BRANCHING OUT
Filmmaker’s debut in action genre to premiere in Taos
Alejandro Montoya Marín enjoys taking risks.
The New Mexico-based filmmaker has worked in comedy and drama and been very successful.
With his current short film,
“Monday,” Montoya Marín forays into the action genre. But it almost didn’t happen. “We lost the funding before we began shooting,” he says. “All of the work had already been done, and we were ready and then there was no funding.”
“Monday” will have its world premiere at the Taos Shortz Film Festival at noon April 9.
The film follows Jim, who is about to experience the worst day of his life.
Production of the film was done in three days, although Montoya Marín had hoped for a fourth day.
The cast includes eight actors who all jumped at the chance to help out with the film.
“There is a great pool of talent in New Mexico,” he says. “Everyone came together, and the crew really wanted to do this movie. There are lots of locations that we shot at, and it all worked out. All we had was $5,000.”
Last year, Montoya Marín took his previous short film, “Low/Fi” all the way to the Festival de Cannes in France.
With “Monday,” Montoya Marín wanted to premiere it in Taos because the festival has a great reputation internationally.
“The organizers in Taos are very seasoned,” he says. “It’s a festival that is not about flash. It’s about the films and quality filmmaking. They take the focus back to the filmmakers.”