Conversations with Paula Cajiao

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Cajiao.

Hi Paula, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Paula Andrea Cajiao, and I am a Writer, Director and Actor. I was born in Cali, Colombia, and moved to the United States at the age of 16. After graduating high school, I made the decision to join the US Army as an active-duty nurse. I deployed to Iraq in 2008-09, which exposed me to the raw realities of war, a profound experience that deeply has influenced my artistic voice. The intense emotions, stories of camaraderie, loss, and resilience that I witnessed during my time in the service have become the seeds for the narratives I would later bring to the screen. I am the first in my family to venture into the arts, I became a self-taught filmmaker, navigating the industry through sheer grit and an insatiable curiosity for the craft. My journey has been one of both challenge and triumph. Without formal training I immersed myself in the world of film, learning through practice, observation, and relentless experimentation.

My self-taught skills caught the attention of the industry, culminating in my first major recognition with the “Excellence in Directing” award from New York Women in Film & Television, in collaboration with the SOHO International Film Festival, for my short film “Shell Shocked” which also won Best Actor at the GI Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Richmond International Film Festival and Best Film at the GI Film Festival. “Shell Shocked” is more than just a film; it’s a reflection of my own journey—one of healing, understanding, and finding light in the darkest of places.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe there is no such thing as a smooth mountain. The only training I have received has been in acting, which I believe has given me a better insight into my collaboration with actors. Making films is not an easy job, telling stories that impact humanity and leaning into the shadows brings a level of intensity and difficulty that can bring many struggles. From writing the right script, as if it’s not on the page, it’s nowhere to be found, to finding the right crew, and most importantly, the funding of the project, but these are elements that come with the territory of making films. When I face struggle, I lean into my time in the Military, which taught me resilience and grit, ingredients that are needed to be a filmmaker.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

Where I come from no one is meant to be an artist. My mother was a factory operator, she raised my brother and I to the best of her abilities. My father immigrated to the United States through Mexico when I was two years old. It took him fourteen years to bring my brother and I to live with him, to the land of opportunities, to the reason why he left everything behind for a better future. I am the first in my family to break away from the conventional trajectory of the expectations of society. I am the first in my family to choose back my calling, and I am the first in my family to proudly call myself a Director, an artist, a warrior of the heart.
I want my art to serve as a voice to those underrepresented communities, to bring light to topics that need to be addressed in our society. Film has the capability to reach places that one can never imagine. I want the films that I create to do that. To create a path to those that come after me. To not only be able to create my own work but to help others create theirs. To leave a legacy and a body of work that my family could be proud of. To show my father the version of my American dream, and most importantly to show others that they are not alone, they matter, and their voices will be heard.
My films are a reflection of my own journey—one of healing, understanding, and finding light in the darkest of places. I received my first recognition with the “Excellence in Directing” award from New York Women in Film & Television, in collaboration with the SOHO International Film Festival, for my short film “Shell Shocked.” I am currently working on my first feature film called “Let There Be Light,” a narrative feature that deals with psychedelic treatment for veterans who suffer from PTSD. This is a project very close to my heart, as I am the living proof that this treatment works, and I hope to carry that message to those in need.
To be a filmmaker is a privilege and an honor, one I humble myself every time I create. My only hope is to become one of the greatest voices and filmmakers in years to come.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I have always tried to listen to my intuition, to that voice that tells me where to go and what to create. I have taken many risks in my life, from joining the military at an early age to being the first in my family to become an artist. I pay attention when fear comes into place, and I do my best to become friends with it and jump when needed. I’ve learned that if something in my work scares me, it probably means that I should be doing it. My motto is “Leap, and the net will appear”

Contact Info:

• Website: isticninjaproductions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artistic_ninja_1/
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8533904/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaXluNoFJw3ueRv_Wv_iFFV5B4OQML8Qrzd6_DuVXBRzfSUx4vcQKXvuyQ_aem_Q4MmKadG2hYcIqT4BeSNng

Image Credits
Jeven Wagner, photographer of pictures.