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Interview: JUAN PABLO ZARAMELLA

Juan Pablo Zaramella is an independent director and animator from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He started drawing since childhood, and got his first job as a cartoonist at the age of sixteen. After graduating from the Instituto de Arte Cinematografico de Avellaneda as an Animation Director, he went on directing and animating his own films.

His latest short Luminaris won the Audience and FIPRESCI Awards at Annecy 2011 and was shortlisted for an Oscar. As part of the Future Shorts Winter Season programme, the film has screened in 55 countries and 150 cities to date.

Juan Pablo answers our questions below...


Why do you make short films?
Because I love to give people experiences by creating alternative universes.

Who or what influences your film-making / writing?
Everything I see every day, not only art. Life is full of ideas, in everyday situations you can find gems to develop stories.

What do you fear / what excites you about the short-film-making process?
You never know exactly were you are going when you start a film. Everything is changing all the time. Sometimes it stressing, but it's also the better thing, because when you have to adapt your ideas to the real possibilities you are being creative.

Tell us a bit more about your film, the creative process behind it, how long it took to create it and what it is about.
I decided to create a film based on "Lluvia de Estrellas" a tango piece from the 40s. And what I did was listen to the music a hundred of times, taking notes on what the story suggest me. The result is the surrealistic story of Luminaris. The whole process of making the film took two years and a half.

What would be your dream location to have your film screened at?
I don't have a preference. I love what's happening now. My film is screening all around the world, and different cultures are experiencing it.

Name a short film you've seen recently that has made an impact (and why).
Love and Theft, by Andreas Hykade. Working in a very traditional way he got an outstanding and incredible film. It's very simple, it's not pretentious, but you can't stop watching the images on the screen; it has something hypnotic.