In DAMAGE, my current cinematic project, I am carried into turbulent depths of human emotion and contradiction. Adapted from the manuscript by Los Angeles writer and poet, Pablo Lopez, the film unfolds as a visual symphony of a hundred and eleven poems, each poem a moving picture capturing the tempest of pain, pleasure, and complexity.
Shot predominantly in the grain of 8mm film, DAMAGE intertwines the vintage allure of analog with the occasional stark clarity of digital imagery, mirroring the erratic nature of its protagonist's psyche.
I've taken on the task of translating Lopez's brutally honest novella as a visual medium, infusing it with a cinematic language that speaks of the human desire to love.
Drawing from my research in hysteria and an ongoing exploration of women's mental health, the film becomes more than an adaptation; it emerges as a cathartic account of the myriad of struggles women face.
The bungalow, a recurring motif in Lopez's narrative, serves as a symbolic space—a cave where darkness converges with hope. DAMAGE oscillates between the maximalist and the minimalist, weaving emotions that range from transcendent love to self-destructive impulses. Themes of identity, freedom, ecstasy, and agony permeate the frames, challenging conventional notions of storytelling and character development.
In the complex layers and moments of bliss, I find a muse—a character grappling with desire, fear, and confliction. A character who defies categorization, who embodies the nature and lore of Hollywood itself. She is neither hero nor villain, but an enigma that ensnares and enthralls in equal measure. Through self-discovery and reckoning, DAMAGE becomes a visceral experience – a cinematic odyssey that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, leaving an indelible mark on those who dare to plumb its unsettling depths.
Release date: 2025