Outfest Fusion / San Diego Latino Film Festival - Mariposa
A masculine-presenting, high school teacher, and a femme filmmaker confront the many physical, emotional, and societal obstacles on their journey of trying to conceive as a queer couple.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Candy Guinea
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
MARIPOSA, was my MFA thesis film project at San Francisco State University. Initially, I made the film because I wanted to document my partner's pregnancy. She had no other examples of what a pregnant, masculine, queer woman looks like so she felt compelled to document her story. As queer Chicanas, experiences like ours are rarely represented in film. LGBT stories often center white, male protagonists and Latino romance story lines often feature straight couples. So I really wanted to make a film that showed the reality of trying to conceive as a queer, brown couple.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think you should watch this film because it shows a glimpse into an experience that is rarely seen. We don't see enough stories about queer couples and the struggles they endure when trying to grow their family. While there have been so many strides in acceptance of LGBT communities, there is still a scarcity of media that represent our authentic experiences. While the film can be used as a learning tool to more deeply talk about LGBT issues, I think it also shows a very emotional journey that just speaks to the human experience, regardless of our particular race or sexuality.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Even though my film features my partner and I, two queer Chicana women, there are several universal themes that so many can relate to in my film. As the film unfolds, virtually everyone can relate to the wide-ranging experiences of hardship, disappointment, and joy that are depicted in the film. Additionally, I was surprised that so many people came to me after the film to share they either have experienced the challenges of unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant or know someone that went through a similar journey. The complicated journey of procreation is quite a universal theme, indeed!
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Well, the film evolved extensively. As I was in my final year of my MFA program and my partner was trying, unsuccessfully, to get pregnant, I was panicked because I realized that the film I had intended to make was not possible. We tried for over a year to get pregnant. I kept documenting our process of getting one negative pregnancy test after another. Eventually, I realized that the heart of my film was found in the gut-wrenching, but beautiful journey of trying to get pregnant.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
After watching the film, so many people have mentioned that they were moved by the story. It's always so humbling to hear that because most of the people I receive feedback from can't personally relate to being a queer woman of color, but so many people shared that they're process of trying to get pregnant was similar to ours. Trying to conceive is such a roller coaster of emotions and usually it's only an individual or a couple that are suffering privately through this journey. I feel proud to have created a film that gives voice to that often silenced experience.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I was surprised at how many people related to our story. I thought that my film was going to be relevant to mostly an LGBT audience, but I didn't realize my film would resonate as deeply as it has to general audiences. I just didn't realize how common it is deal with fertility challenges.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
My goal as a filmmaker is really to provide a deeper representation of queer communities of color. So I really want to show an authentic experience that is rarely shown in Hollywood films or in mass media.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I would really like my film to be seen by more audiences so I would love to get more film festival directors and distributors on board to help show a more complex representation of the LGBT Latinx community.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
As a filmmaker, I'm always touched when my film has a lasting impact on audiences. However, the end goal truly is to inspire change in the film industry. I hope that studios and producers will see that there is real value in amplifying stories by and about marginalized communities.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How is my experience of hardship similar to the couple featured in the film? Most people will see that they have more in common with the protagonists than they would think.
Would you like to add anything else?
I only started creating films a few years ago and really anyone can tell their story. I believe if more women, people of color, and queer people document and share their stories, we will really see a tangible shift in media representation.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm currently focusing on my growing family and plan to make more documentaries about LGBT conception.
Interview: March 2018
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTIAQ+, scifi, horror, world cinema. 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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Mariposa
A masculine-presenting, high school teacher, and a femme filmmaker confront the many physical, emotional, and societal obstacles on their journey of trying to conceive as a queer couple.
Length: 18 minutes
Director: Candy Guinea
Producer: Candy Guinea
Writer: Candy Guinea
About the writer, director and producer:
Candy Guinea is invested in authentically representing the experiences of people of color and queer people of color as a tool for social justice. She has written, directed, and edited several short documentaries that explore the complexity and breadth of LGBT Latinx communities.
Key cast: Marisa Castro
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Film festival directors, distributors
Social media handles:
Facebook: Candy Guinea
Instagram: @candyguinea
Other: www.candyguinea.com
Funders: Princess Grace Foundation
Sponsored by: Queer Cinema Institute at San Francisco State University
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
My film is screening March 12th at Outfest Fusion Film Festival in Los Angeles. It is also screening at the San Diego Latino Film Festival on Sunday, March 18th. Finally, it is screening at the Queer Women of Color Film Festival in San Francisco, the second weekend of June.