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LA CATRINA: the life that I had to live

A Documentary Film by Edgar Rodríguez Biographical Documentary / Life Story / LGBT / 2018 / Querétaro / 30 Min.

A young haute couture costume designer, make-up artist and independent artist who has lived his whole life without support to develop his artistic and cultural activities, from his humble beginnings having had many deprivations, harassment and abuse in his childhood, he transforms into his character of Catrina to face everything that has hurt her in her life and with the hope of meeting her half-sister Elvira. With her own means, her longing to transcend on a trip to Italy to represent Mexico as the phantasmagorical and elegant Catrina.

Logline: He transforms into Death, to face Life

A young gay man who transforms himself dressed into an iconic female figure of a skull that in Mexican culture has been considered since ancient times in myths and urban legends to instill fear in the population with the story of "the crying woman" but since 1912 in a form of social criticism towards the aristocracy since it was created and popularized with a dark dress, a hat that wrapped a skeletal and cadaverous female human being, this is how the character Julio Jaramillo dresses up to represent "La Catrina Queretana" and from this In this way she faces her fears and does what she is most passionate about: wedding dresses and makeup.

TRIVIA: The life of the person who personifies "The Elegant Catrina Queretana", originally there was a script for a fiction film but by chance he decided to tell something real.

  • Edgar Rodríguez
    Director
    Café Express-O
  • Edgar Rodríguez
    Producer
    Café Express-O
  • Emely Villa
    Producer
    Café Express-O
  • Edgar Rodríguez
    Writer
    Café Express-O
  • Pablo Morales Quiroga
    Music
  • Jennifer Cabrera Fernández
    Soundtrack
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    La Catrina: La Vida que me tocó vivir
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Student, Web / New Media
  • Genres:
    Documentary, LGBTQ+, Equidad de Genero
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 2, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    800 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • FICCMA Festival Internacional de Cine
    Cd. MAdero Tamaulipas
    Mexico
    September 12, 2020
    Official Selection
  • FENACIR Festival de Cine
    Mexico
    Mexico
    October 11, 2020
    Official Selection
  • LIFT-OFF Global Network
    Pinewood Studios
    United Kingdom
    September 20, 2020
    Official Selection / Winner Finalist
  • Huntington Beach Cultural Cinema Showcase
    Huntington
    United States
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Edgar Rodríguez

Director, Screenwriter, Executive Producer, Photographer, AD, AP, Actor and Stand-in.
Director, Guionista, Productor Ejecutivo, Fotógrafo, Asistente de Direccion y Producción, Actor y Stand-in.
E-mail: elaguilafilmsproduction@gmail.com
IMDB: http://www.imdb.me/EdgarElAguila

Edgar Iván Rodríguez Quiroz (Poza Rica, Veracruz, March 10, 1980) is a Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Photographer, Actor, and Visual Artist from Poza Rica, known as "El Águila," the name of his production company, founded in 2009.

He began his career as a videographer at the age of 12, working in photographic studios. Later, between 2004 and 2010, he worked in print and television media.

From an early age, he showed an interest in cinema. In 2004, he started filming his first short film, "Reminiscence: Memories of a Fragmented Memory," which premiered in 2009. This short film won the award for Best Short Film in Poza Rica in 2013 and was nominated at the Student World Impact Film Festival in 2022.

In 2016, he worked as an extra in the documentary "Tempest," directed by Tatiana Huezo, which represented Mexico at the 2017 Oscars. In 2017, he participated as an Actor and Stand-in in series for NETFLIX, HBO, Prime Video, and VIX+, including: "Girasol" (Diego Luna), "El Rey" (Vicente Fernández), "Ellas soy yo" (Gloria Trevi), "El Juicio" (Eugenio Derbez), "El Dentista" (Demian Bichir), "Hermanas Guerra," "Colisión," "ESDLC," "Ojitos de Huevo," "Cada Minuto Cuenta" (1985 Earthquake), "Esta Libre," "Requisimos por Cierto," and "Lost Girl," as well as in commercials for Walmart and Red Migrante.

