TRUTH, 5min., Canada
Directed by César Andres Chacana
Tessie walks amidst desolate rocky mountains, leaving behind the memories and ghosts of the past that seek to hold her in the vast landscape of the subconscious mind. With wide sequence shots and the Andes as a backdrop, we follow Tessie in search of the light, as her voice leads us to the inner truth that lies beyond the walls of our perception.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

My energy for creating this video is motivated by Tessie's music. It's her music that brings me the feelings and images that you can see through the video. There is a narrative in Tessie's music that is very poetic and guides me to create the concepts for the video.

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

It was around 3 months.

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

Immersive contemplation

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

We wanted to use the light of the sunrise, so we had very little time to move from one spot to another. We had to run with all the art and production stuff through the mountains and in cold weather. It was a real adventure.

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

I was very nervous at the beginning but, at the same time, excited to listen to the comments of people that didn't know me at all. It was fantastic, they showed me another dimension of my work, and that's beautiful, to connect on unsuspicious levels with others.

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

When I was at school, my big brother showed me how to make an apple disappear using an effortless effect. I was in shock. It was unique and magical, so I took the camera and began to create movies just for doing magic tricks and making my friends laugh. It was fun, helped me develop my personality, and gave me a voice. Then I realized I wanted to connect with people's emotions, to make my friends feel the same good feeling I felt when I saw an apple disappear. No particular moment made me realize I wanted to make films; it was created through the years.

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

It's a complicated question, there are so many movies (old and new) that I love, but there's a special one in my heart called "Children of Heaven" that inspires me. It's an example of how to make a great film without a big budget but with a good story and a beautiful message of love.

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

It would be great to have the chance to know each other's participants of the festival and create an instance to show projects and collaborate on ideas on how to find finances for the production of the projects. Invite people to join work teams or create new ones.

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

FilmFreeway is ok; the first time I used it, it was easy to understand. But if you are asking about the festival website, it was not very easy to understand, at the beginning I didn't know where to start, lost with too much text, maybe there is a lot of information.

10. What is your favorite meal?

My favorite meal is called "Peruvian Salteado" it's just delicious.

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

I recently moved from my native Chile to Ottawa to start a new stage in my life, and I am eager to meet other creators and make new connections to produce new stories and visual narratives.