WIN/WIN, 5min., USA
Directed by Rafael Puga Valega
A group of friends gathers to drink beer and play cards after their national football team suffers a tough defeat in a tournament. While playing one of them mentions an interesting idea on how to confront the team situation

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32642576/?ref_=hm_rvi_tt_t_1

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I basically wanted to start my first steps as a filmmaker with a short film that wasn't difficult (or too difficult) to produce and that also had a short runtime. This story fitted well with that.

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

Around five years. The idea basically came in 2019 when there was this south american football tournament going on and Peru (where I'm from) was in a similar position in the group stage as the team of the friends in the short. So I asked myself what if I bet so I can make the tough defeat feeling not to feel that bad. Then the short idea just came and I basically wrote the screenplay the next year (in 2020). I even thought on filming it with my ex roommate, but with the pandemic going on at that moment was kind of complicated; plus I felt I needed more experience, as well as more confidence behind cameras, especially if I was also going to deal with the whole production or part of it.

Then it seemed that 2023 was going to be the year to film it, but still I wasn't feeling sure enough to deal with the project just by myself. So as time and work goes on, you start postponing the project until the Hollywood strike comes in and most of the industry shuts down. My main income since I moved to LA was doing background jobs and it was hard to deal with the short budget in a situation like that. Although (and mostly) on strike time I went to some meetings with producers and crew people, and worked a couple of days as a PA (production assistant) for a small production which I felt helped with my confidence on dealing with production issues.

Finally, after the strike ended and the industry came back to work, I felt 2024 was the moment and year to make the short.

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

Hmmm... Is hard to just pick two words to describe it. Maybe the title of the film? Haha. But I would probably pick: first step(s).

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

Basically production, as well as budget (which is part of production)... and even confidence. As a friend told me: "once you make your first film, it won't take you that long to make the next ones". I think that's something really true. Especially when dealing with those two issues (production and confidence). Then in post-production dealing with color grading and sound editing gave me more issues than I thought, but I'm mostly sure that happened because it was the first time I dealt with them.

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

I was afraid of hearing them at first, but I had already seen the film had won an award for best story so I felt they were going to be mostly positive. And I was glad after hearing them most of the time! Still I have to admit I heard them in low volume for the first time just in case hahaha. But I think that's my way when dealing with reactions or reviews.

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

When I watched Inception in a movie theater in 2010. That movie was mind-blowing, inspirational and even enlightening. Although, I always loved going to the movies when I was a kid, so in a certain way I always had that bug in me. But the realization moment was definitely after watching Inception.

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

Probably The Dark Knight. And when I was a kid Hercules, maybe tied with The Lion King.

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

Definitely the possibility of screening your film in a movie theater. At least the winners. I was surprised when I saw on FilmFreeway that a bunch of festivals don't screen the films there. That's something that can make the filmmakers have a whole process of fulfilling experience.

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

It's been great so far. I never expected to see that amount of festivals where I could submit my short. Also the webpage is well designed.

10. What is your favorite meal?

I'm between two peruvian seafood soups. One is called Chupe de Camarones (camarones is shrimp in english) and as the name says that one is only with shrimps; and the other one is called Parihuela. That one has different seafood animals in it.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Yes. I wanna make my next short in Peru and in spanish. The runtime will be longer. Hopefully I will film it next year, but I'm not sure if the post-production will be ready next year though. After my experience with this first short and especially because they are an investment and I'm not being paid for making them, it might take a bit longer than expected. But I'm sure it won't be that long because of the confidence after making this first one.