» Director Jorge Xolalpa Jr. on New Film SWEET CAROLINE

“Life for a happy couple descends slowly into madness after a very raw tragedy strikes them” reads the sinopsis of SWEET CAROLINE, the third feature film from Jorge Xolalpa Jr.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the Latino filmmaker that wrote, directed, edited, and co-produced the independent movie.
Angelinos will be able to enjoy SWEET CAROLINE on the big screen, as part of the 2018 edition of the FICG in LA Film Festival, on Sunday Oct. 28, 11:30 AM at the Chinese 6 Theatres.

If you were working in a video store, in what section would you put the film?

That’s a hard question because I only watch my movies once, and then I never watch them again. I initially wanted it to be just a thriller, but I would definitely put it under “psychological drama.”

Why did you choose to tell a story about a woman, about a couple in crises?

First of all, it is very important to me to tell stories with women at the center. In this case, I wanted to talk about mental health, an issue that isn’t explored too often, and when it is tackled it’s always sugarcoated. I wanted to tell a story about a successful woman that has everything, but she becomes obsessed with the one thing that society tell women that they have to do, to procreate. The movie is inspired by “Black Swan,” a film that inspired me to become a filmmaker after I saw it, right out of law school. That movie is not about dancing, is about a woman that becomes her own worst enemy and her destruction.

Talking about the cast, what qualities were you looking for when choosing the main protagonists?

I was interested in working with very disciplined people. In the world of independent cinema is hard to find actors that are willing to commit: Everyone in Hollywood wants to act, but nobody wants to do the work. I originally wrote the screenplay for a Latina actress, Victoria del Rosal, who was in my previous film “Valentina,” but that didn’t work out. I had the pleasure of working with Summera Howell and Julia Gallagher before. I approached them, talked about the story and the film that I wanted to do, and they said “We will give it a try.” I didn’t audition, I went with my gut instinct because I knew that I could trust them. These two actresses are going to be big in this industry, pretty soon. I am very happy about the fact that they will be working with me in my next project.

You hinted at something that I find interesting. Here in L.A. we hear a lot of people talking, instead of doing. Can you talk about the kind of drive necessary to actually make things happen?

In these times, we have the tools to create stuff so we are in charge of our own success. It’s all about consistency and discipline. I know that I want to make films, because if I don’t I can’t breathe. There was a moment when I was about to give up, but my mom told me “Remember that you can be miserable at a law office, or you can be miserable trying to make it in this industry.” My three films has cost around $5,000 in total. Of course that people want to get paid, and that I want to sell my films, but I also want to put my work out there. I love my community, but as minorities, as Latinos, we always hear that we aren’t given opportunities, but we need to look ourselves in the mirror and ask “What are we doing to show them that we can?” I just finished my fourth feature, “Un Gigante Sin Cabeza” (A Giant Without a Head). I have done two features this year, and in two weeks I will start my fifth feature, a horror film. I am constantly working, in contact with my team and other filmmakers, asking “What do you need? How can I help you?” At the end, it’s all about coming together.