MIAMI.- At a meeting of friends in Paris, France, where among other topics of conversation, they talked about how difficult it was for each of them to be far from home, from family, from friends, from customs, about how difficult it was for them. It turned out to be starting from scratch in another country, which is how the idea of film Stories of exile that reflects the drama of migrants Venezuelans from the moment they make the decision to leave the country until they arrive in another nation to start a new life.
The film by Venezuelan Carlos Fung, which is co-directed by French-Venezuelan director Lieber García, was presented to the press on February 27 at the Miracle Theater in Miami, USA; and to say of his director: What was experienced that day was a roller coaster of feelings and emotions.
Hours after the preview and with the satisfaction of having fulfilled his duty and practically honoring a personal commitment, Carlos Fung gave us an interview, also from his exile, where he went a little more in depth about the film.
Interview with the director
What impressions did you get from those who saw the film at the preview?
What was possible to experience there was magical, almost reactions in unison because there was laughter, there was applause, emotions, many mixed feelings. Many people left the screening saying: this has been a roller coaster of feelings and emotions because in the film there are four stories that, although they are different, are united by a common denominator, which is exile, which in this case is about the Venezuelan diaspora.
Cmo defines Stories of ExileIs it a film only for Venezuelan migrants?
It is a film in which not only the Venezuelan migrant will be identified but also all the people who in one way or another have had to abandon their comfort zone and start from scratch, especially those who have had to go to a remote place. with another, another language, another custom and of course it is much more difficult for them to adapt, to adapt to a new country; but above all the journey, the path, the vicissitudes, the difficulties that they encounter.
Each story is different, but they are all related to the distance of Venezuela; You leave Venezuela and what happens when you leave?
There is a story called swamp monster which could well be the other exile, the golden exile, the exile of waste. The story is about a front man who spends all the money of the enchufado and the enchufado sends a henchman to Miami to settle accounts; So well, what’s going to happen there?
The second is about a Venezuelan doctor who is in Chile trying to revalidate his degree and in the meantime, on a day-to-day basis, in his effort to work and get money to pay for his studies, he is the victim of an attack of xenophobia.
The third story is about a boy like many, like thousands of Venezuelans who are in Colombia working as delivery drivers, pedaling all day and in that pedaling he will find a surprise that he did not expect; Instead of delivering, he is the one who is going to receive something unexpected.
The last story is The river brought us here which is the case of a desperate mother who tries to enter the United States illegally through Mexico, through the Rio Bravo to try to save the life of her daughter who needs a kidney transplant.
Did you or your family experience any of those four stories?
Personally, I cannot say that my exile has had anything extraordinary, but I identify with it a lot because like everyone else I have had to leave the place where I would never have wanted to leave, where I had my friends, my house, my family, but I have. I have known and heard first-hand extraordinary, surprising stories that without a doubt sometimes reality surpasses fiction and I said: these stories must be told because they are so amazing that they are worth telling.
That inspired me; the pain, because in each migrant there is a story to tell or keep silent; When every migrant packs their suitcase, the first thing they pack is their country, their customs, their traditions, their roots, and that is so difficult once you leave because you leave a trail of emotions, of feelings with the hope of one day returning; Every day outside seems longer, every day outside seems like an eternity until little by little you start to get used to it.
What message do you want those who see to take away? Tales of Exile?
That of relief, that of being able to find a connection in each story and knowing that they are not the only ones who have had to live this drama. That everyone carries inside the procession, the pain, the pain of having been, the pain of no longer being, those professionals who find it so difficult to say: My God, I was in Venezuela; No, here in the film there is a message and the hope that you were not, that you will always continue to be and as long as you know who you are, no one can deny you what you are.
Film screening
Stories of exile was recorded in the United States, Chile and Colombia, and has a ‘luxury cast’, as defined by its own director, and this is how those who have the opportunity to see the film will be able to enjoy the performance of Franklin Virgez, José Ramn Barreto, Hctor Pea, Gabriela Vergara, Norkys Batista, Luis Gernimo Abreu, María Luisa Flores, Roberto Faras, Ana Karina Casanova, Nando de la gente, Gabriel Porras, Stefany Márquez, Mario Duarte and the presentation of Ivanna Castillo.
Next March 20 the film will be released to the public in New York; on March 29 in Houston and return to Miami on March 30, to then begin a tour of Europe and Latin America, including Venezuela, where it is expected to complete the nationalization procedures for its subsequent screening.
Carlos Fung Technical Data Sheet
Carlos Alberto Fung was born in the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela.
He studied Law and Political Sciences, and later discovered his passion, cinema. He has directed seven documentaries and two feature films, most of them history.
His works include a television series and his first opera film titled: The Bucaramanga Diary.
His most recent work is the film Tales of Exile
FUENTE: Dariana Bracho
