Today we’d like to introduce you to Juan Zuloaga Eslait.
Hi Juan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
My story started before I even knew it. My fondest childhood memories happened in my room, surrounded by countless toys. I remember playing with them and creating complex stories in the scenarios I imagined. Movies during that time had not yet revealed themselves as my life purpose; back then, it was limited to the three films I would watch every weekend with my father after renting in the video store. But even then, without having a clear conscious about it, I was fostering and developing my skills as a storyteller… My toys were that starting point. Thanks to them, I understood characters, journeys, and, very surprisingly, life itself.
Today, as a film director, I have discovered that the love I have for cinema is that same love I had for my toys once, but now it has evolved, only to become something greater. What I did back then, is the same thing I am doing right now, in a way I am still playing with my toys, but instead toys, is filmmaking now, is a camera, is lights, actors, scripts, but most importantly, storytelling.
My only hope is to be able to translate to the language of cinema that simplicity that I would find myself in as a kid, that beautiful and magnificent simplicity that we call life.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, but we all know this, good things in life never come easy, that is precisely what makes them good. I have encountered many struggles, but the biggest one of them all is the struggle of filmmaking itself. Yes, making films is a struggle, it requires us to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror, and be relentlessly honest. This inherent detail about filmmaking is what, in my opinion, makes many people walk away from the path because there is nothing harder than being honest with oneself. Once you understand that you are not the ideal version of yourself and that you are only millions of miles away from it, life can become very hard, and this is precisely where the struggle begins. Insecurities, fears, doubts, anxiety, all feelings that, if not controlled, can lead to a life of complete self-involvement. And that is the thing: filmmaking can be a very self-involving medium, but if you are able to keep on the struggle, you will realize sooner or later that you should be the least of your worries, that the only thing that matters is telling good stories because at the end of the day, it is stories precisely that live on forever, not us. We all die, but our stories remain. Making a good movie is already hard enough, so why make things harder? It will never be a smooth road, making movies is a struggle, but once you open your arms to it, and fully embrace it, you understand that is a goddamn good one, and this, enables you to understand to what truly matters in life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My life and my career intertwined in a such a way that they are one and the same, as a film director I want the same thing I hope to achieve in this life, to preserve memory and uplift the human spirit. I believe telling stories is an act of service to humanity. I have come to understand that life is a beautiful, endless cycle filled with the uniqueness of billions of individuals. This uniqueness is what creates character and the possibility of being able to see ourselves reflected in other people is ultimately a step towards connection. But how to connect in a world that apparently seems to be so evil? Cold hearted? Merciless? Where war, violence, and hatred are part of the norm. That is precisely my goal: to unveil the truth, to find that hidden thread that connects us all, that light that binds us together and makes us inseparable for life everlasting.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I had a very beautiful childhood, so choosing one seems to be an impossible task. I do not know if this was my favorite, but I could share a beautiful moment I had as a kid. It was a simple drive to the country in the early morning. I remember being awake at 5:30 am and feeling tired for it. I was going to go play football with my friends at 7 am in a field outside the city, so we had to get there early. As we drove towards it, I remember almost falling asleep in the car like all my friends, until suddenly I saw for the very first time how beautiful the sunrise was and how the light gracefully fell into the leaves. I was invaded by the sounds of the bird’s early chants and the softness of the wind. Life suddenly became to me like beautiful poetry, and I remember thinking how good it felt to be alive.
Contact Info:
- Website: zuesfilms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juancamilozuloagaeslait/
