Como Pez en el Agua “Like a fish in the water”, awarded in the category “Audience Award” at the VII International Film Festival “We Are All Different” in Antofagasta, Chile
Ana Cabot and Gabriela González, Spanish and Mexican artists, respectively, lovers of shadow theater, demonstrated with the short film, “Como Pez en el Agua”, awarded in the category “ Audience Award ” at the VII International Film Festival “ We Are All Different ”in Antofagasta, Chile; not only that theater can be represented on the big screen, but also that, in a global situation like the pandemic, it can motivate anyone to reinvent themselves and do things differently.
After the situation of the pandemic virus SARS CoV 2 closed to them any possibility of giving theater performances and workshops in person, let alone go out to communities to provide these functions, they saw their chance to turn the shadow theater, which is their specialty, in tutorials and that, little by little, led them to make the short film with which they were awarded.
Chipotle Teatro, is an independent shadow theater company created in San Cristóbal de Las Casas by Ana Cabot, who lives in the capital of Los Altos de Chiapas 12 years ago, and by Gabriela González, from Mexico City who moved from eight years ago.
Both reported that, after they were invited to participate in a film project by the production company Terra Nostra Films and learned the language of cinema, they began to adapt that language in their productions for their videos and tutorials; But it is not only about recording a theatrical scene, but that the play of light and shadow has the same impact on video as if it were seen live in a theatrical presentation, that is, combining both artistic expressions without altering the language of either.
“We have made a miniseries that was selected by the Ministry of Culture for the call” With you at a distance “which was a ministry on shadow theater, a small tutorial also that was selected by the State Council for Cultures and the Arts (Coneculta) Chiapas, within the call, ‘El Arte Ayuda’ ”; Ana recounted.
“Like a fish in water”, the name of the short film they made, was part of 20 short films that participated in said festival, which was selected / Photo: Courtesy Chipotle Teatro
“Let’s say that the pandemic that forced us to be at home we dedicated ourselves to researching our own language, it has really been contradictory to suspend work outside but we have made progress in experimentation in the language of shadow theater”; Gabriela expressed.
“The two of us did it entirely, video vision, execution, manufacturing; the voiceover of the short film was from a girl who supported us. It was recorded with a cell phone, the lighting equipment, the screens and the lamps were made by us. It was a three-month process, all handmade and we edited it by computer. When we finished it, we sent it to the International Festival “We are all different”, ”they detailed.
Illustration “Like a fish in water” / Photo: Courtesy Chipotle Teatro
” Like a fish in the water “, the name of the short film they made, was part of 20 short films that participated in said festival, which was selected, along with eight of them, among productions from Spain, Chile, and Mexico, to be awarded with the “Audience Award”; that is to say, the public had to select, of the nine shorts, the one that they liked the most, and “Like a fish in the water” was the winner.
Ana and Gabriela reported that for now “Como Pez en el Agua” is not yet available on any internet page or social network account to make it seem like it, as it will be competing for other festivals; But they promised that, when the time comes, it will be presented to the public for the first time when the pandemic allows it, as they would like that presentation to be in person.
Source: elheraldodechiapas.com.mx