Experiencing Interruptions?

All Shadows

Luz an immigrant teen, lives in an apartment in Queens, New York with her parents Marta and Alejandro. Her days are planned: wake-up, school, home, homework, flute practice, dinner, and sleep, repeat. Today was different, today she finds out what her parents are purposely hiding from her.

  • Julio Valenzuela
    Director
  • Julio Valenzuela
    Writer
  • Adrián Treviño Duran
    Cinemotographer
  • Julio Valenzuela
    Producer
  • Adrián Treviño Duran
    Producer
  • Lina Sanchez
    Key Cast
    "LUZ"
  • Juanita Castro-Ochoa
    Key Cast
    "MARTA"
  • Hadrian Castro
    Key Cast
    "ALEJANDRO"
  • Glory Monell
    Key Cast
    "ROSITA"
  • Madison Elizondo
    Key Cast
    "EMILIA"
  • Zoe Gandolfo
    Key Cast
    "SAMANTHA"
  • Linda EPO
    Special Guest
  • Jasmin Klinger
    Sound Design & Mix
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Fantasy, Coming of Age
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 14, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Julio Valenzuela

Julio Valenzuela was born in Lima, Peru, and raised in Queens, New York, to Julio Valenzuela Sr. a jewelry business owner, and Violeta Valenzuela, who worked at the Waldorf Astoria. After graduating from The City College of New York his first daughter Monroe was born. Shortly after he began to write and eventually develop and direct his first film project, All Shadows (2020).

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Director Statement

All Shadows is based on a memory. The day before my mother, sister, and I immigrated to Queens, New York, I experienced a night just like LUZ. I was only 6 years old, and after that night, I knew my life would never be the same.

We wanted the film to embrace the human aspect of family, love, tradition and the struggle immigrant families face in NYC today. The reason MARTA and ALEJANDRO keep from telling their daughter LUZ - why her father has to leave, is to keep her safe, innocent, and away from the pressures of society they experience. LUZ is the reason they sacrifice so much. LUZ has become their hope, for a better life.

Not to get too metaphorical in regards to the “Shadows” in the film. But its significance is intended to help LUZ come to terms with her, and her family’s current reality, after she wakes up from the dream. It awakens her to adulthood, as a cumulation from the events of the night and dream, make her realize her parents, minorities, underprivileged people, are shadows in her current world. Living in the shadow of others, who through their luxurious and economically sound life forget that her family and category of people are also an integral part of society, but are simply forgotten and alienated like our very shadows.

JULIO VALENZUELA