Life & Work with Irene Puente Andues

Today we’d like to introduce you to Irene Puente Andues.

Hi Irene, 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?
I have created stories since I was a kid. Something about creating worlds and other realities attracted me to them. I was good at it, too, winning some writing contests in the school. However, I always liked how movies can bring those stories to life. 

I studied audiovisual communication in Madrid, the closest degree to film in Spain. During that time, I made some short films and a YouTube vlog channel. Both things made me realize that I wasn’t wrong and that I wanted to pursue film as a career. 

My ambitions became too big in Spain, and I decided to move to Los Angeles, the city of Hollywood movies. I studied for a certificate at UCLA, which opened my doors to California. There, I realized how competitive the film industry is and how complicated it is to be noticed when thousands of rivals fight for the same. The pandemic also made things harder, but I didn’t give up and kept going. 

In 2021, while looking for an internship, I found a small and friendly production company called Mini Nation Pictures and applied. Thanks to them, I didn’t lose my hopes and dreams and started making my productions again. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s not an easy way. Since I was a kid, I’ve always been the weird and childish girl with whom the other kids bullied at school. Fortunately, it wasn’t something physical, but those things leave you a scar in your heart, and it end up affecting your self-esteem and the vision you have of yourself. Later, I found out I had ADHD, which also resulted in people questioning or underestimating my abilities. But through the years, I learned how to value myself and to love myself better. 

Professionally, I also encountered some other challenges, like competition. The filmmaking world is hard when you want to achieve your goals. You need money and be relevant in a field where thousands of people are fighting for the same opportunities. But I believe I am a stronger person than I think I am, and I’ll move forward until I reach my goals. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I want to be a storyteller who doesn’t get stuck in just one thing; I don’t want to be limited to one area. I write books, make movies, and create social media content. I don’t have to limit my imagination to just one medium. Why not even combine them? My dream has always been to write a book, adapt it myself, and make a movie. It’s not the traditional way, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. 

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Don’t give up. 

Our society has taught us to appreciate innate talent since we were kids. Sometimes, adults tell us not to do something because we aren’t smart enough, don’t have musical hearing, or aren’t pretty enough. We let those critics decide our path in our lives based on what we are supposed to know how to do or not. 

But growing up, I realized that talent is not that important because talent alone doesn’t lead to success. When you work hard and suffer but keep going, it’s when you can succeed. That’s why I believe that the people who don’t give up and believe in the future they are building end up reaching success. Talent can be the basis of what you want, but you’ll never reach your goals without a strong will and never giving up. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irenuscula?igsh=MWJ0Y2hxOHdmeGFjZQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/irene-puente-andúes-7330b8122
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@irenuscula?_t=8kXSUE7VFNe&_r=1