(UN)KNOWN, (EZ) EZAGUN
How many versions of our city do we know? Do people from diverse backgrounds coexist or live together? Lady shares the difficulties and opportunities she has faced since she migrated from Colombia to the Basque Country 16 years ago and, along with her son Urko, reflects on the road that still has to be traveled.
Interview with Director Maitane Carballo
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
As a result of travelling for work in different countries around the world, learning about other cultures and people of different nationalities, I became interested in learning more about the realities of migrants in my own country. In this search I met Lady Toro Pelaez who worked altruistically in a feminist association of migrant women and I was able to observe the connection between mother and son and the transmission of values that Lady and Urko had. Then I knew that I had to tell that story and while I was telling it, I had to learn from them.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you want to get to know another reality, to deepen into other points of view about migration and to reflect on it, I invite you to watch this modest short film. I would highlight the innocent point of view on the environment that surrounds Urko, a 5 year old boy. Lady, his mother, subjectively narrates his most sincere reality which I think gives a lot of food for thought.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
When I started looking for migrants to interview in my piece, I planned to interview 3 different women, but in that search I met Lady and Urko, mother and son, and I knew I had to focus on that relationship. I had planned many scenes that could not be carried out and instead I was given scenes that I had not imagined.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Feedback has been generally positive. People have commented that Lady speaks and conveys her ideas very well and that it is a well-crafted speech. Urko really likes her a lot and he is a very special boy and adapted very well to the camera and the team.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Of course there are always dissenting comments. There are people who do not agree with the testimony and perhaps call it exaggerated. On the other hand people have also perhaps missed more intimate sequences between Urko and Lady. I initially suggested more sequences, but in the documentary you have to adapt to the comfort of the protagonists and their personal circumstances.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
All visibility is welcome, after all we do this kind of work with that intention as well. We simply want to reach more people and invite them to think about it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
If we invite debate, reflection and conversations between people living in the same place, we would be satisfied.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
A sentence that comes out in the documentary piece. Do people from diverse backgrounds coexist or only live together in the same place?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am working on the writing of a new documentary project which, that if it becomes a reality, will take place in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a foster home.
Interview: August 2021
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
(UN)KNOWN, (EZ) EZAGUN
Length:
16:52
Writer/Director
Maitane Carballo - Specialized in editing, sound and post production. Throughout her career she has worked in live sound and editing in numerous audiovisual projects. At just 21 years of age, she had the opportunity to edit the feature film “Argi” (Dir.Iratxe Mediavilla) which was selected in more than 15 festivals around the world. It was a great leap in her professional career and a real learning experience. From fiction she jumped to work in documentary cinema, where she discovered first hand a world full of possibilities and a more human and authentic cinema.
With the Basque director Maider Oleaga, she participated in the documentary feature film “Muga deitzen da Pausoa” (IZAR FILMS). She also met Elena Molina, with whom he made the sound design of her short film "Laatash" (best documentary at the 42nd FICIE Festival in Elche). An ambitious proposal in which she reaffirms her passion for the craft of live sound. Other projects that must be highlighted are: “EKAI (My Pequeño Gran Samurái) ”(Dir Arantza Ibarra, producer IZAR FILMS), LGTBQ + themed short film that is currently in the process of distribution. She worked as an editor and was, without a doubt, an exciting project, which openly reflects on the suicide of the young trans boy Ekai Lersundi.
Cinema is not just about entertaining and thanks to her ability to work as part of a team, she was chosen to work in a very ambitious documentary series as Head of Sound. Produced by Gariza Films and directed by Aner Etxebarria and Pablo Vidal, she has embarked on a journey through 9 countries around the
planet. This adventure, full of challenges and very enriching moments both professionally and personally, it has taught her to love character stories, social and anthropological even more. And this is one of the reasons why she decided to direct her first short film "(EZ) EZAGUN / (UN) KNOWN.
Producer
Izaskun Arandia
Looking for:
film festival directors, distributors
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/EzezagunDoc/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/ezezagun.doc/
Hashtags used:
#ezezagun #dokumentala #documental #documentary #doc … #womenfilmmakers #womeninfilm #womendirectors … #euskalzinema #euskalzinegileak #zinema #zinea … #izarfilms #begirada #gasteiz #elkarbizitza #convivencia #migrazioa #migracion #acogida #emakumeak #mujeres #racismo #prejuicios #privilegios #educacion #hezkuntza #women #racism #migration
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