IGUANA LIKE THE SUN, 100min., USA (March Festival)
Directed by Julian Robles
In a humble coastal compound of southern Mexico, amidst a total eclipse of the sun, an unexpected guest arouses the broken dreams of a family that has lost its guardian figure, overshadowed by the cosmic loneliness where they were left to their faith.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21741112/
https://www.twitter.com/todoloiguana
https://www.facebook.com/Estoytodoloiguanaquesepuede/
https://www.instagram.com/estoytodoloiguanaquesepuede/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

When I was very young, I worked with Mexican playwright Carlos
Olmos. Although I was unable to see the original play "The eclipse",
nor have I ever seen it staged, I was dazzled by it from the moment I
read it and thought it may be a great movie. The idea of becoming a
film director hadn't even crossed my mind yet.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Olmos wrote a previous script that was optioned a couple of times
but never came to fruition. Years after his death, I took up the idea
once again, made my own version, and decided that I would direct it
myself. Almost a decade passed between the first draft and the moment
I stepped on set.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Cosmic loneliness

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Recreating the light of a total solar eclipse was perhaps the most
complex challenge. Beyond the solar corona, which can be recreated in
VFX, the entire celestial vault is altered from the previous moments,
a very peculiar light impossible to generate by CGI. For this reason,
we filmed all the magic hours, in a hurry because they only last 20
minutes, and thus have enough shots for this long sequence.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I was surprised by the way they had connected with the story and
also understood what lies behind the plot, even though these
characters seem quite far from them.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I am the grandson of a projectionist who learned the trade when
cinema was silent and projectors were hand-cranked. I was destiny to
do films.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Gone with the Wind. And if you don't like it, frankly...

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I did not attend the fest. I cannot say nothing about it.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Food is like movies, books, or love: our tastes are always changing.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Fruta verde (Unripe Fruit), an adaptation of the famous novel by
Enrique Serna.