WINNERS X-RAYS - 7º FICM
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Adrián OrtÃz
Age: 33
Birthplace: Michoacán
Film: Nebraska
Award: Best Film, Michoacán Section
By: Clara Sánchez
Translated by: Carlos Garza
About Nebraska:
The title: The title came about when I was writing the scene in which the protagonist hears an immigrant talk about his experience in the U.S. in the state of Nebraska, believing the whole time that Nebraska is a city.
The Challenge: The idea was to have a fictional story as a starting point but also incorporate documentary elements. It was a formal question.
Motivation to tell this story: I had the opportunity of meeting a man who had exiled himself to the mountains because he hadn't dared cross the border illegally but was too ashamed to go back home. He could neither cross the physical border nor that of his pride. I was interested in seeing how certain communities are left without men due to immigration.
Experience in Morelia: I had a wonderful experience at the festival, both due to the films I saw and the feedback I received about my film. It was very enriching.
Audience reaction in Morelia: At first there was a bit of prejudice from other filmmakers in the Michoacán section because I was born in Morelia but didn't live there, but little by little it faded away and I got a lot of emotional reactions. My competitiors congratulated me and approached me to say the film had moved them. The most enthusistic reaction was at the Palacio Clavijero, the audience there seemed really open and unbiased.
What's next for the film: It has received an invitation from Mar de Plata. I would also like to show it in the indigenous communities where we filmed.
In short:
What does the prize mean to you?
At school you often retain what doesn't work in your films. To suddenly receive a recognition like this makes you feel that there are other things that do work. It's very exciting.
Was it difficult to direct the actors?
We had to shoot in parts due to logistics and the actors' other commitments. In some scenes involving two characters sometimes we even had to shoot them one at a time. Luisa Huertas was the one who was able to give me the most time and understood that she was the most visible part of what was going on at home. It is through her that we are able to understand the relationship of the two brothers. In this process I understood that directing doesn't mean imposing what the actors should think or feel, it's process that goes both ways.
What's next after Morelia?
Continuing work on a documentary I began before Nebraska about how distances define us, a meditation on the journey.
To find out more go to Nebraska.
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