Meet the Filmmakers: Zeus Quijano Jr.--'point of entry'
By Tom White
Over the next month, we at IDA will be introducing our community to the filmmakers whose work will be represented in the DocuWeeksTM Theatrical Documentary Showcase, July 31-August 20 in New York City and Los Angeles. We asked the filmmakers to share the stories behind their films--the inspirations, the challenges and obstacles, the goals and objectives, the reactions to their films so far.
So, to continue this series of conversations, here is Zeus Quijano Jr., director/writer of point of entry.
Synopsis: Carlos is an illegal immigrant living in the United States with his wife and two children. His decision to leave Mexico, his parents and siblings weighed heavily on him, but he knew that for them to get ahead, he would have to leave for America. He was 15 years old at the time. Today, Carlos is 30 and continues sending money home to his family.
IDA: How did you get started in documentary filmmaking?
Zeus Quijano Jr.: The PXL 2000 was my first camera. It was a toy camera that recorded onto compact audiocassettes. My best friends and I would go around shooting stuff that ten-year-olds shoot--playing around, our families, sticks, nothing and everything. We never fully cultivated stories; it was just fun to watch. Later, I was introduced to editing in community college and realized its potential for storytelling. Yay for community college.
IDA: What inspired you to make point of entry?
ZQ: I've always been interested in storytelling from different perspectives. There are people who don't have a forum for their voices to be heard. The media often portrays undocumented immigrants in terms of the problems that they cause. You rarely hear about the other people who came here to work hard and help out their families, basically searching for the American dream.
IDA: What were some of the challenges and obstacles in making this film, and how did you overcome them?
ZQ: My producer and I traveled to Mexico for most of the filming. We had some language barriers, though. I have what I like to call "Caveman Spanish." I understand and can speak just enough Spanish that I imagine a caveman can. I was fortunate that when we went there, one of the family members spoke English very well.
I also went into anaphylactic shock while we were in Mexico. The family was able to bring the town doctor to the house. He put me on a respirator and we continued filming for another three days, but we had to cut the trip short. The family was very supportive and kind to us.
IDA: How did your vision for the film change over the course of the pre-production, production and post-production processes?
ZQ: I imagined it being completely vérité, but things change. You go into a doc with a plan, but you always know that things happen. You sit down and live with your footage and then you see a different movie, but the overall intent is still there. For me, that's probably why editing a doc can be more exciting than editing a narrative.
IDA: As you've screened point of entry--whether on the festival circuit, or in screening rooms, or in living rooms--how have audiences reacted to the film? What has been most surprising or unexpected about their reactions?
ZQ: One of my best friends is a Border Patrol Agent, and he didn't say a word to me after seeing it. I mean, he talked to me about other stuff, but not about the movie. Everybody else has commented on how much "heart" it has. I am very proud of the "heart" feedback because this movie is not about politics or agendas; it is about people. It is about a family. But it was my friend's silence that stuck with me.
IDA: What docs or docmakers have served as inspirations for you?
ZQ: The Coen Brothers, Steven Soderbergh, City of God, The Story of the Weeping Camel, James Longley, Wall-E, Mark Jonathan Harris, Johanna Demetrakas, America's Game (New York Giants--Super Bowl XLII). Whether it's doc or narrative, good storytelling wins me over every time.
point of entry will be screening at the ArcLight Hollywood Cinema in Los Angeles and the IFC Center in New York City.
To download the DocuWeeksTM program in Los Angeles, click here.
To purchase tickets for DocuWeeksTM in Los Angeles, click here.
To download the DocuWeeksTM program in New York, click here.
To purchase tickets for DocuWeeksTM in New York, click here.