season 6) and Solar Opposites (Season 1 and Season 2).
Those Who Want No Broth Shall Get Two Plates
Al Que No Quiere Caldo Se Le Dan Dos Tazas
Colombia / 2022 / 10 min / Dark Comedy / Houston Premiere
Synopsis
Álvaro, a food critic, tells the story of how the famous Colombian saying, “those who want no broth shall get two plates”, shaped the fate of his family, and therefore, his own.
About the Director
Alejandro Victoria – Born on a hot Friday night in Cali Colombia, February 11th, 2000. Grew up in Cali and, at 17 years of age, moved to Bogotá to study Visual Arts and Communication Studies at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
