Today we’d like to introduce you to Javier Solorzano Casarin.
Hi Javier, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I fell in love with cinema when I was just a kid. I’ve always loved the arts. I love books, music and painting, but film has always had a special place in my heart. I guess I love telling stories, sharing my imagination with others and creating memorable characters. I started taking film courses when I was a teenager and began making my first amateur short films. I studied Film at Columbia College Chicago, one of the best experiences in my life. I made my first feature, a documentary, right after graduating. It told the story of a single mother, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, who after being arrested, decided to fight against the government and its hypocritical laws. The government sought to deport her and separate her from her 6 year old son. The documentary premiered at one of Mexico’s best film festivals and has screened in various festivals around the world. My professional career began after that, and I’ve been making short films, documentaries and television series ever since. I recently finished my first narrative feature, titled “Adentro”, it premiered at the 54th International Film Festival of India, Goa, and it will play at a film festival in Los Angeles in December. Besides living in Chicago for four years, I’ve lived in Los Angeles on and off. Once I lived there for a year and a half. I love the city. I hope I can move there one day and work in the film business for good.
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?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. Filmmaking is not only one of the most difficult professions in the world, it’s become increasingly competitive over the decades. And it was already competitive to begin with. It takes too much time, too much money and a lot of people. I’ve been fortunate enough to make my own films, all based on my writing, and almost of them have played in film festivals around the world. So I consider myself grateful and privileged, no doubt. But keep it steady, as a job, as an income has been nearly very tough. So in terms of money, economic challenges have been constant and that has affected me personally and my relationships. But, I’m still fighting on.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Like I mentioned before, I’m a writer and director, I’ve done feature, short films, documentaries and television series. My work, both documentary and fiction, are in essence character studies. Intimate and profound stories about human begins and their personal struggles and tragedies. I love the process, both actually, writing and directing. The first is one of the loneliest occupations in the world, and the second is working with so many people, day in, day out, in a restless, overwhelming stream of interactions and tough decision making. Love them both.
I’m most proud of all my films, shorts, both fiction and documentary, my television series that I created and directed and my first narrative film. All of them are like my children, equally amazing and equally important. I think I can work within the realm of various genres (drama, thriller, sci fi) but I can also create stories that are not pigeonholed to a specific genre. More aligned with European and Asian cinema, creating films that have to do more with how life flows and moves, and how human beings exist in both happiness and turmoil.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I would say both. I don’t know if this is cheating. But I’ve had my good streaks and my bad streaks. Most times it has been directly related to the times: economic, political, social and cultural. In business I’ve been able to do great things and stay above water but other times it has been tough.
In life also both. I have the most amazing, most beautiful daughter. I’ve had the best parents, friends and family, but I’ve also gone through some hard times.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vimeo.com/user23026822
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javier-solórzano-casarin-036b6958/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMiguelcorleone
