FILMOGRAPHY
Solar Cinema boasts an impressive portfolio brimming with daring and inspirational films.
SEMILLA DEL DESIERTO
SEBASTIAN PARRA R.
In a deserted land, Caviche and Chelina face a difficult decision when, fearing her violent father, she decides to interrupt her unexpected pregnancy. To finance the abortion, they feel forced to venture into the world of gasoline smuggling where they embark on a challenging journey. Amid the aridity of the road, their love will be tested as they fight to survive and find a way out. Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival | 1h 30min | Spanish | Drama | Produced by Andrés Gómez D. | 2024 Teaser
CAVEWOMAN
SPIROS STATHOULOPOULOS
During the Nazi invasion of Greece, a female resistance fighter embarks on a revenge operation to assassinate her own mother. Thessaloniki International Film Festival | 100 min | Greek, English | Drama | Produced by Candelaria Films in association with Solar Cinema | 2022 Trailer
LUZ
JUAN DIEGO ESCOBAR ALZATE
Far into the mountains, in a community led by a preacher named El Señor, a new child who is supposed to be the new messiah, is brought, and with him destruction and redemption. Soon, everything will change. Not only for the town, but on the preacher's home as his 3 daughters start to wonder the real origins of God itself, the nature of love, pleasure and inner freedom. Sitges Film Festival | 1h 43min | Spanish | Western, Fantasy | Produced by Andrés Gómez D. in association with Afasia films | 2019 Trailer
BAD LUCKY GOAT
SAMIR OLIVEROS
After accidentally killing a bearded goat with their father’s truck, two incompatible siblings in their teenage years, embark on a journey of reconciliation. Corn and Rita must find a way to repair the truck in time to pick up the tourists that will be staying at their family’s hotel. As they struggle to find the means necessary to conceal the accident, the siblings will visit a butcher, rastafari drum makers, pawn shops, car mechanics and even a witch doctor, in a 24-hour adventure around Port Paradise. SXSW Film Festival | 1h 16min | Creole | Drama, Comedy | Produced by Andrés Gómez D. | 2017 Trailer
ANTHROPOS
50 DIRECTORS
This film is a class exercise from a Masterclass by Spiros Stathoulopoulos where he instructed: “Imagine you are 100 years old and you will die in the next days through euthanasia in Switzerland. You browse through your life’s collection of analogue photographs and select 50 photographs where each corresponds to a 2 year span. You arrange them chronologically, starting with the one between your birth and your 2nd year and end with the one between your 98th and your 100th year to ultimately create a visual time-line of your life-time. In this class you are 50 directors, what if each of you selects a 2 year span from a 100 year old character and film it? However, I have multiple filming restrictions, a couple of them being that dialogue and cutting is strictly prohibited.” Solar Cinema Academy | 100 minutes | No dialogue | Experimental | Produced by Andrés Gómez D. | 2015 Trailer
SAVANTS
ANDRES GOMEZ D.
A story inquiring the Savant syndrome, a condition in which someone with significant mental disabilities demonstrates certain abilities far in excess of average. Homer was born with a tumor in his left hemisphere resulting in severe speech disabilities, however his right hemisphere naturally overdeveloped and his artistic abilities are that of a genius. Influenced by his brother’s condition, Allan, experiments with Transcraneal Magnetic Stimulation in healthy patients, in which he induces electric current at either of the brain’s hemispheres in order to create savant brains like Homer’s. Allan’s experiments become extreme, resulting in both awe inspiring and terrifying consequences that raise questions of the moral limits of human intelligence. In Development | 1hr 40min | Spanish | Drama | Produced by Andrés Gómez D. Trailer
HEDONE
ANDRES GOMEZ D. & MARIA MAIGUASHCA
Mara, a middle aged woman, is isolated on a mountain nursing her last love, Fructuoso, a decrepit old man who is paralyzed, speechless and who eats and breathes artificially. Mara experiences the menopause and her new awakening as a woman forces her to reflect on her desires and lust and pure hedonism. Solar Cinema Academy | 10 min | No dialogue | Experimental | Produced by Andrés Gómez D. | 2020 Trailer
SINCARD
ANDRES GOMEZ D.
