FRAMELINE40 - Daddy's Boy
Logline: In front of the hot lights of a porn set and behind the closed doors of a burlesque studio, four young men leave boyhood behind and end up shedding more than just their clothes and inhibitions.
Watch Daddy’s Boy on Prime Video and Plex
Length: 78 Min.
Director: Daniel Armando
Producer: Dane Joseph/Daniel Armando/Adrienne Lovette
Writer: Daniel Armando
About the writer, director and producer:
Daniel Armando (Executive Producer/Director/Writer) is the award-winning Executive Producer/Director/Writer of such acclaimed works as BOYS LIKE YOU (winner "Best Male Short," North Carolina Int'l Gay and Lesbian Film Festival) and WHAT IT WAS (Official Selection Urbanworld, Outfest, Outfest Fusion, and Frameline film festivals), and the upcoming feature DADDY'S BOY. Other directing credits include WHEN I'M WITH YOU winner of Sacramento Music and Film Festival's "Director's Choice- Best Feature." As a theater artist, he has toured both nationally and internationally. Notable credits include FAME (European Tour) and CAPTAIN LOUIE (National Tour).
Key cast: Al Miro – MAX
James Koroni – Jorge
Jonathan Iglesias – Manuel
Joe Lopez – Fabian
Andres De Vengoechea – Abe “photographer”
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): distributors/film festival directors/journalists
Funders: Novo Novus Productions
Release date: 2016
Where can I watch it at the film festival or in the next month? Frameline, Tuesday, June 21st 9:30PM Roxie Theatre
Outfest LA, Friday, July 15th 9:30PM The RedCat Theatre
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
For this particular film I was inspired by the relationship with my father and my brother. It's interesting to see how our relationships have changed throughout the years. Also I started to look at my father and wonder what kind of man he was before he decided to get married and have children. There's a whole part of his life before me that I'll never really know. And I wanted to explore those thoughts through film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I believe films should open up a conversation, a dialogue. I feel Daddy’s Boy does that. If you want to open the possibility to think outside the box and feel challenged as a viewer then Daddy’s Boy fits that mold. Audiences will definitely see a different side of what cinema can be.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Some of the major themes I explore in Daddy's Boy are vulnerability, communication, and connection. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable physically, but not emotionally. A man not being able to communicate and articulate his feelings to another man. Seeking any kind of connection for a brief moment of lust or intimacy.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
We shot everything accordingly to how the script was, but still allowed the actors and crew to really explore their surroundings. Once we were in the editing phase my editor, Ryan Balas and I were able to really craft elaborate sequences and give it a distinct look and feel.
My producing partner Dane Joseph and Ryan Balas really helped expand and define what the message of the film was going to be and how it was going to be told. Doing a film that’s a bit more abstract and avant-garde can be daunting and frustrating, but I kept reminding myself what was really important and what was needed to tell this story in this way.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Overall because the film is told in a very stylized way and its set up in a more non-traditional story-telling manner it definitely takes a moment to sink in. So far we’ve screened the film in LGBT film festivals and its great to see a full audience of men watching a film that deals with father/son relationships. It becomes personal to them and brings up a conversation about their feelings on the subject matter.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I’m first and foremost grateful that I am given the opportunity to share my film with audiences. I’m never surprised of the audience’s reaction, because I ‘m always open to whatever the feedback will be. I do try and learn how audiences operate when watching a film; what makes them laugh, cry, or get annoyed. It’s great to see them engaged and invested in the story and the characters.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I’m hoping to get more people interested in my work and the work the company I co-produce, Novo Novus Productions does. I’m proud to be contributing to LGBTQ cinema and to be a Latino film director. I’m happy to be representing so many platforms and being a part of the indie film community.
I’m overall looking to give a voice and a point of view that is rarely seen and needed. Being visible through your work means being heard and the more you’re visible the more your heard.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
For right now, definitely distributors, journalists, buyers.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for it to start a conversation about what it means to be a man, a father, a son, a brother. I hope people walk away with a sense of nostalgia and reflection. I love when a film can make me think about my life and my experiences. I hope especially for men it can bring up their experiences.
There's a stereotype that men really have tough time expressing their feelings. I think that we just need that right setting and time to open up and I hope in some way the experience of watching this film can do that.... Start a dialogue between men.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What does it mean to be a man?
Would you like to add anything else?
I was able to work with a great cast and crew that really inspired me in every sense of the word. The actors in this film took a risk and went into this film fully committed and prepared. To expose yourself physically and emotionally on camera is very tough. I was lucky to work with actors who really believed in the piece and really cared for their characters.
I worked with Ryan Balas my cinematographer in a way that allowed me to really expand myself as a director and really be brave with my choices artistically. And I worked with my producers Dane Joseph and Adrienne Lovette, who helped make things flow and move forward.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Currently we are in post productions on two films. One is a feature film starring Anthony Rapp and directed by Sundance Alum John Young. The other film is one I directed and was written by my producing partner, Dane Joseph. We hope to get those done this summer, 2016 and hopefully in festival starting the spring of 2017.
A film we had a good run with at festivals was Subways, a feature film written and directed by Dane Joseph. Currently we are working with a distribution company to release it on VOD in 2017. All films are produced through Novo Novus Productions.
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