Filmmaker Lauren Ivy Chiong
Written by Michele Meek | Posted by: Anonymous
ML: There are so many wonderful aspects to "Holy Tortilla," but definitely one of the most unusual is the concept. How did you get the idea for the story?
CHIONG: The idea was originally inspired by a newspaper article called "Jesus in Tortilla Changed Her Life." It was written by a reporter named Bob Greene, who gave me the go-ahead to use the article for a short film. I used the central event in the article–a woman discovering the face of Jesus in a tortilla–as the turning point in the life of a fictitious heroine named Margarita. I then imagined how her community would react to this miracle.
ML: One thing that impresses me about "Holy Tortilla" is the quality of the acting. How did you find the actors & how did you make them feel comfortable on the set?
CHIONG: I shot the film in Dallas, Texas, during the summer of 1997. The events of the film occur within a Latino community, and I was determined to cast all roles with Latino actors. At first I was told by casting agents that I would only find real Latino talent in Houston, San Antonio, or even Mexico City. However, I believed that I could find good local talent. Many of the actors in "Holy Tortilla" were part of a Latino theater company called Cara Mia, which was founded by Adelina Anthony, whom I ended up casting as my lead. I recruited other actors from the Dallas/Fort Worth theater community. Several of the actors, however, including Adelina Anthony, Julio Cedillo, and Cecilia Flores (playing Margarita, Eduardo, and Rosa respectively) also worked professionally in the Dallas film and television communities, and I was fortunate enough, with the help of the Screen Actors’ Guild, to have them star in my film. The main thing that helped the theater actors feel good about acting in front of the camera was learning the important differences between stage and screen.
ML: What other films have you made?
CHIONG: "Holy Tortilla" is the first film in which I used professional actors and crew. My previous short films and videos were an important part of my film school education, but "Holy Tortilla" is my best work to date.
ML: When did you know you wanted to be a filmmaker?
CHIONG: I had escaped early from high school to catch an afternoon screening of "The Gods Must Be Crazy II." I was probably the only one in the darkened theater, and, sitting there, it dawned on me that film is the perfect synthesis of my interests in the arts: music, theater, creative writing, and visual arts. Finally all of these things I had dabbled in could be pulled together through a passion for filmmaking.
ML: What effect did going to film school have on your work?
CHIONG: I attended the graduate film production program at Boston University, and I found the experience to be rigorous and enriching. There I made numerous short films and wrote three screenplays, all within the safehaven of academia. I found myself absorbed in an environment where I focused on nothing but being creative. In such an environment, I know I grew as a filmmaker, and with the outstanding BU faculty to guide me along, my vision was able to mature. I went from being an amateur to being a professional.
ML: What do you like best about working in the New England/Boston area?
CHIONG: I love the undying support of certain outstanding members of the independent film scene here in Boston. David Kleiler has supported "Holy Tortilla" by providing me with opportunities to screen the film through Local Sightings. He has given me advice and encouragement for current and future projects. The Boston Film/Video Foundation has helped me in so many ways, by exposing my film through the New England Film Festival, giving me an opportunity to teach a class on directing the short film, and by awarding me with a Mass Media Fellowship. They are a true beacon of hope for independent filmmakers here in Boston. The local filmmakers are generous, enthusiastic, and incredibly creative, and their work is very inspiring to me.
ML: Which local filmmakers have been most inspiring to you?
CHIONG: My greatest local influences are Jeanne Jordan and Steve Ascher, who made the outstanding documentary on farm life "Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern." I am inspired by the heartfelt story at the center of the documentary and the obstacles they overcame to get the movie made. My other local influences right now are Allan Piper and Kathryn Burns and their film "Starving Artists," Karen Aqua, who creates outstanding animated films, and Ellie Lee, who also expresses herself through animation.
ML: What do you like least about the local industry?
CHIONG: I feel that the Boston filmmaking community is fragmented. Right now it is composed of some enterprising spirits jumpstarting their own projects in any way they can, but there are not enough large-scale projects going on here yet to help us feel that we are part of a unified film community. Many talented local actors, filmmakers, and crew people find themselves needing to do other things in order to support themselves.
ML: I heard you’re working on a new film called "Testament." What is it about and where are you getting funding?
CHIONG: "Testament" will be a short film focusing on the lives of two young girls whose mothers believe that they can communicate telepathically with Jesus Christ. The mothers use their devotion to Christianity as justification for the abuse and neglect to which they subject their children. It is adapted from a short story by a close childhood friend of mine, Joanna Kleinschmidt. I think I will always want to explore themes of religion, spirituality, or even the supernatural in my work. We will shoot the film in late April. I received a Mass Media Fellowship through the Boston Film/Video Foundation, and I may resort to the "friends and family" method for finishing funds.
ML: What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers?
CHIONG: Don’t censor your ideas, and go with the idea that keeps coming back to you. Don’t set aside a project because someone else has questioned its validity. You’ll only regret it later.
To purchase a copy of 'Holy Tortilla' visit BuyIndies.com.
