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“Making Films is an Act of Bravery”: Danae Reynaud Debuted BEREZADA at the 23rd FICM

Alan Rodríguez

Actress, screenwriter, and director Danae Reynaud presented her debut film, Berezada, at the 23rd Morelia International Film Festival (FICM).

With most of her film crew there, the French-Mexican director thanked the audience and talked about how important it was to premiere this indie film in Morelia: “This festival means a lot to me, especially because this movie was made with friends, which is the best part of making it […]. Making films is an act of bravery.”

Berezada tells the story of a comedian with a classist routine in which she mentions having a lot of money. A couple of men decide to kidnap her to raise funds for surgery for a friend who wants to end her life due to a terminal illness. This leads them into a ridiculous and comical situation where no one is who they think they are.

On her work as an actress and director of the film, Reynaud confessed how important it was to lean on her fellow actors Joshua Okamoto, Mariané Cartas, and Mario Cortijo. "I've definitely acted more than I've directed, I don't feel as confident directing, I think it was easier for me to know that the actors were going to be this film's greatest strength [...] having the three of them in front of me was my surest way to direct."

Meanwhile, Joshua Okamoto shared part of the filming process with the audience and spoke about the importance of independent projects. "I think Berezada's great fortune is that it is comprised of a large community where Danae is the gravitational center [...]. The more independent productions there are, the less weight we give to all the platforms, because if at some point the platforms have all the narrative, these spaces will disappear."

At the end of the screening, the audience praised the actors' performances and the music by Oregon Black and Canek.