He has conducted exhibitions, professional studies, workshops, and diplomas in Artistic Project Management, Audience Development, Directing, Executive Production, and Film Distribution through the National Network of Audiovisual Poles of the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE), the Ibero-American Center for Photography and Film Studies (CIBEF), and Estudios Churubusco. In 2016, he completed a Directing and Production Workshop at the New York Film Academy, taught by Jonathan Whittaker (Sony Pictures Film Director) in Puebla,
Assistant Director Workshop at Latin American Training Center, Cinestres Producciones, and at the FORMA Institute of Specialization in Film and Visual Arts in Spain, an online course specializing in director assistance.

In 2020, he received recognition for Best Characterization for his short film "LA CATRINA." In 2022, he received official selection at LIFTOFF Global Network with "Reminiscence," "CAFE EXPRESSO," and "LA CATRINA."

With over 20 years of experience in media, he has worked on Animation, Fiction, and Documentary projects, exhibited on platforms such as FILMIN LATINO, MOWIES, and FILMFREEAWAY.

_____________________________________________________________________

Biografía de Director
Edgar Iván Rodríguez Quiroz (Poza Rica, Veracruz, 10 de marzo de 1980) es un Director de Cine, Guionista, Productor, Fotógrafo, Actor y Artista Visual originario de Poza Rica, conocido como "El Águila," el nombre de su productora, fundada en 2009.

Comenzó su carrera como videógrafo a los 12 años, trabajando en estudios fotográficos. Posteriormente, entre 2004 y 2010, trabajó en medios de comunicación impresos y televisivos.

Desde temprana edad mostró interés por el cine. En 2004 comenzó a filmar su primer cortometraje, "Reminiscence: Memories of a Fragmented Memory," que se estrenó en 2009. Este cortometraje ganó el premio a Mejor Cortometraje en Poza Rica en 2013 y fue nominado en el Student World Impact Film Festival en 2022.

En 2016, trabajó como extra en el documental "Tempest," dirigido por Tatiana Huezo, que representó a México en los Oscars 2017. En 2017, participó como Actor y Stand-in en series para NETFLIX, HBO, Prime Video y VIX+, incluyendo: "Girasol" (Diego Luna), "El Rey" (Vicente Fernández), "Ellas soy yo" (Gloria Trevi), "El Juicio" (Eugenio Derbez), "El Dentista" (Demian Bichir), "Hermanas Guerra," "Colisión," "ESDLC," "Ojitos de Huevo," "Cada Minuto Cuenta" (Terremoto de 1985), "Esta Libre," "Requisimos por Cierto" y "Lost Girl," así como en comerciales para Walmart y Red Migrante.

Ha realizado exposiciones, estudios profesionales, talleres y diplomados en Gestión de Proyectos Artísticos, Capacitación de Audiencias, Dirección, Producción Ejecutiva y Distribución Cinematográfica a través de la Red Nacional de Polos Audiovisuales del Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (IMCINE), el Centro Iberoamericano de Estudios de Fotografía y Cine (CIBEF), y los Estudios Churubusco. En 2016, completó un Taller de Dirección y Producción en la New York Film Academy, impartido por Jonathan Whittaker (Director de Cine de Sony Pictures) en Puebla. Taller de Asistente de Dirección en Cinestres Producciones, Latin American Training Center y en el instituto de especialización en cine y artes visuales FORMA de españa curso en linea de especialización en asistencia de dirección.

En 2020, recibió reconocimiento por Mejor Caracterización por su cortometraje "LA CATRINA." En 2022, obtuvo selección oficial en LIFTOFF Global Network con "Reminiscence," "CAFE EXPRESSO" y "LA CATRINA."

Con más de 20 años de experiencia en medios de comunicación, ha trabajado en proyectos de Animación, Ficción y Documental, exhibidos en plataformas como FILMIN LATINO, MOWIES y FILMFREEAWAY.

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Director Statement

English ////////////////////////////////////

I met Julio Jaramillo, an artisan from the city of Querétaro Mexico, talking with him I was very interested in his history, we realized that his life was very difficult from his childhood and that he had not received any type of government support to develop artistically .

Spanish ///////////////////////////////////////

Conocí a Julio Jaramillo un artesano de la localidad de la ciudad de Querétaro México, platicando con el me intereso mucho su historia, nos dimos cuenta que su vida fue muy difícil desde su infancia y que no había recibido ningún tipo de apoyo gubernamental para desarrollarse artísticamente.