Coven Film Festival / Miami Film Festival 2019 – ME 3.769
A pubescent Latina looks forward to her maturing body, but must soon cope with the sexual misconduct of someone she trusts.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Elaine Del Valle
Watch Me 3.769 on Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
This is my second short film as a director. I believe that making short films is an intricate part of the process of preparing for ultimately directing features. I feel that filmmakers should be passionate about their characters and subject matter. When I wrote this film, I knew I had to shoot it. I couldn't wait to share them with audiences.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I hope that the subject matter would resonate with audiences. I hope that those who are a great supporter of the ME TOO movement will most relate, while those that present contrasting opinions will at least find in this one film an explanation for silence. I want audience members to want to share it with young girls in their lives, and use it to broach a sensitive and embarrassing subject.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Personally the film was three personal experiences that I rolled into one film. I then transformed that character to represent the movement – one that reveals predators for the sake of protecting our next generation.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Initially the script was two scenes adapted from my multiple award winning off-broadway stage play, Brownsville Bred. The initial arc was meant to express how in one moment a young girl is so shamed that she remained silent and in another instance she can grow to empowerment. The script felt disconnected and so I began exploring other experiences and in doing so ME 3.769 evolved into what you see on screen.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
"I want to share this with my young daughter". "I was raped when I was 17" and "so, what's the big deal".
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
All of the feedback surprised me. The first two made me feel that I had accomplished something that can enlighten, express, resonate and heal – these comments were made to me by strangers and their ability to open up so freely after having seen the film felt beautiful, since I had similar comments throughout the run of my stage-play I hoped that the film would cause a similar reaction, while the latter comment was made by the mother of a son, who felt that her son would be a victim of false allegations at some point of his life. This was shocking to me! When I asked her if it were okay if it were her son that was perpetrated upon, she came to a different feeling. It was thought provoking.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that the trailer will make people want to attend the theater screenings.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I recently entered into a license deal with HBO and so I am hoping that producers/financiers will see the potential in me as a filmmaker and support my future projects. I am currently prepping for my third short film and a music video that will serve as a proof of concept for my first feature (based on my stage play and autobiographical coming of age).
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like this film to be a safe way to speak about a sensitive subject. I would like for audiences universally to agree that a victim can feel culpable, even if they are not. I want them to understand the silence.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What made Elaine silent?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently prepping for my third short film as a director. It is titled Princess Cut and is a short film adaptation of a stage play I saw. I am excited to be working on someone else's writing and being trusted with the work. I am also going to be directing a music video that will serve as proof of concept for my first feature film. Lastly, and always I am writing the screenplay version of my stage play, Brownsville Bred. I just completed the 12-week Sundance Screenwriters Intensive that I feel has provided me with the tools to complete it to my satisfaction.
Interview: January 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, 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
ME 3.769
A pubescent Latina looks forward to her maturing body, but must soon cope with the sexual misconduct of someone she trusts.
Length: 9:00
Director: Elaine Del Valle
Producer: Elaine Del Valle
Writer: Elaine Del Valle
About the writer, director and producer:
ELAINE DEL VALLE began her career as an actress. While studying at Carnegie Hall, she became frustrated at the types of and lack of roles for Latina women. Elaine wrote her true coming of age story that what would become a multiple award winning, critically acclaimed, off Broadway hit play, Brownsville Bred. Expanding onto screen, Elaine went on to direct/write & produce a web series. She has since produced over 50 shorts and is excited to have moved into directing. When she is not directing her own work, she is the managing director of her own production and casting company, in which she casts, produces (Telly Award winning) and directs across all platforms and genres. She won a Best Director award for her first short film, Final Decision (Amazon Prime). She was selected as one of nine directors to take part in Sundance Lab Miami. Subsequently, her film ME 3.769 received a grant from the Sundance Institute and Knight Foundation. Elaine is currently directing commercials, while she works to finalize her third (and maybe last) short film, Princess Cut, before moving on to her debut feature film-- Brownsville Bred. Brownsville Bred is an adaptation of her award winning, off broadway, true coming of age story. The NY Times hailed it "From Girlhood Trials to Onstage Triumph”.
Key cast: Samantha Lopez, Rodolfo Salas, Vanessa Elise, Elizabeth Danielle Pujadas
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, producers, buyers, journalists, film festival directors
Facebook: ME 3.769
Twitter: @brownsvillebred
Instagram: @elainedelvalleproductions
Website: www.delvalleproductions.com
Other: IMDB
Funders: Self and in part by a grant from Sundance Institute and The Knight Foundation
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Miami Film Festival (March 1-10), Soma Film Festival (New Jersey in March), Phoenix Film Festival (April), Chicago Latino Film Festival (April)