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The Heart of Valentino: Starving Artist

A magical stray cat who loves to paint attempts to exchange his art for food, and hopefully, a home.

  • Orlando J. Cabrera
    Director
  • Orlando J. Cabrera
    Key Cast
    "Valentino"
  • Bryan Echevarría
    Key Cast
    "Snobby Critic Man"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Drama
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 6, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    Puerto Rico
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Rincon International Film Festival
    Rincón
    Puerto Rico
    August 7, 2020
    Best Puerto Rico Animation
  • Enfoque Film Festival
    Cabo Rojo
    Puerto Rico
    September 23, 2020
  • LUSCA Film Fest
    Guaynabo
    Puerto Rico
Director Biography - Orlando J. Cabrera

Orlando J. Cabrera Franco is a cartoonist born in Puerto Rico. He enjoys creating stories suitable for all ages, most notably in the form of comic books and animated shorts.

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Director Statement

Valentino originally started out as a comic book college project. It stemmed from my desire to create a character who got into humorous situations while trying to survive everyday life, and I combined this with my childhood fascination with art and color, and decided to adapt that comic into an animated short.

Valentino himself is probably one of my favorite characters that I've created, and I really wanted him to be the emotional center of the film. His quest for love and survival is one that many of us can identify with, and the fact that he's an artist really creates a special connection with me personally. My decision to make him a ''living painting of a cat'' also allowed me to convey a handful of visual gags whether it be by having him change colors, or even losing said colors only to re-paint himself later on.

These are the types of things that typically make me laugh, and hopefully with this film, I've managed to find that perfect balance between comedy and emotion.