Isabel Castro, a four-time Emmy-nominated Mexican-American filmmaker, combines a practice of journalism and art to tell stories on immigration, civil rights and identity. She splits her time between Mexico City (Mexico) and Los Angeles (Los Angeles). Castro directed, produced, and filmed the Emmy-nominated, award-winning documentary short “USA v Scott,” the Emmy-nominated “Darlin,” and the Emmy-nominated Netflix docu-series “Pandemic.” Her debut project, “Crossing Over,” won a 2015 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary. Castro has worked on dozens of stories as a producer, cinematographer, and multimedia journalist for The New York Times, as an Edward R. Murrow-award winning producer at “The Marshall Project,” on two seasons of the Emmy-award winning series “VICE” on HBO, and as an Emmy-nominated producer covering civil rights and policy at “VICE News Tonight” on HBO. “Mija” is her feature film debut.
“Mija” is screening at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, which is running online from January 20-30. More information can be found on the fest’s website.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
IC: “Mija” is about Doris Muñoz, a young music manager who supports her undocumented and deported family by discovering young music talent. When she gets news that forces her to reconsider her career, she discovers Jacks Haupt – another daughter of immigrants for whom “making it” isn’t just a dream: it’s a necessity.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
IC: I was a journalist who covered immigration for several media outlets, including The New York Times. While I’m proud of that work, I also found myself frustrated by the limitations of those formats. I wanted to convey the complex dynamics of immigrant families as well as the emotions they experience, including anger, resentment, guilt, and resentment. So I started filmmaking.
This story was told from the perspective of young protagonists, which I found particularly interesting. As a teenager I felt that there wasn’t enough information about the experience of growing up as an immigrant in the United States. As a Mexican immigrant, I wanted to tell the story that I craved as I was trying to figure out my identity, family and community.
W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?
IC: I hope that “Mija” shows the nuanced and complicated experience of being an immigrant and the child of an immigrant in the United States. I hope the film inspires young filmmakers to take risks and that the industry supports them.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
IC: Filming during the pandemic required that I have a smaller crew than I originally thought. I ended up filming most of the film alone with Doris, Jacks and Jacks to ensure our safety. I was being COVID tested up four times per week at certain points during filming.
I had spent the previous five years learning how to be a one-woman-band for the last five. I quit my job at a major news agency because there were not enough female cinematographers and I was dissatisfied by the number of men winning cinematography award. After quitting, I enrolled in a cinematography intensive course, and over the last few years I’ve worked really hard to find a visual voice. I never imagined working alone, but my professional goal of learning to shoot made me ready for it.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Please share your insights on how you got the film made.
IC: The film was funded through a mix of equity financing and non-recoverable grants. Seed finance can be one of the most difficult forms of finance, but the Concordia Studio Fellowship enabled us to create a funding reel as well as development materials that helped us pitch the film to production finance.
Cinereach and Impact Partners were our first equity investors. We then participated in the Sundance Catalyst Program which was also invaluable in the fundraising process. Many granting agencies supported us along the way. They not only provided financial support but also emotional support as our journey to make our first feature.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
IC: I wanted to become a filmmaker because it afforded me the great gift of being able to meet new people, places, and stories that I wouldn’t have met otherwise.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
IC: The best advice I’ve ever received is to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.
The worst advice I’ve ever received is to “not be difficult.”
W&H: What advice do you have for other women directors?
IC. It is encouraging to see that representation is now a part and parcel of public consciousness. This encourages minorities in different industries to fight for power. However, there are thousands of years’ worth of white patriarchy ingrained in the edifice of capitalism, making it hard for minorities to succeed.
The problem, as I’ve seen from my own experiences, is that racism and sexism can be subtle – making it all the more nefarious. Gatekeepers are often subconsciously influenced by what “success” has looked like – generations of men with closer proximity to wealth and power. Many of their male colleagues, mainly white men, have achieved greater success and more easily.
My advice to young filmmakers, particularly BIPOC directors, would be to not ask permission for work to be created.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
IC: My favorite woman-directed film is “Clueless” by Amy Heckerling. In fact, it’s just my favorite movie ever. Although it may seem like a film about teens looking for love, popularity and good grades, the film touches upon deeper topics such as immigration policy, gender, class and sexuality. It was a landmark movie for me when I was growing up.
W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Is creativity something you do?
IC. As I imagine, the pandemic has made it extremely difficult for the creative process. It taught me to slow down, be patient, and accept failure as part of growth.
W&H: The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — negative stereotypes. What steps do you believe are necessary to make the industry more inclusive?
IC: It comes down to money, representation. I’ve seen studios and organizations try to address this problem by hiring diverse employees, but failing to promote them to positions of true power. Power is reflected in everything we make – in front of the camera and behind it. People of color must be paid equally and allowed to make their own decisions.
Source: Women And Hollywood