Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia Gonzalez.
Natalia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Mexico City. I was six years old the first time I stepped into a set. My aunt was shooting a Fanta ad and took me with her. I remember it clearly – in the commercial, one guy opened a bottle of Fanta, and it started snowing orange snow. It was magical. After that experience, I knew all I wanted to do was make films.
After graduating from college, I worked on a couple of movies and co-founded a production company in Mexico City called “Blue Hours Films”; we started doing commercials and developing shows and films. One day I received a call; Alejandro G. Iñárritu was shooting his next movie and needed people for his team. I met him and began to work on “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths.” I became the Associate Producer for the film and relocated to LA for post-production, distribution, and the awards campaign.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s never a smooth road, isn’t it?
Being away from my country has been challenging, for sure. Even though my situation as an immigrant is privileged because I have a working visa and can visit anytime I want, I have to be here most of the time for work. My niece was born and I haven’t met her, 3 of my best friends got married and I couldn’t attend their weddings, and I haven’t seen my family in a long time. It’s been tough, but honestly, I can’t complain. I’m grateful to be where I am, doing what I love.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a film producer. I co-founded a production company in Mexico City, and in my last project, I was the Associate Producer for the Academy Award-nominated Netflix film “Bardo.”
Every project makes me proud, and I’m grateful for all the lessons learned. However, the most incredible part of my job as a producer is getting to know and working with unique, profound, and talented people. Collaboration is vital in this industry, and being a team player is essential. I love to create deep human connections in every movie I work on and respect everyone involved. I believe it is time to understand that we need to be kind to one another, that no budget and deadline are above your team’s well-being, and no one is above anyone.
What matters most to you?
Honesty is what matters to me the most. To be an honest person but also honest when doing films. The story you tell in a movie must be honest to connect to the audience. The characters have to be genuine and their feelings real. Honesty leads to vulnerability, which is the base of any art. As a producer, the most important part of your job is to protect the honesty in the creative process and the artists working with you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natgonman
Image Credits
Studio photo by: Michaela Vatcheva
