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Objects of Desire - blade

Miami Film Festival Winner - This captivating dark comedy follows the eventful journey of Jessy, a morally ambiguous young man who finds himself entangled in a web of challenges when his mother is kidnapped. To settle his debt, Jessy reluctantly sets out to seduce Carlos, an older man in a vulnerable state of decline.

  • Alejandro Renteria
    Director
  • Jorge Luis Sanchez-Noya
    Writer
  • Alex Cowley
    Key Cast
    "Jessi"
  • Mauricio Renteria
    Key Cast
    "Carlo"
  • Lili Renteria
    Key Cast
    "Voz"
  • Agustin
    Producer
    Falling Awake, Badge of Honor, Gabriel
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Objetos de Deseo - La Navaja
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, tragedy, dark comedy
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 28 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 31, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital S35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Miami Film Festival
    Miami
    United States
    April 7, 2024
    North America
    Audience Awards Winner Short Film 2024
Director Biography - Alejandro Renteria

Born in Havana, Cuba, into a family of performing artists, Alejandro embarked on his creative journey at an early age. At ten, his family relocated to Caracas, Venezuela, where he immersed himself in the vibrant world of theatre and performing arts. Upon immigrating to the United States in 2002, Alejandro settled in Miami, continuing his education in cinematography while honing his skills as a Visual Storyteller.
Soon after, he founded Thinking Monkeys Films, a production company that served as the conduit for his creative vision. Under its banner, Alejandro directed and produced over 30 commercial spots tailored for the USA Hispanic market, spearheaded more than 900 projects for governmental and corporate entities over the past decade, and contributed to numerous television and film endeavors.
His directorial debut, “Objetos de Deseo,” has garnered widespread acclaim, earning accolades such as the Envision Award and Best Cinematography. Moreover, his adept direction has facilitated wins for his actors in both the USA and Spain, solidifying Alejandro’s status as a promising film director.

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Director Statement

This first story is part of a feature film design to reflect this statement.-
The time spent on this earth is marked by the attention we give to our desires or the time we spend running away from suffering. This story develops and shows us the tragic force behind these silent motivators of human behavior. Miami is a hub for the Spanish speaker community world wide. This story happens to be spread out between Argentina, Mexico, Spain and Miami. This is a device to show the difference of tone, color and/or flavor of these cultural idiosyncrasies. This will aid to highlight how these silent motivators of human behavior remain the same regardless of the location. Using these four stories in different geographic spots while they are conceptually intertwined will show the audience these silent motivators with the hope they will recognize them, not just to be entertained but learn deeper truth about themself. As a result of having lived for long periods of time in different countries, has allowed me to perceive this simple truth, I want to share it and to show how similar we are at the core, no matter the location. The four short stories are tragedies with a tone of dark comedy, (one of those four has already been shot, link is attached.) The rest will be shot in similar manners, cinematic, subdued color schemes, low key lighting, high contrast cinematography. The fifth one is more of a dreamlike and will be closer to a romantic comedy look. One actor will play 4 different characters as he symbolically represents death, This will be evident with the final story.

Story short review

"Objetos de Deseo" is an 18-minute indie short film directed by Alejandro Renteria. It revolves around Jessi, played by Alex Cowley, who finds himself in a desperate situation in Miami and must make ethically questionable decisions to resolve it. The film expertly combines dramatic misdirection, tension, and a touch of dark humor. It explores themes of need, manipulation, and the lure of easy money, all set against the backdrop of Miami's nighttime streets. The story unfolds as Jessi attempts to strike a deal with Mr. Lord, portrayed by Mauricio Rentería, but soon realizes he may not be in control of the situation. As the layers of deception are peeled back, the narrative keeps viewers engaged, leading to a surprising and impactful finale. The performances by the leads, Cowley and Rentería, showcase their characters' complexity and the film's understated style complements the storyline. Overall, "Objetos de Deseo" offers a fresh take on a cat and mouse game, making it a captivating indie film that explores human nature and the choices we make under extreme circumstances.