Fractal

Juvi is dealing with the burden of guilt put upon him by his boyfriend, when an otherworldly force gives him the opportunity to begin a journey of forgiveness.

  • Luis Marciliano
    Director
    Jelly Sandwich
  • Luis Marciliano
    Writer
    Jelly Sandwich
  • Luis Marciliano
    Producer
  • Brittany Franklin
    Producer
  • Laura McKinsey
    Producer
  • Brady Richards
    Key Cast
    "Juvi"
    Glamorous
  • Joshua Bouchard
    Key Cast
    "Marcel"
    American Thief
  • Sarp Doga Celik
    Key Cast
    "Red been"
  • Luis Marciliano
    Editor
  • Clemence Therin
    Cinematographer
  • Joseph Chang
    Gaffer
  • Doris Castanho
    Executive Producer
  • Luis Marciliano
    Production Designer
  • Laura Sala Casca
    Art Director
  • Sarah Al Saud
    Costume Designer
  • Justin Vahala
    Music Composer
  • Brittany Franklin
    Assistant Director
  • Junwei Liu
    Key Grip/Electric
  • Rafael Gonzalez
    1st Camera Assistant
  • Yiwen Liu
    2nd Camera Assistant
  • Guoqing Fu
    Sound Recorder
  • Gabriel Marciliano Neto
    Graphic Designer
  • Milan Highpower
    Production Assistant
  • Chloe Hyeonjeong Na
    Post Production Supervisor
  • Josh Heilbronner
    Re-recording Mixer
  • Celina Arslanian
    Credits Designer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 46 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 4, 2020
  • Country of Origin:
    Brazil
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Dardan Fest
    Tirana
    Albania
    October 29, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Lift-off

    United States
    October 26, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Manhattan FIlm Festival
    New York City
    United States
    June 17, 2021
    Official Selection
  • New York Movie Awards
    New York City
    November 5, 2020
    Best LGBTQ Film
  • New York Cinematography Awards
    New York City
    United States
    May 15, 2021
    Best LGBTQ Film
  • Paris Play Film Festival
    Paris
    France
    May 29, 2021
    Best LGBTQIA+ Film
  • London Shorts
    London
    United Kingdom
    May 30, 2021
    Nominee Best LGBTQ Film
  • Color's of Love International Queer Film Festival
    Punjab
    India
    March 14, 2021
    LGBTQ Official Selection
  • Dumbo Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    December 9, 2020
    Semi-finalist Best Short Film
  • New Filmmakers NY
    New York City
    United States
    April 7, 2021
    Short Film Official Selection
  • Ciudad de México Internacional Film Festival
    Mexico City
    Mexico
    July 15, 2021
    Short Film Official Selection
Director Biography - Luis Marciliano

Writer-Director Luis Marciliano grew up in the countryside of Sao Paulo, Brazil. A former lawyer, he moved to the U.S. in 2016 to attend an one-year conservatory filmmaking program and is currently based in New York City. Upon graduation, along with directing, he has worked as a production designer for films, television, and commercials. He has written and directed three short films and is currently producing his next one, which will be shot in New York. With two feature film scripts in progress, his main career goal is to direct a feature film for a major production company.

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Director Statement

Fractal was written around a red, otherworldly creature that came to me years ago in 2014 during a writing practice. This creature is both human and inhuman and navigates between heaven and hell. It can be wicked or gentle and will guide you by whatever means to achieve a balanced life.
I realized this character was a metaphor for the process I went through after breaking up with my first boyfriend because of his unfaithful behavior. That first love is the kind that blinds us and provokes very emotional reactions. After we broke up, I hated him with all my heart for what happened, and yet I also still loved him.
Even though he apologized and felt so guilty for what had happened, I couldn’t forgive him. "What if he suddenly died?” I thought. I realized I should at least be able to express what I was feeling and not hold that inside of me. Otherwise, I would be the one feeling guilty for not having told him everything I wanted to.
I began to meditate a lot at that time and project myself into infinite tunnels that would lead me wherever they desired. An endless pattern. A fractal. So I started to think of fractal as never-ending, invisible tunnels that surround us all and take us wherever we wanted. Past or future.
Adding all of this information to the story, there is no better guardian for those tunnels than the red, otherworldly creature. The cycle was closed, and with all that inspiration I wrote the script for Fractal. I was ready to direct that story that had spoken so strongly to me.
The casting for the project took two months because, with almost no budget, I needed to find a couple that was believable. I couldn’t be happier to work with Brady and Joshua.
They brought layers to their characters that I hadn't even considered. It was a very collaborative creation with many rehearsals before the shoot.
Directing Fractal was a way of better understanding myself and what I went through; but it was also a way of provoking the viewer to access these tunnels themselves to resolve whatever unsolved problem they have in their lives.