Student Emmy / American Pavillon 2020 – Welcome Back
After being deported back to dangerous and communist Venezuela, Rosa and her daughter must find a way to escape to a nearby town in Colombia.
Interview with Writer/Director Tiffany K. Guillen and Producer Roy Arwas
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you so much!
I am half Venezuelan, and for years I wanted to tell the story of the current situation going on there. Having my family there has been very hard for me, and I felt unbelievably helpless. I ultimately decided I needed to do something, and I would do it through the medium I knew best—film. The idea was ultimately inspired by my relationship with my mother, and how she always made sacrifices for me.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Although the story focuses on political and humanitarian issues, the heart of this story is universal. Welcome Back, in its essence, is a story about a mother and her daughter trying to survive. The story does shed light on deportation as well, an issue I find extremely important. We all have a responsibility when it comes to countries like Venezuela, and must have compassion for others who are forced to flee their home is a huge first step. We learn more about this through the story, but we didn't forget to include plot-twists and suspenseful moments that will surely keep you on the edge of your seat.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Love and survival. These are themes that are at the heart of the film. For me, one of the most beautiful themes to explore in the film is the relationship between a mother and daughter. I find it to be one of the most profound, and complex forms of love. When you unite themes of motherhood and survival, it becomes all the more powerful.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Interestingly enough, not much changed from the original draft to what you see on screen. Of course, we were able to expand on the characters, especially as we cast the film, but the heart of the script stayed intact throughout the entire process. I couldn't have done this without my incredible producers, Roy Arwas and Karly Perez-Arevalo, who truly were driving forces in ensuring that the world on the page could come to life.
One thing that did evolve was the world that we created. Being on location, especially with our Venezuelan crew members, inspired us all to truly expand the world of the film so that it felt authentic.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback as been perhaps one of the most wonderful parts of the process. We are in the midst of the festival circuit and have won a few awards, and we even received a College Television Award nomination which was incredible. However, perhaps our most treasured feedback has come from the people of Venezuela, especially those who have had to flee their homes and share similar stories to Rosa in the film. We have received some of the most beautiful emails and letters from people who were so happy to see their story being told and felt that it was done authentically. That was all we hoped for, and I honestly feel so grateful to our entire team who made this possible.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The feedback definitely took a weight off of our shoulders. It sparked discussion and delivered the message we were so hopeful to share.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We are truly motivated to get our story out there, and hope to continue sharing the importance of this film and topic!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
All of the above are definitely welcome!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Our biggest hope is to spark discussion and to create understanding regarding this topic.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Is sending someone back to "where they came from," truly the answer is will it cost them their lives?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you so much for this opportunity!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
In addition to potentially expanding this film into a series, we are currently in development for a few feature films, and a couple of television show projects! We are super excited for what's to come!
Interview: July 2020
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
Welcome Back
After being deported back to dangerous and communist Venezuela, Rosa and her daughter must find a way to escape to a nearby town in Colombia.
Length: 20:00
Director: Tiffany K. Guillen
Producer: Roy Arwas
Writer: Tiffany K. Guillen
About the writer, director and producer:
TIFFANY K. GUILLEN is a young Latina writer, director, actress and filmmaker. She is a published playwright, Student Emmy Nominated Director, HBO Semi-Finalist, and has been recognized for her work in film. Her most recent films have been acknowledged at festivals such as the Athena Film Festival, Mammoth Short Film Festival, Cannes Short Film Corner, San Diego Latino Film Festival, Los Angeles Short Film Festival, and many more. Tiffany is also known for her anti-bullying work and organization. At the age of 14, Tiffany wrote The Cycle, a play that demonstrates the effects of bullying, and began touring South Florida with her cast to showcase the play. Since then, she has appeared on MSNBC, NBC, TV Venezuela and CBS to speak about bullying and how the visual arts can be used to create change. Keeping this passion in mind, Tiffany began creating films that brought inspiring, engaging and important topics to light. Her most recent projects have been devoted to telling Latinx stories in hopes of further diversifying the industry.
ROY ARWAS is a British-Israeli filmmaker who has won over twenty festival awards. Most recently, Arwas produced, wrote, directed, and edited Clarity, a thesis film that has won Grand Jury Award at the Mammoth Film Festival, and was a nominee for the Student Emmys. In 2013, Arwas co-founded an independent production company, Gearmark Pictures, which created viral content on YouTube, leading to a sponsorship deal with Thunder Studios. One of the most notable videos Arwas created was Gym Wildlife, where he served as writer, director and editor, and was able to attain over 2 million views within the first two days. It has received 40 million views and worldwide recognition from websites like FOX, Unilad, and Buzzfeed. Arwas was then admitted to the prestigious University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts for an MFA in Film and Television Production. While attending USC Roy has become an in-house Editor for SidLee, one of Hollywood’s leading creative agencies, where he edits short trailers for upcoming Netflix Films, Amazon Films, and Theatrical Films. Arwas is also a First Assistant Director for music videos for artists such as Wiz Kalifa, Ty Dolla Sign, Tyga, and Timbaland. Arwas has worked in key positions over 40 short films, commercials, and Music Videos. Today, Arwas is creating content and developing TV shows and feature films for socially relevant and important stories.
Key cast: Joselyn Gallardo (Rosa), Marina Lalama Noboa (Sofia), Diana Aboujian (Carmen)
Looking for: film festival directors, producers
Facebook: Welcome Back
Hashtags used: #welcomebackfilm
Website: www.welcomeback-film.com
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Global Impact Film Festival (August 28th)