Punk Talk (Boca Punk)
After walking home alone, a shy fifteen-year-old girl is rescued by a punk entity who shows her a world where she'll fit in just as she is.
Interview with Producer Mon Castro
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The director Thelma Ruiz and I are both feminist activists. We found an opportunity to spread the message of our movement through our art, in a lighthearted and approachable way. Being able to talk about important topics in the industry we work in is something that means a lot to me.
And also, the elements of the story were so fun and appealing for me to put together! The challenge of bringing a concert to life was something that I always found very exciting.
It's very important to me to make movies with and about diverse women.
The cast and crew of this movie were 90% women, and a big number of us are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. The space we created among ourselves was safe and supportive, like the one we were making in the story. It was a fantastic collaboration and couldn't have asked for a better team.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Punk Talk is meant to be a fun, safe space. It presents a world that blends reality and fantasy, with stylized production design and original music. The movie ends in a mosh pit, that I'm sure will make you dance and bang your head along.
Our film presents an uplifting message of acceptance that can resonate universally. We aim for this movie to bring optimism and hope.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The core themes of our movie are acceptance and belonging. The message behind Punk Talk is that there will always be a safe space where you can belong, no matter if it's in the most unusual of places. Our main character, Carmen, has been judged constantly by family members and her social circle for being shy and introverted. Much to her surprise, the band receives her warmly and takes care of her. It's the first time she has felt that supported and realizes that there is a space where she can be herself and fit in.
We also use the band as a metaphor for feminism. In this movement, Thelma and I have found a sense of community. We wanted to show this by enhancing the sorority in the characters. Even if our involvement in this activism and the safety it brings is something very personal to us, we believe it can be a universal feeling as well.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
This movie goes back to 2019 when Thelma had an idea about a shy young girl being introduced to punk culture. She originally wanted to shoot it as her undergrad thesis, and I got attached to producing it. It was a very different story back then.
We started pre-production during the Fall of 2019, planning to shoot in April 2020. However, Covid hit and we never returned to school. After holding for a few weeks, we were told that the thesis projects were fully cancelled.
Time went by, but we still had this movie in our minds. We decided to wait until there could be a better moment to shoot. After a year, Thelma and her co-writer Luis Gerardo LoGar adapted the script to the movie we have now. We shot the movie during the summer of 2021.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The reception has been really positive. I am happy that audiences seem to connect with Carmen, and that the message of belonging comes across clearly. After screenings, young girls approached me saying that they resonated with the feminist message.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Nothing has really come as a big surprise. After a screening at a film festival, a man approached me saying he didn't agree with "the ways" we, feminists, protest. He was trying to fight me on it, but I took his hatred as a compliment. That means our movie works the way it was intended to.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Sharing our movie with more audiences internationally would be the dream, as well as getting the opportunity to connect with diverse filmmakers and creatives.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We are looking into getting press for our movie to reach more audiences. We would love for this article to reach film festival directors and journalists.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
If it makes someone feel a little less alone, we would have done our part. We want to bring a sense of hope that everyone will find a place where they can belong.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
This film is inspired by the feminist movement in Mexico, which has increased its visibility over the last few years. Since 2019, it became common to take public places to speak up and protest against the violence and danger we go through. This is very divided among the population, as a very big sector of -mostly men- have complained about us, calling us disruptive or "seeking attention". Thelma and I have been judged multiple times because of our activism. The visibility of this movement on film is definitely a conversation starter.
Would you like to add anything else?
Not really, I'm just grateful I got to be part of the project and work with this group of talented people.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently deep in pre-production of my AFI Conservatory thesis, as well as developing two features and a TV series.
Thelma is working as a production designer on the series Bodega Bang, and in the styling of the brand Blobb.
Interview: April 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
Punk Talk (Boca Punk)
After walking home alone, a shy fifteen-year-old girl is rescued by a punk entity who shows her a world where she'll fit in just as she is.
Length: 8:02
Director: Thelma Ruiz
Producer: Mon Castro
Writer: Thelma Ruiz and Luis Gerardo LoGar
About the writer, director and producer:
THELMA RUIZ is a production designer based in Mexico City. She has worked on several award-winning short films such as Andy-O, A Clown and Damn Hobo!, which won the Special Mention for Best International Film at the BFI Future Film Festival. She was selected at the Castello Errante Residency 2020 in Italy for her work in the art department. Punk Talk is her directorial debut. Aside from Filmmaking, Thelma has worked as the Editor in Chief of the Online Magazine Girls at Films, which promotes the work of women and the LGBTQ+ community within the film industry in Mexico and has worked as a backstage dresser at New York Fashion Week.
MON CASTRO is a Mexican producer, writer and director, currently based in Los Angeles. She got admitted as a Producing Fellow at AFI Conservatory, class of 2023. Mon has worked in over 50 sets in between both countries and has experience in narrative filmmaking, advertisement, and music videos. She also worked as a development intern at Maniac Productions, in support of the company's deal with Blumhouse Television. Mon is mostly interested in horror, feminism, LGBTQIA+ stories, and animal rights activism.
Key cast: Natasha Cubría (Carmen), Stephanie Durante (Simona), Ana Mecano (Juana), María Estebaranz (Rosa)
Looking for: journalists and film festival directors
Instagram: @moncastrob
Hashtags used: #latinx #women #genz #comingofage #fantasy #feminism #sorority #punkband
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: La Palma de Oro and Anamórkifa
Funders: Crowdfunding Kickstarter