TLG
A clandestine and passionate encounter between two men in avoidance of their true desires ignites their wildest impulses and reveals the darkest sides of humanity.
Interview with Director/Producer/Editor Itziar Martinez
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
We wanted to explore self-acceptance, sexuality and how that could look like in a not-so-distant future in a contained short story.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I am fascinated by the depths we will go to not accept who we are and our own desires. In order to maintain the identity we believe keeps us safe in this world. When we are honest with ourselves, we discover all of us do this in one way or another.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It began as an exploration of the relationship between the two main characters and we then saw an opportunity to immerse it into a bigger picture. Hard to say more without spoilers! haha.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People find it surprising and entertaining, especially given the short length of the film. And in general, everybody is curious about the meaning of TLG, which is great, since it is that curiosity that drove us to explore some of the themes.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
So far everything is been positive and constructive!
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
To reach a wider community and motivate other female filmmakers to celebrate their work, which is also something very hard to do for me!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Distributors, film festival directors, journalists,... As indie filmmakers, we are always in need of support to get our work out there and it takes a village.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for it to open the door for more opportunities for everybody involved in the film. And if it could encourage at least one filmmaker out there to start the project they have been dreaming of making, it would be amazing. I know how overwhelming it can feel when we lack resources or big budgets, but this piece from beginning to end was made with a total of 5 people including the actors and if we can make it so can you.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Should we be able to experience our deepest desires
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm currently developing a bilingual dark fantasy drama TV series called Nycto. You can follow the official account at instagram.com/nyctoseries to stay up to date with the project and support us along the way :)
Interview: November 2023
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
TLG
A clandestine and passionate encounter between two men in avoidance of their true desires ignites their wildest impulses and reveals the darkest sides of humanity.
Length: 6:52
Director: Itziar Martinez
Producer: Itziar Martinez, Raul Walder
Writer: Raul Walder
About the writer, director and producer:
Whether touring the world as a dancer, or singing and writing songs for successful projects, storytelling has always been at the center of her creative passion. Which inevitably led her to the Seventh Art. ITZIAR MARTINEZ was part of the small production team that created the award-winning soundtrack for the Disney Channel series Violetta, which sold more than 1 million records. The European tour alone sold more than 1.2 million tickets for 182 shows performed in 12 countries. Translated into 15 languages, it became Disney Channel's most successful non-American television series. As an actress, her credits include the series The Mysterious Benedict Society, Jane the Virgin, Louie, as well as major productions for the Telemundo network. Under her production company WOL Entertainment, she co-produced and co-wrote Nereus. A supernatural thriller that premiered on HBO's NYLFF and received distribution in more than 20 territories, including VOD in North America and in theaters in Turkey and Japan. Her directorial debut A Heart Dies Twice was an Official Selection of the 2021 NFMLA sponsored by the Film Academy and won Best New Director at the Toronto International Women's Film Festival. She is currently developing a bilingual fantasy drama which was selected at the Fanpitch section of Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival 2022 and their Showrunner's Lab.
Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, RAUL WALDER has had an extensive career in the Entertainment industry internationally. He’s worked as an actor in TV, film, and theatre since an early age back in his home country and across Latin America. He graduated from the University of Miami in 2015 with a B.A. in Theater Arts and a Minor in Film, where he had a focus on screenwriting. Raul has written and created projects like the TV pilot Los Lobos Blanco (aka: The White Wolves), which was a semifinalist in the prestigious Screencraft Drama Screenplay Competition 2021 and a quarter-finalist in the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards 2022. His screenplay Kapüy has already won the ‘Wave D’ore Award’ at Bondi Screenplay Competition 2023 for “best feature screenplay” as well as “best foreign screenplay” at the New York Script Awards 2023. Kapüy was also selected into the quarter-finalist round of the weScreenplay diverse voices lab 2023. Raul is the founder of Beach house films and the author of the short films TLG, Cicatrices, Cold-Blooded Animals, and Bleeding Scars, as well as one of the co-writers for the upcoming feature film Pretty Russell.
Key cast: Dennis Mencia (Tony), Raul Walder (Billy), Mary Cebrian (venus)
Looking for: film festival directors, journalists
Instagram: @iamitziar
Website: www.wolentertainment.com
Other: IMDb
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Screamfest/Los Angeles - Oct 15th; Filmquest/Provo - Nov 2nd