Dust & Ash

Invisible and forgotten, David remains a silent presence in his ex’s life. But as she moves on, he’s faced with the painful truth: some spirits cling not out of malice, but out of love.

  • Manuel Adolfo Soto Lazo
    Director
    Lobo Feroz, Cansada
  • Manuel Adolfo Soto Lazo
    Writer
  • Polett Montserrat Ortega Lagier
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Polvo y Ceniza
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Horror, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 27, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - UPAEP
  • Festival Malsueño 2024
    Puebla, Puebla
    Mexico
    November 1, 2024
    Premio del Público
Director Biography - Manuel Adolfo Soto Lazo

Manuel Adolfo Soto Lazo is a film student with a deep passion for storytelling. He has worked on short fiction films, documentaries, and video essays on YouTube for the channel Viutiful Frame.

His biggest motivation is to keep learning and share his love for cinema with others. He believes that passion is contagious and hopes to inspire people to create and explore art as a way of understanding themselves.

In 2024, his short documentary film Lobo Feroz was selected for the DocsPuebla film festival, and his project Polvo y Ceniza not only made it to the Malsueño festival but also won the Audience Award.

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Director Statement

My main inspiration for writing this story was David Lowery’s A Ghost Story. While some people who read the script for the first time said it reminded them of the movie Ghost, my true reference was always A Ghost Story.

Another major influence was the Silent Hill video game series, especially its blend of horror and sadness that runs through so many of its stories. From the music, composed by a friend, to the character design—which was meant to feel grotesque—this project draws heavily from the work of Masahiro Ito. He explores how humans constantly live with thoughts of death and sex, two fundamental themes that shape our existence. I wanted to capture that essence in this short film.

Finally, the work of director David F. Sandberg was also an important reference for this project. Specifically, his short films Lights Out and Cam Closer influenced the scene where the protagonist encounters a ghostly apparition.