Daily Inspiration: Meet Aristides Mantilla

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aristides Mantilla.

Aristides, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From Veracruz, MEXICO: “Since I was a child, I always liked to tell stories through art, but there was a moment in my life that I decided to express it with the camera and the framing, that was my first short film when I was 16 years old” Like every first time, you learn… and for my next project and second short film, I was more daring, but again, you make mistakes and that teaches and educates you, the film set has taught me things that no other person would.
And I made the decision to make a feature film (My first one) called “The Devil’s Drummer” and we finished it in half a year (2021), it was a beautiful journey and I am more than grateful with the crew, cast and the people that supported us, I remember this project with great affection and with very beautiful memories that I would like to live again, the creation of this project taught me a lot and prepared me for the next, even though no one stops learning, this was very important for me.

In 2022, I came to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams, I made three short films here, one of them was “I Don´t Like Monday”, it was important for me because it was my first biopic short film, which I always loved biopics and always wanted direct one.

This Short Film took me around a bunch of Film Festivals getting “Honorable Mentions”, “Awards Winner”, being part of official selections and being in screened in theaters (Los Angeles, Paris, London, Florence, Mexico, etc.) and it was also on TV, and I am more than grateful for this experience and the hard work always payoff. Here we are, keeping the good work. My next short film “IKIGAI” and preparing two feature films.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’ll be honest, the projects I did in Mexico before coming to Los Angeles had their complications, but I must say that I always managed to work well, even when the crew and the cast weren’t professionally dedicated people, but good friends who wanted to help me to carry out the project, but in Los Angeles the competition is notorious, even so the most difficult thing has been the budget since prices here are more expensive than in Mexico, but even so, I will say that what I have done, I have done because I like to work professionally, with dedicated people, I take things seriously and work hard to get the result I want in my projects and that has shaped the path I am walking today. If something seems difficult, it can be solved with creativity, just try.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I always say that “I want to be the reason for you to go to the movies” and that´s because I want to make people experience through my memories, vision, feelings and art. I have had some reactions in the cinema, goosebumps, feelings that I feel are irreplaceable and I want to have that effect on the consciousness of the audience, and if I can, give them something new to perceive, think about, feel or reflect on, that would be my gift to the audience who enjoys my stories.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Speaking from my experience as a director – producer, I know very well that to make a movie requires good teamwork, the movie is the final work, let’s call it “the painting”… The director needs certain colors of paint, specific brushes, oils or a canvas with specific measurements to achieve the work that he visualizes, the producer is the one who will find and gather all these materials to deliver them to the director, now his job is to paint, his team helps him, someplace the paint on the color palette, others they wash the brushes, others prepare the canvas, but it’s teamwork, that when it’s finished, you finally see the final result, it became a reality, success was achieved, and for me, that is success in any aspect of life, the satisfaction of achieving your personal goals and the happiness and fulfillment that comes.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristides1350/?hl=es-la

Image Credits
Aristides Mantilla Artigas