WORLD PREMIERE AT THE 40TH CHICAGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL
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Corozo
Feature Film
On a soul-searching road trip along the coastal beauty of Colombia, Samir, a disillusioned young writer, and Eva, an enigmatic traveler, forge a deep connection through profound conversations about life, love, death, and existence. Unfortunately, both know that these will probably be their only days together.
Genre: Drama, Romance.
Runtime: 97 min.
Country: Colombia
Language: Spanish (English subtitles).
Meet the crew
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Simon Elias
Director. Writer. Producer.
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Lorena Villanueva
Producer. 1st AD.
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Gabriel Bocanegra
Sound. Co-Producer
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Camila Jurado
Associate Producer. Actress.
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Escobar Dzg
DP. Editor. Colorist.
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Andrés Santiago
Art director. Poster designer.
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Grant Floering
Composer.
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Esteban Orozco
Editor.
director’s statement
I feel that very few times we ask ourselves questions about our own lives. Many times we need someone to ask us a question that moves everything and allows us to see life in a different way or allows us to understand the meaning of our existence (if such thing is possible).
For a long time I wanted to make a film about all the conversations I've had with different people I've met in my life. Conversations where we question each other all the time about life, death, love, existence, as well as more mundane topics. Conversations where many times we spoke from our small and naive experience in this life. Conversations where we asked ourselves simple questions that put at risk our whole perception about our existence.
Through Corozo I wanted to capture all those conversations and moments I experienced, many of which were with people I deeply connected with. I feel that love often makes us question ourselves about what we are and what we can be. Love is the only force that allows us to change every sense of our existence and in some way or another it can do it through a simple talk with someone we love. Or it can make us love someone with whom we question ourselves or who makes us question our lives.
Corozo is a film that makes us question ourselves, life, love and our human condition. But Corozo is also an ephemeral love story that becomes eternal in our memories and that teaches us the importance of life's simple moments. A landscape, a walk, a conversation, meeting someone, a road trip, a party.
I have found happiness in the simplest moments of my life and I wanted to show this through Corozo. A film that became the proof that films can be incredible and beautiful regardless of their budget or camera. Corozo was shot with an iPhone 12 Pro Max. A way to remind us that we can all portray the deepest moments of our lives with a camera that we have with us all the time.
Producer’sstatement
Corozo is a romantic drama that reminds us to enjoy the simple things in life. It invites us to have a deep conversation with ourselves. The intimacy and freshness it offers allows the film to travel easily around the world to audiences looking for an organic connection with stories lived by genuine human beings in magnificent spaces. The easy-going pace, with profound conversations and charismatic characters, takes us on an exciting coming of age road trip through breathtaking landscapes of the Colombian Coast in a story universal in its ideas, problems and perspectives.
Corozo could only have been made possible with the enthusiasm of a first-time director, who crafted a powerful love story filled with emotional adventures and created a universe where audiences feel excited and passionate about life. His vision explores the complexities of human experiences through the lens of a once in a lifetime romantic encounter.
The idea to shoot in these natural wonders was immediately conditional on having a small crew since most of these places have limited access because of their environmental protection.
Then came our most critical decision: shooting the film with an iPhone 12 Pro Max.
After thorough investigation by our DP, we were clear on the technical capacities of this camera and immediately understood how this benefited our project.
The iPhone’s small size offered us portability, which was the only possible way to shoot in these geographically limited places. It also allowed us to have the minimum crew we needed, creating a truly intimate creative environment where actors could live through the moments, spaces, and experiences just like the characters in the movie.
Then, we realized this production scheme also allowed us to have a fresher and more spontaneous shoot. We could move quickly, explore freely with new setups and ideas, and, most importantly, we created a family of filmmakers where we all shared the experience of this coming-of-age journey.