Silvestre

Five siblings in mourning meet to try and lighten up their mood after their father’s passing. The gathering starts off with jovial conversation and old memories but tensions quickly arise and transform the pacific mood as the siblings eventually reveal their greedy nature, which is even greater than their love for their father.

  • Rafael Martínez Sánchez
    Director
    La vista desde arriba (Short, 2023), Un Lago (2022), Los lobos no están hechos para el circo (Short, 2021), Deja La Luz Prendida (Short, 2018), A Girl's Name (Short, 2017), Little Boy/Little Man (Short, 2017), Camila (Short, 2016)
  • Rafael Martínez Sánchez
    Writer
    La vista desde arriba (Short, 2023), Un Lago (2022), Los lobos no están hechos para el circo (Short, 2021), Deja La Luz Prendida (Short, 2018), A Girl's Name (Short, 2017), Little Boy/Little Man (Short, 2017), Camila (Short, 2016)
  • Rafael Martínez Sánchez
    Producer
  • Francys Zambrano
    Producer
  • Viridiana López
    Key Cast
  • Saray Gómez
    Key Cast
  • Carlos Cantón
    Key Cast
  • Jatzke Fainsod
    Key Cast
  • Rafael Amador Martínez
    Key Cast
  • Fernando Montes de Oca
    Co-producer
    Crónicas del Otro Norte (2023), Un Lago (2022), La Visita (2021), Los Paisajes (2019)
  • Bruno Priani
    Cinematography
  • Rafael Martínez Sánchez
    Editor
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Silvestre
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 35 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 3, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Benuca Films
    Distributor
    Country: Mexico
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Rafael Martínez Sánchez

Rafael Martínez Sánchez is a mexican director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. His short films have been selected for festivals like Guadalajara International Film Festival, Shorts Mexico, San Diego Latino Film Festival, Macabro, Shanghai Queer Film Festival, New Dheli International Film Festival, and others. He has played the lead in three feature films, such as “Padre Pablo”, selected for the Vancouver International Film Festival and starred in more than 20 short films, such as “El Cortometraje”, winner of the jury prize in the Morelia International Film Festival, and part of Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes.
His first feature film “Un Lago” is an Estacato, Sopa de Piedra Films, and Benuca Films coproduction.

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Director Statement

I will never forget when I saw 12 Angry Men as a college student. This story about a group of men debating thoroughly, the fate of another person in their hands, transformed completely my preconceived notion of films. The heated arguments that the jury engaged in caused a great impact, but that wasn’t more important than the realization that a great story with such complex nuances could be told between the confines of four walls and around a table. Having grown with films by Spielberg, Kubrick, and other directors that are great for their magnificent scenery, among other things; Lumet’s minimalist film expanded my horizons as viewer and as storyteller.

Silvestre is a tale about the bond that shall define us, no matter if we want to or not. The group we call “family”. Five siblings confined to four walls and sitting at a table are also confined to love each other, but also to despise one another; to compete, but also to walk life’s path hand in hand. The siblings exist only under their father’s shadow. To avoid spoilers, let it suffice to say that a shadow’s quality is it can give shelter from the sun, but the price to pay is to exist in the dark.

Often, I wonder if Silvestre is a tragedy disguised as a comedy or if it is a comedy disguised as a tragedy. I hope that by watching the film, the audience reaches the same conclusion as I; that is to realize that the question itself is not important, and that it’s as irrelevant as the blurry line that divides one genre from the other. It is simply a matter of perspective, and the good news is this applies to fiction as well as to life itself, at least in some cases.

I hope you enjoy Silvestre. And that afterwards you’ll wonder why you did.