Director and filmmaker Miguel Angel Ferrer did something truly remarkable and breathtaking in his film, THE SHADOW OF THE SUN (2023). Not simply that it's Venezuela's entry into the Oscars or he shot the film in his home country of Venezuela, although that's fantastic in its own right. When you hear the story of how the film came to be, through the radiant cinematography or the work of a 65 year old cameraman, you get an understanding of what a passion project this was for him. You understand why he imbued every single character in this film with their own backstory and meaty roles. I felt like I could understand every person in this film because of the care he gave them, and that's rare indeed.

Venezuela is in the news for things other than filmmaking, but that doesn't have to be the case. Let's appreciate the true artistry of filmmakers like Miguel.

In this episode, Miguel and I discuss:

• the radiance of the film and how it shows people what life is like in Venezuela;
• how the global news stories about Venezuela turned a spotlight on the country and its filmmakers;
• film school in Miami and how the city should be viewed in indie film;
• how his 11+ shorts led into this remarkable feature film;
• taking jobs you might not expect as a hidden strength;
• how he manages two companies -- Magic Films and Multi Movie Studios;
• what he's looking for in a director;
• how somebody should feel watching THE SHADOW OF THE SUN;
• why he imbued so much life into each of his characters in his film and why that's so rare;
• his commitment to shooting the film in Venezuela and what advice he'd give others on the process;
• his powerful answer about inspiring future Venezuelan filmmakers;
• how he got the nomination for Venezuela's entry to the Oscars;
• what's next for him, including a remake!

Miguel's Indie Film Highlights: Jeff Nichols; THE SEA INSIDE (2004) dir. by Alejandro Amenábar; J.A. Bayona

Memorable Quotes:

"What's been happening lately obviously puts a spotlight on Venezuela, a gigantic spotlight on Venezuela, and people start doing the research and start asking the right questions, they find a lot of truth that they didn't know about."

"As a filmmaker, you have to grab...the cards that life gives you and play them as best as you can."

"Everybody wants like instant gratification and everybody wants the David Fincher career, the Nolan career. Whereas Nolan never had to do a commercial or a music video."

"I want them to see themselves in these characters."

"Having done verticals and having done a movie for a studio very rare nowadays does a movie get made that is not by committee meaning you have to adhere to something that the studio needs to be done or that the producer, the production company, needs to get done."

"This one was one that when I got the kernel of the idea, it pulled me. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It pulled me and it pulled me, and I couldn't let it go until it was done on the page."

"That's what we wanted to capture in the film, the Venezuelan spirit."

"The moral of the story there is, listen to your girlfriend and to your mom."

Links:

Follow Miguel On Instagram

Miguel Ferrer's Website

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