The cinematic pieces I create take place in contexts of magical realism which is something I think sets me apart from others. What I’m most proud of is sharing authentic feminine stories created with a majority female cast and crew, which is why I’m really looking forward to shooting the tech-noir thriller I wrote this coming fall. As an actress and filmmaker, I’ve had the opportunity to work on several international projects including an Elijah Wood production that is now streaming on Netflix, “The Boy” a Norwegian feature “Handle With Care” directed by Emmy Award nominee Arild Andresen and “The Errand Boy”, an indie feature in which I worked as one of the main cast members as well as 1st assistant director. My work explores female narratives, magical realism, and the human condition. What else should we know?įirst and foremost, I’m a storyteller. We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. It comes with the job and challenges are part of the journey. But even all that hasn’t deterred me from wanting to accomplish what I set out to do. It took three tries, a year, and a large part of my savings to move. Not only did I have to move and start a life from scratch, make connections, get a survival job, an apartment, and a car, I had to prove to the department of immigration that I was already an established actress. Getting a visa under the Trump administration was a struggle, to put it mildly. Since I’m Colombian, I couldn’t just waltz in and start getting work. I didn’t believe that for a second.įast forward a few years and I wanted to move to LA. You have to trust your gut and know not everyone is going to like you, your work, or your choices and that’s OK! I once had an acting teacher that hated me so much she tried to get the university to kick me out and told me I should reconsider my career choice because she thought I wasn’t meant to be an actress at all. I find persistence is key especially when you’re taking a creative career path. Anything outside that is deeply frowned upon and people fear and judge you in equal amounts. Colombia is quite a traditionalist and conservative country in the sense that you go to college and get a 9-5 job at a stable and sensible company. It’s always hard when you’re starting out and going into unchartered territory and your dream is not just a regular dream of becoming a lawyer. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Later in the fall, I will direct a sci-fi short I wrote and will star in back in Colombia. Most recently, I directed my first micro-short film that has garnered some laurels as a semi-finalist at the Oniros International Film Festival (the winner is still to be announced, so we’ll see). Through her, I got the opportunity to work at her production company, Audaz Entertainment, and her film festival Black Muslim Girl Fly. I arrived in LA with no contacts and had the opportunity to meet my wonderful mentor, Nia Malika Dixon through the Women in Film Mentorship program. In Colombia, my birthplace, making a film is basically the equivalent of making a miracle. Without the art of acting, my life would be uninspired. How was I going to manage to be all those things in a single lifetime? The answer seemed clear to me. Then high school came and I realized chemistry really wasn’t my thing and all other career paths apart from scientists were unfortunately unavailable. Growing up, I wanted to be a witch, a fairy, a pirate, and a scientist, which seemed like sensible careers to choose from as a child. I’m a Colombian (yep, that’s in Latin America) director/writer/actress. This is what films have done for me and I hope to bring the same kind of spark to others. This is why I do what I do: I aspire to connect with people in the same positive way through my work as a filmmaker and storyteller to make a lightbulb light up when everything else seems dark.
PODCASTER SANTA MARIA MOVIE
I was deeply moved by my friend’s experience and the power that a song or movie can have in others’ lives. A close friend once told me that Cat Stevens’ song “Sad Lisa” brought her back to life and gave her hope. They have such power they do not require that we do, be, act anything - we need only listen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. Thanks for sharing your story with us Amalia. Today we’d like to introduce you to Amalia Santa Maria.
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