SINCARD wakes up after a quarter of a century and experiments with the codes, values and modern ways of social interaction that have been transformed by technology. His archaic style exposes him to an endless number of ironic situations in which he makes a futile effort to conform to this new society. This piece confronts the viewer making him reflect on modern human interactions which are predominantly mediated by telecommunications and new technologies. Smartfilms Film Festival | 10min | No dialogue | Experimental | Produced by Andrés Gómez D. | 2016 Trailer
POLYGLOT
15 DIRECTORS
This film is a class exercise from a Masterclass with Spiros Stathoulopoulos, his instruction: “Suppose we cast a blind man as a film’s protagonist. While acting, he will perceive the set surroundings through his remaining senses. When he sits in a cinema as a spectator, he will use his sense of hearing to identify which image is being projected, hence, the blind man will no longer be a blind man. The blind brain also dreams so let’s ask our blind man about one of his dreams and have each of you direct, while blindfolded, a section of the dream and we premiere the film for him to ‘see’ his own dream in a cinema.” Solar Cinema Academy | 15min | 15 languages* | Experimental | Produced by Andrés Gómez D.| 2017 *Swedish, Sanskrit, Greek, Hungarian, Portuguese, Turkish, Wayuu, Japanese, Danish, Hindi, Arab, German, Russian, French, Latin. Full Film
FUCKING GAMES
SPIROS STATHOULOPOULOS
An explicit reply to Michael Haneke's invitation to dialogue, through cinema, about the medium's manipulation brought about the consumable treatment of violence and sex. [Violence as exemplified in Haneke's FUNNY GAMES] Not interested in festivals | 45 min | Greek, English, Spanish | Experimental | Produced by Solar Cinema and Candelaria Films | 2013
CREW
SPIROS STATHOULOPOULOS
Screenwriter and Director
Greek-Colombian screenwriter and director recognized internationally as one of Colombia's most prominent auteurs. PVC-1 (2007) His debut was selected at the 60th Cannes Film Festival in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs and won an award, followed by multiple awards in festivals including a FIPRESCI Prize. “With agents on the hunt for the next Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu directors employing a signature style like Stathoulopoulos emerged this year as the most sought after. Stathoulopoulos, whose single-shot 85-minute thriller PVC-1 caused a stir on the Croisette, signed with the agency after being chased by a phalanx of agents.” HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. METEORA (2012) Set in the UNESCO World Heritage eponymous medieval monasteries, he became the first director from Colombia to ever be nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. “Animated areas cleverly illustrate the characters’ inner states in dreamlike images. What they convey – guilt, hesitant desire, inner struggle – pairs extremely well with the otherworldly aspects of the landscape and the unspoken, uncontrollable erotic forces at work.” VARIETY. KILLING KLAUS KINSKI (2016) His segment KILLING KLAUS KINSKI, from the anthology film AMAZONAS, competed in Clermont-Ferrand. CAVEWOMAN (2022) His third film, starring Angeliki Papoulia & Ewen Bremner, premiered at the 63rd Thessaloniki Film Festival. "Composed of 24 extended close-up shots of a single actor, with heavy reliance on sound design as a stand-in for visual storytelling, this stylistically bold work is unashamedly a rarefied art-house item. THE FILM VERDICT Currently in post production of his fourth feature film. Has created academic and experimental films with no commercial or festival interest. Coproduction Office sells PVC-1 and produced and sells METEORA
ANDRÉS GÓMEZ D.
