#crowdfunding - Sin Pecado [Without Sin]
Sin Pecado follows the bond between three Mexican-American siblings following the death of their close uncle.
Interview with Writer/Director Mireya Martinez
Congratulations! Why are you making your film?
In our current political climate I am pursued by the idea that all art should be political but Sin Pecado is not that. Sin Pecado is broadly about being human. While, the film aims to show the interplay of cultures, languages and traditions, the story is about the family dynamics that unfold during the mourning of a close family member. More specifically, it is about three Mexican-American siblings who at the start of the film are living in their own fractured realities, separate from each other and at the end of the film have come to share the broken state of their lives, recognize where they stand and in that recognition have gotten closer than they have ever been.
And while the film is about a Mexican-American family, a first generation immigrant family, it doesn’t make that the core issue of the film and I think that’s important.
I am also making this film because I haven’t watched one like it and I am dying to.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think there are various reasons why you should watch this film. One being you are like me and are fascinated by human dynamics and complex relationships threads. Another being you are curious about what a Novenario is or intrigued by the premise of a fully bilingual film. And a final reason you voyeuristic to a degree and enjoy movies about multiple characters and about everyday human issues.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Sin Pecado is partially autobiographical which means it contains many traces of my own personal experience as a first generation Mexican-American, and in a way that portrait is narrow and unique but the film uses that specificity to touch upon the themes of fraternal love, sexuality, that sense of being stuck simply because we are human, and performed identity for the people we love. It also presents a portrait of home and how sometimes at the end of it all we can only feel fully acknowledged and fully loved by our family, more specifically our siblings.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The development has been crazy!
I was looking at some files from over a year ago and realized that when I began to work on this project, on this story, I knew so little. I knew it was about a Mexican-American family, I knew it would be bilingual, I knew the setting, some of the major plot points and the opening and closing frame. But I didn’t know how that first shot of the siblings and extended family praying (opening scene) led to the closing scene in my head. I didn’t know the character’s names or their stories and certainly didn’t know how to start writing about something so personal and make it fiction.
Now the script is ready for production, actors have been cast and so many other pieces are starting to fall into place in a way that’s making this film feel more real every second. It’s exciting!
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Because it is partially autobiographical and deals with familial dynamics I expected a mixed or unsupportive slew of feedback from peers, collaborators, mentors, friends and family but it’s been strange (and beautiful) to mostly receive support after someone has read the script and hear that they were emotionally invested in the moments and the world that Sin Pecado has presented.
Of course there were moments when the structure of the script or moments in the film were challenged but those moments of challenge definitely led to a stronger script.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Sin Pecado is in its last days of crowdfunding, so by being on We Are Moving Stories I hope to reach people outside my network who connect with this story or what the film is setting out to do.
People who are instantly attracted to helping us make this film a possibility and support the project in whichever way they can contributing, sharing, and sending good vibes.
Who do you need to come on board to amplify this film’s message?
Mostly I need people who are passionate about what Sin Pecado is setting out to do and find it on kickstarter and social media and join us in making it and push for its completion.
People who are interested in watching a movie that follows an immigrant yet equally American family, a movie that doesn’t make their immigrant status the center crux (because it often isn’t) but focuses instead on familial dynamics.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Impact wise, I would like this film to stick with the viewer and to make them feel a little bit more connected to that softness we have internally. And of course I would love to have a positive reception both in and out of the Mexican-American community…I would love for it to be widely watched! But then again that’s not something within the independent filmmaker’s control as much as it is within the control of big budget films that can afford to build an audience through press.
Beyond that soft fuzzy goal, Sin Pecado is a little grain of salt towards balancing representation in media. Latinos are a largely unrepresented group in the media…about 5.4 percent of speaking characters in film and television are hispanic, LGBTQ characters are also largely underrepresented and Sin Pecado is about a hispanic family (and uses hispanic cast) and also contains a character that identifies as queer (SPOILER: The youngest sibling). But the film doesn’t make these identifications the bane of their existence and I think that’s key.
Would you like to add anything else?
I can’t wait to make this film together! If you’d like to find out more please find Sin Pecado on kickstarter [ http://kck.st/2jhYuwr ] or Facebook [ https://www.facebook.com/sinpecadofilm/ ]
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am also working on a documentary about the smallest towns in California but that has been and will be on hold until the completion of Sin Pecado.
Alisha Mehta [producer/creative producer] is currently editing a documentary she shot in India this summer that follows the story of two long lost pen pals reuniting at age 86 and is writing her next film.
Ernesto Trujillo [cinematographer] is working on a documentary titled Off the Road, he has been working on this documentary for over a year now.
Louka Hoogendijk [production designer] is in Amsterdam and like always busy, she is working on a film titled Tot Het Eind Van De Wereld and expanding her portfolio of paintings.
Interview: November 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Sin Pecado [Without Sin]
Sin Pecado follows the bond between three Mexican-American siblings following the death of their close uncle.
Length: 15 to 20 minutes
Writer/Director - Mireya Martinez
Producer - Alisha Mehta
Creative Producers - Luz Martinez & Alisha Mehta
Key cast - Too many to list (11 characters total!) please check our Facebook page or Kickstarter for listing and updates.
Looking for journalists, film festival directors, funds, fiscal sponsors and supporters
Social media handles:
Facebook: @sinpecadofilm • Twitter: @sinpecadofilm • Instagram: @Sin_Pecado_Film
Campaign page: