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Cady Abarca
After being awarded a student grant from the NBR in 2005 for my film ONE DAY TRIP (Formerly known as THE TRIP), I was selected among 500 directors for NBC-UNIVERSAL'S Director-In-Training Program. Because of that I worked on 2 episodes of Law & Order SVU: Signature and Confessions, under the supervision of Arthur Forney, Executive Producer of the 3 Law & Order Shows. I have just been invited by Sundance to present a project for the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award. I'm very pleased because it's a "by invitation only" competition. I am currently the writer-director of the feature-length screenplay BLUE CAIPIRINHA, a project to be shot in Brazil. It's a coming of age story that develops in Rio de Janeiro.
ONE DAY TRIP was shot in Lima-Peru. Two young boys embark on a one-day adventure to one of the most sordid and sleazy places in Lima, Perú, where a devastating secret is revealed. This event will mark the end of their innocence. Our story deals with everyday people; the characters are not 'heroes overcoming obstacles'- they are contradictory individuals. I wanted them to stay away from the perky and predictable characters to expose a real world and challenge the audience's expectations. Accordingly, I recruited non-trained actors in the roles of the two young boys. This provided a natural flavor and freshness in the scenes in order to keep a realistic tone in terms of reactions, language and behavior. Most importantly those two boys grew up in two different socio-economic worlds where their discoveries of each other's lives in the film is genuine. My intention is to portray the lives of the characters with humanity and humility and not to pass judgment on any specific aspect too much. The intention is to show that all the aspects of their life coexist and that nothing can be labeled with one brush.
What gives ONE DAY TRIP an edge is that human complexity. Underneath its fun and color is a sharp look at the tension and pain that bubbles inside alienated characters. Yet underneath the restrictive definitions of society is a true friendship.
We paid much attention to the art direction. Gonzalo's clothes are all in earth tones, reflecting his sheltered life, while Tito's is all gray: the perpetual lack of color that he has had in his life. At the same time Dolores' and Milushka's rooms where created capturing the aesthetics of the ones found at the brothels. We chose red for Milushka's room, and blue for Dolores' to reflect the nature of their characters. The exterior of the brothel is the actual entrance for the "Lil'Boat", and the prostitutes seen in the film are real life sex workers.
ONE DAY TRIP went on to win the following awards: Academy Award Student Drama Category 2006, Premio Cervantes Sao Paulo Film Festival, Special Jury Recognition Los Angeles Int. Festival, NBR award, NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS (NYSCA), among others and played at the following festivals; TAMPERE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL- FINLAND, ASIANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - KOREA, LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL - PERU, NEW YORK LATINO FILM FESTIVAL- USA, SãO PAULO FILM FESTIVAL- BRAZIL,RIO DE JANEIRO SHORT FILM FESTIVAL- BRAZIL and several others.
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