Producer | Director | Editor | Founder of Solar Cinema
Colombian film producer, director and editor. Founded Solar in 2010 and since 2013, has redirected the company towards the production of experimental and non experimental films besides also establishing Solar Cinema Academy. Is a producer in five feature films and currently develops two more. Has completed LUZ(2019), BAD LUCKY GOAT(2017), ANTHROPOS(2015), CAVEWOMAN(2021) and SEMILLA DEL DESIERTO(2024) . He develops TRIAGE and SAVANTS (His own directorial debut).. Has directed, produced and edited the experimental short films SINCARD(2016), RES(2020) and SEPARATION(In Post). Has also co-directed, produced and edited the experimental short film HEDONE(2020) and the experimental feature film ANTHROPOS(2015). Was the First AD in KILLING KLAUS KINSKI(2016) and FUCKING GAMES, which he also co-produced and co-edited. Outside Solar Cinema, he was briefly involved in the Netflix title TRIPLE FRONTIER(2019) . Trailers for his work at Solar Cinema are exhibited in the Filmography Section -
DAVID CURTO
Cinematographer
Spanish director of photography working in films, music videos and commercials. Member of the Colombian Association of Directors of Photography (ADFC) and a former Canon ambassador. His films include "Bad Lucky Goat" by Samir Oliveros and "The Boy" by Craig Macnaill, and also the experimental films “Killing Klaus Kinski” and "Fucking Games" by Spiros Stathoulopoulos. Has shot music videos for top artists like David Bisbal, Juan Magan, Ana Guerra, Sebastian Yatra, Lalo Ebratt, Greeicy, Yera and Aitana among others. Has worked for production companies like Netflix, Dynamo, Demente, 36 grados, Imaginaria Films, Solar Cinema, La Octava, NatGeo, Capital Films, Presente, Turbo, Where Next, among others. And has also worked for brands like Nestlé, Ford, Honda, Éxito, Motorola, Carrefour, Avianca, Heineken, Dominos Pizza, Caracol, Rcn, Antena 3, Metro Medellin and Metro Bogotá. - His reel and one of his Commercials and Music Videos are exhibited in this site. To view all his work please visit his site -
CAMILO CAÑIZARES
Art Director
Has worked in advertising for more than a decade. He started his career at McCann Colombia where he grew from a temp to a junior art director working for clients such as American Airlines, Nestle, and GM. He then traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and worked with two associates on an independent project on web design and brand design for small local clients. He returned to Colombia where he worked as Art Director at JWT for Nestle, Banco Caja Social and Juan Valdez. Then he worked at Leo Burnett for Grupo Bolivar’s Davivienda and Seguros Bolivar. Returned to Mccann as Creative Graphic Director for ETB, and also worked for clients like Mastercard and Banco de Occidente. He later worked with Jaguar and Land Rover at Spark44, where he was briefly creative art director.
NICOLÁS MOLINA
Graphic designer
“Graphic designer, vector freak, music supporter, creativity militant. Designing for the love of music, representing independent brands, working collectively with friends and colleagues, getting bigger project by project.” - Nicolás Molina
ANDRES POSADA
Visual Effects Designer and Postproduction Supervisor
Visual Artist working for over a decade in animation, post production, VFX design, general 3D and modeling. Works in film and commercials were he has collaborated with prestigious brands. In film he debuted as a director with a segment in the film ANTHROPOS, has been a post-production supervisor in multiple films including PVC-1 and as a VFX designer he created the Molly Aida steam-boat, the morpho butterfly and the deadly viper in KILLING KLAUS KINSKI. Holds a Master in animation and digital postproduction from Centro Integral de Estudios Especializados in Madrid, Spain. Studied cinematography at École Supérieur d’Études Cinématographiques in Paris, France and also screenwriting, producing and film distribution at Escuela Internacional de Cine in San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba.
SERVICES
Through our subsidiary, Box Film Communications, we specialize in crafting compelling and visually captivating communication strategies for creative business; art, film, culture, music, festivals, etc.. Our expertise in the art and development of communication for clients ensures that every project is not just seen but also deeply felt.
