When you’re a kid days seem to last an eternity. I remember hanging out with my friends in the street until late at night during summer. It’s great when it’s 30 degrees at midnight.
From my mother I inherited courage to pursue the things I want, and from my father my ability to pursue these goals relentlessly.
I was born in Argentina and grew up in a dark period The December 'Crisis' of 2001 lead to the resignation of the president and the country having five different presidents in just eleven days, with riots across the nation and it felt like the country was falling apart.
By the age of 18, I'd watched more than one thousand films. My parents used to buy me lots of VHS when I was a child (mainly animated films) and during my adolescence, I started watching more and loving the art. Finally, watching wasn’t enough and that's when decided to pursue filmmaking.
I moved to London because of the film industry – it’s much larger and stronger than other countries in Europe. I was living in Amsterdam before and even though I did a short film there, things weren’t working for me, and I felt that London seemed like the right place and was more aligned with what I was pursuing.
The day I moved to London I had no phone and headed to Ashford (Surrey) where my brother was living, trying to remember his instructions on how to get there. I arrived in late November. My first impression was the cold. But soon life became very entertaining, and I felt like a long holiday for a while and definitely like a place where I could start planning things long term. There’s always something new, that’s why I love about London. You never get to discover all the things it has to offer. Only a few months after I arrived I started writing ALL IS VANITY.
I’ve had to deal with lots of rejections, but as time went by, I learned how to deal with them to not let them affect me, this also taught me to make progress faster. In my early 20s I started writing scripts, completing my first feature script by 21 and having done the second script by 23, among many short stories, treatments and shorts.
Being selected at the BFI London Film Festival was a dream come true and one of the happiest moments in my career, and paired with the film being released by Verve Pictures. It’s two huge milestones in my career I’m tremendously grateful for.
Our perspective as Latin Americans is shaped by the abundance of folk tales in Latin America that are passed on and influence the way we see the world. Listening to these tales when you’re a child, you start believing some of this stories might be (or might have been) true and have happened in places you’re familiar with and this certainly shapes and expands your imagination.
The most useful piece of advice I’ve been given is to choose the right people to work with because their contribution will make your work easier and better. I heard this in an interview with Quentin Tarantino, and this advice was given to him by Terry Gilliam.
I get most please out of writing. I find it’s the least stressful part of the process. Commuting Feels like waste of time.
I would tell my younger self to Start doing the things you want, as soon as possible.
I’ve learnt to value Time. It’s the most precious thing.
My perfect Sunday in London is steak and red wine at home. It’s something we do in Argentina but gladly can be done in here as well.
My favourite word in English…Rhythm.
The word I most dislike in English…Schedule.
All is Vanity is out this week. For more info on where visit https://vivaverve.com/film/all-is-vanity
