Short-Term Birthday

The project "Short-Term Birthday" emerged as a challenge to integrate new audiovisual resources learned at the Rosario Film School, such as off-screen sound, since it was the mid-term homework. With the location, a bar provided by Julia Moreno Parón, the director of photography, we faced the challenge of creating a captivating story in a single setting. The idea of three friends with short-term memory loss gave us a rich terrain to explore.

The story goes through the world of Dolores, Antonia, and Rosa and their peculiar interpretations. The primary objective is to provoke laughter and entertainment. It is important to note that we do not seek to stigmatize people with short-term memory loss but rather approach it with humor and positivity, exaggerating situations for the audience's enjoyment.

My creative process involved thorough research, references like 'Alz and Heimer,' and deep characterization of the three of them. I wrote from the perspective of each, allowing the story to unfold. Collaboration with family and friends in script review provided valuable input and triggered new comedic ideas.

I sought to create a universal comedy, without compromising respect for those with short-term memory. Exaggeration in certain elements is key to humor, although I initially feared this might be misconstrued. However, positive reactions from my inner circle and the audience at the premiere validated this vision.

Character construction was one of my most significant challenges. Each had to be unique and evoke laughter. I aimed to balance their virtues and flaws to create an authentic and comedic dynamic.

The bar's environment, along with the apparent solitude of the friends, triggers amusing situations as they attempt to understand and comprehend each other; like Dolores, who consistently complained about the same thing throughout the short film, ironically being the bar owner's mother.

Casting was done in record time, selecting actresses and assigning roles through video auditions just four days before filming. Efficiency in these school projects is crucial. I appreciate the willingness and dedication of the actors, who contributed invaluable to the project.

We overcame significant obstacles, such as the cancellation of a key actor (Dolores' son) just 12 hours before filming. I modified the script and reorganized the plan the night before the shoot. Both in Spanish and in the English translation, I faced the challenge of finding puns with homophones and precise words for the possibility of more than one interpretation.

We thank the owners of the bar No. 40, Freytes Ramiro and Quaranta Ignacio, for their generosity in allowing us to use the location for a full day and to Alexis Alvarenga and "Tucusick" for the permission to use their song in "Short-Term Birthday". The financial support came from the technical team (Caivano Franco, Bastianelli Tatiana, Moreno Parón Julia, Ricci Brunella, Martínez Matías and me), while the actors, Capara Leonor (Rosa), Blanca Rosa Bollati (Dolores), Irene Mónica Conde Gray (Antonia) and López Bruno Gaspar (Gonzalo), provided indispensable support by dedicating their time and effort to this project. Thanks also to those who contributed new ideas, Delogu Alexis Matias, Ghersi Claudio, Ghersi Lucía and Rodríguez Martínez María de las Nieves, and to each team member who did with enthusiasm, making an 8-minute short film possible with just one day of shooting.