BOX FILM COMMUNICATION
Creative | Design | Editor | Strategy
At Box Film Communication, we are dedicated to igniting the creative spark in businesses across the art, film, culture, music, and festival industries. We specialize in crafting compelling and visually captivating communication strategies that not only make your projects visible but also deeply felt. Our mission is to be the driving force behind your success in the creative realm, enhancing your presence and impact through our expertise in creative and media strategy. Box Film Communication is your trusted partner in the creative industry, offering a comprehensive suite of services to elevate your brand and amplify your message. Our services include: -Creation and strategy of communication concepts to convey your unique story. -Identity development, logo design, poster creation, graphic environment crafting. -Design and production of promotional products that leave a lasting impression. -Comprehensive planning and strategic placement of promotional products. Social media strategy development, traditional media management, and public relations for effective advertisement. Join us at Box Film Communication to unlock the full potential of your creative business. Together, we'll turn your vision into a captivating reality.
ACADEMY
Our programs encompass screenwriting, directing, producing, acting, and cinematography. We take pride in our partnerships with esteemed art institutions and various cultural organizations.
As of 2019, hundreds of students from Colombia and across South America have benefited from our educational programs. The Solar Cinema Academy not only imparts knowledge but also fosters a creative community where aspiring filmmakers can flourish.
At Solar Cinema our mission drive is powered by a passion for cinematic innovation, a commitment to excellence, and a dedication to nurturing the next generation of filmmakers. We invite you to explore the realms of experimental and traditional cinema with us.
PRESS
SEED OF THE DESERT
Tallin Black Nights Film Festival -Seed of the Desert
Bogotá - October 18 2024
Colombian Film “Seed of the Desert” Official Selection at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
- Solar Cinema’s feature film Seed of the Desert, directed by Sebastián Parra R. and produced by Andrés Gómez D., has been officially selected for the prestigious competition at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Recognized as one of the world’s top 15 film festivals, this renowned event will take place in Estonia from November 13 to 22, 2024. The film’s world premiere is set for November 18, 2024.
- A recipient of the Colombian Film Development Fund’s Comprehensive Stimulus, Seed of the Desert is slated for release in Colombian theaters in 2025.
The film follows the harrowing journey of a young couple who turn to gasoline smuggling in a desert region to finance an abortion. Along the way, they encounter not only the wrath of a violent father but also the unexpected dangers of the unforgiving desert.
Director Sebastián Parra R. describes the film as a portrayal of “real and painful themes such as lost innocence, disillusioned youth, and the scarcity of opportunities in an arid landscape.” Drawing from his childhood experiences in La Guajira, Parra reflects on the struggles of those close to him, crafting a story that feels both personal and universal.
The cast features non-professional actors from La Guajira, including Yornexzi María Ibarra Peña & Sebastián Elí Damián Moya, who were selected after an extensive casting process and received acting training from the Fagua Casting team.
Parra emphasizes the lasting relevance of the film’s themes: “It’s crucial to show that the challenges faced 50 years ago are still present today. This drives us to continue sharing authentic stories from our communities, reimagined through timeless fiction.”
Producer Andrés Gómez D. emphasizes the significance of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, recognized for its focus on bold, auteur-driven cinema. He states, 'This selection highlights the growing importance of films that are recognized for their artistic value, beyond commercial or political considerations on the global stage. It’s a testament to the artistic richness of our global film industry.
The world premiere of Seed of the Desert will be supported by Paris-based international sales agent LOCO FILMS, which will oversee the film’s global distribution.
BOX FILM COMMUNICATION STUDIO
www.boxfilmco.com
@Boxfilmcommunication
Press Office in Colombia
Litza Alarcón Romero
+57 310 5664031
litza.alarcon@oficinadeprensa.com.co
SEMILLA DEL DESIERTO / SEED OF THE DESERT
Solar Cinema has launched a crowdfunding campaign to promote and bring to fruition their latest film, Semilla del Desierto (Seed of the Desert).
This film, written and directed by Sebastián Parra R and produced by Andrés Gómez D and Solar Cinema, commenced production in March 2023 with the aid of the Colombian Cinematic Development Fund. It showcases a unique cinematic style characterized by the use of 33 single sequence shots, making use, for the most part, of natural light amidst the breathtaking desert landscapes of northern Colombia.
