Kurzinterview: Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito

How long did it take to make your short? Was it difficult to get financing?
It took me almost a year to make this film. When I approached the actors I had only written down the outline of the story. Through improvisations an rehearsals we developed the further script. Because it was  a graduation film we had a fix budget.

Which thoughts come to mind concerning a “European cinema community”?
What makes European cinema special is the diversity of Europe; the different countries, it's cultures and the reflection upon it's society. Fortunately it is too complex to define it as a 'community'. And yet on a political level a lot of European countries are dealing with the same issues. Therefore I think European filmmakers share the responsibility to reflect on these rapidly changing world and the very urgent themes that play us part.

If you owned a theatre for one night, which films would you screen?
All the films of Tony Gatlif. His stories should be seen by everbody, everywhere.

What is your next project?
I'm developing a script for a feature film about a Chilean / Dutch little girl growing up in a socialist / communist artistic community of South American political refugees in Amsterdam in the eighties. I'm experimenting with the structure using personal documentary footage from that time and fictional elements.

Courtesy of European Film Academy, 2011.