New York, 11/07/23 - Solar Cinema, an experimental and independent film production company from Colombia with over 10 years of experience in the industry, is excited to announce the launch of its crowdfunding campaign in the United States. The campaign, hosted on the Seed & Spark platform, aims to raise funds to complete its latest production, Semilla del Desierto (Seed of the Desert).
Directed by Sebastián Parra R, this film delves into a significant issue: the premature loss of innocence. Parra R's work sheds light on this profound and painful phenomenon that has left its mark on entire generations. In his film, he shows that this issue transcends geographical borders, making it a universal concern.
Set in the heart of a dystopian universe, "Semilla del Desierto'' captures the essence of a battle for love and survival in an environment plagued by desperation and scarcity. The story follows Chelina and Caviche, two young individuals who find themselves on a harrowing journey towards death. To finance the termination of an unwanted pregnancy and seek a way out, they become kamikaze gasoline smugglers.
Parra R explains,“With Seed of the Desert, I want to tell a real story, one that happened 40 years ago and still happens today. The film presents a raw narrative, devoid of embellishments or euphemisms, as it delves into the forbidden and ‘morally incorrect’ aspects that our society tends to conceal. It is my intention to evoke memories of childhood friends who were prematurely thrust into adulthood, facing challenging realities that stood in contrast to the innocence and fragility of my own fortunate childhood.”
Through the use of a narrative consisting of 33 single sequence shots, Seed of the Desert presents a testament to the resistance against the impossible. This film stands as a revolutionary work for Latin American cinema. With each sunset, nature itself seems to reveal its secrets, enabling the technical team to overcome the overwhelming barriers of the desert wind. In this way, the film finds its artistic identity in its unique universe, captivating music, stunning photography, and immersive sound.
Thanks to the technical and artistic expertise employed in sound and imagery, viewers will become immersed in an oppressive and suffocating atmosphere. Each shot effectively portrays the relentless aridity of the landscape, transforming the vastness of the desert into an invisible prison that stimulates the senses to the point of making the audience uncomfortable and breathless. The dialogue and performances of the street-casted actors strip viewers of their roles as mere observers, engaging them as active participants in the raw intensity of the unfolding story. According to Producer Andrés Gómez D, "Seed of the Desert offers a cinematic experience that pushes the boundaries of perception, reaffirming the profound influence of art on our emotional and physical experiences.”
Seed of the Desert is a testament to the power of authentic storytelling that takes risks and evokes deep emotions. While Solar Cinema has received some support from the Cinematic Development Fund, we need further support from those who value and appreciate such endeavors. We invite everyone, therefore, to join in making this extraordinary project a reality by contributing to our crowdfunding campaign, active from November 7 through December 20.
About the donation incentives
Participating in our crowdfunding campaign to complete this film goes beyond a simple contribution. It presents an opportunity to become an integral part of this groundbreaking work in Latin American cinema.
Our valued contributors, whom we proudly refer to as the “SOLAR COMMUNITY,” will receive a range of exclusive incentives. These include featured mentions on our social media platforms, special passes for a private film screening, recognition in the final credits, and the chance to acquire the film's soundtrack and a limited edition collector's book containing unpublished photographs and insightful texts about the film. Furthermore, we offer a unique opportunity to become executive producers of one of the most disruptive pieces of Latin American cinema to date.
Your collaboration will help us bring this compelling film to life and play a crucial role in strengthening the Latin-American film industry.
CAVEWOMAN
Reimagined in the context of the Nazi invasion of Crete in 1941, the classic Euripides play Electrafinds a new and chilling life in the painstaking hands of Greek-Colombian director SpirosStathouloupoulos, whose ingenious use of sound as emotional narrative material creates an entireuniverse the spectator cannot see but definitely feel.
A fearless Angeliki Papoulia (The lobster, Dogtooth) carries the proceedings, embodying thetroubled soul of a child who reaches adulthood in a deeply seated bitterness and hateful rage againsther mother, who not only betrayed her and her brother, but expelled her to a life of poverty. Herobsessive resolution to avenge her father turns her into a murderous fighter, who walks a fine linebetween what is righteous and the ultimate crime of matricide.
Told in just 24 long takes as an homage to cinema’s enduring life, the feature film’s sustainedtension, captured in the woman’s face and bodily tenacity reminds us of the medium’s ability toconvey the most pressing stories, as it invites us to imagine and experience the tormented destiny ofits undying, mythical character.
THE IDEA
by Spiros Stathoulopoulos
In addition to the study of human action when influenced by fundamentalism, I treasure from Euripides' Electra that its dramatic materialization exists not only in the concrete domain but in the abstract domain of imagination.
Inciting imagination, Electra excludes most images of sex & violence or depicts them in dialogue,however, for a film adaptation, I preferred not to rely on dialogue but on atmospheric sound.
Hence, in creating a film that is essentially a psychological illusion, most images are suggested off-screen and its atmospheric sound allows the viewer to imagine the universe surrounding the vengeful daughter yearning to assassinate her mother in the name of God.
SPIROS STATHOULOPOULOS
Biography
Known as one of Colombia's most prominent and original auteurs, Greek-Colombian film director and screenwriter Spiros Stathoulopoulos gained international recognition with his debut PVC-1(2007). The uncut cult film, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs and depicts the true story of a rural Colombian mother who was turned into a time bomb.METEORA (2012), his second film, competed for the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. Setin the UNESCO World Heritage medieval monasteries, it deals with a forbidden love story between a young Greek Orthodox monk and an older Russian Orthodox nun. KILLING KLAUS KISNKI(2016), his section from the omnibus film Amazonas (2016), was selected at Clermont-Ferrand and recreates the film set from Fitzcarraldo (1982) to confront the egos of Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski.
ANGELIKI PAPOULIA
Biography
Greek film actress and theatre director and actress. Widely praised by the international press, with Der Spiegel calling her "one of the most fearless European actresses working today'”. In 2016 she was a member of the Locarno International Film Festival Pardi di domani Jury and of the Sarajevo International Film Festival Competition Jury. In 2009, she had the leading part of 'Older Daughter' in Yorgos Lanthimos' Oscar nominated and Cannes Film Festival winner DOGTOOTH and for her part she was awarded with Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actress. In 2011, her collaboration with Lanthimos continued in ALPS that was awarded with the Best Screenplay Award at the Venice International Film Festival. In 2014 Angeliki Papoulia had the leading part of 'Maria' in Syllas Tzoumerkas' A BLAST which premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival. In 2015, she appeared as the 'Heartless Woman' in Yorgos Lanthimos' Cannes awarded and Oscar nominated THE LOBSTER.
EWEN BREMNER
Biography
Scottish actor who has worked with many of the most respected directors in world cinema,including Danny Boyle, Mike Leigh, Ridley Scott, Joon-Ho Bong, Werner Herzog and WoodyAllen. Ewen has established himself by creating unique characters in critically acclaimed films, as well as going toe to toe with many of Hollywood's biggest stars. In 1996, he had the part of Spud in Danny Boyle's classic TRAINSPOTTING. In 2000, he played Mullet in Guy Ritchie's and Brad Pitt starrer SNATCH. In 2001, he played Nelson in Ridley Scott's double Oscar winner BLACK HAWK DOWN and played Red in Michael Bay's one time Oscar winner PEARL HARBOR. In2005, he appeared as Inspector Dowd Mullet in Woody Allen's thriller MATCH POINT. In 2013,he played Andrew in the Bong Joon Ho action film SNOWPIERCER. In 2017, he played Charlie in the Patty Jenkins popular hit WONDER WOMAN.
WORLD PREMIERE
CAVEWOMAN premiered in November 2022 in Greece, its country of origin, at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, where it won the J.F. Costopoulos Foundation Award bestowed to a film that presents a comprehensive aesthetic proposition, promotes the art of cinema art and demonstrates its affinities with the other arts.
Jury's reasoning: "To a particularly inventive film that interweaves ancient and historical drama with mythology, addressing a larger-than-life story with a personal narrative and stripped-down cinematic means, achieving to extract its full essence".