AFTER DARK: Expressive Arts short film to inspire HOPE.
This multimedia artistic film was created during Covid-19 to tell the story of a woman, mother, immigrant and trauma survivor who, in the experience of losing herself during quarantine, found hope in the little things of life.
AFTER DARK combines flamenco with poetry, visual art, drama and creative expression to inspire hope and bring awareness about mental health and the importance of the ARTS to overcome difficult times.
AFTER DARK is a short-film about bringing the light of a new day, a new beginning, a new opportunity after the pandemic to become better humans who will make this world, a better place to live.
AFTER DARK has been officially selected at different Film Festivals in the USA and EUROPE, nominated for three awards and winner of “Best Dance on Camera” at the Independent Short Awards in Los Ángeles!
DIRECTOR STATEMENT
Laura Sánchez
AFTER DARK is the project that has kept my soul alive during Covid-19.
This multimedia short film is based on my personal resilience story as a Spanish Speaker immigrant living in the USA who had experienced racial discrimination. My past traumatic experiences stored in my physical body were triggered by Covid-19 manifesting as anxiety. I found in AFTER DARK the way to emotionally survive quarantine while brining awareness about racial discrimination and mental health.
AFTER DARK is the artistic representation of Expressive Flamenco, a profound arts based research work that I have been doing the past few years which has become my tool to emotionally survive the most difficult times of my life.
With AFTER DARK I became a producer, editor, camera, dancer and artist, all at the same time, and with no resources but the enormous privilege to co-direct this piece with international choreographer, Belén Maya.
AFTER DARK is the validation that arts heal and that we need them to exist.
Belén Maya
“This work comes from Laura’s strong decision to come thru the other end of trauma memories, brought up by the pandemic. It proves that art is not only a healing tool but a vital ally in this times of suffering, fear and loss. Art is powerful enough to face all this and transform it. Laura’s work means transformation and hope. “
STORY BEHIND AFTER DARK
My resiliency story started few years ago after overcoming an existential life crisis where I had hit Rock-bottom. Situation exasperated after experiencing racial discrimination as a Spanish Speaker immigrant living in the USA.
My past memories stored in my physical body and emotional reactions programmed into my nervous system due to trauma, were triggered by Covid-19 manifesting as anxiety. I found in my art, the refuge to emotionally survive quarantine.
When Covid-19 hit, as an artist I had to reinvent myself and find new ways to create art. A thousand miles away from my family and in the midst of isolation, I founded in AFTER DARK the LIGHT I needed to visualize my path. This creative process has been an important transformation in my identity as an artist and a visual representation of what I understand as Expressive Flamenco.
When lost and isolated, listening to the sounds of nature helped me stay grounded and connected to my roots.
A quote from Auguste Rodin “Art is the pleasure of a spirit that enters nature and discovers that it too has a soul”, became an important source of inspiration since it reminds us how the transformation of a soul can happens when one is allowed to be moved by the soul of nature.
The elements of nature were intentionally chosen to bring awareness about climate change and the importance of listening to the unique rhythms of nature.
During Covid-19 quarantine, I used my skills as an expressive flamenco facilitator to connected people from all over the world experiencing similar emotions to heal together in a virtual therapeutic dance space.
Through arts, we transformed our emotions with weekly doses of hope during quarantine. Together we envisioned a future in which metaphorically we could would “fly” outside our windows. This metaphor became my muse and inspired me to use my art to tell a story that millions of people worldwide might relate to.
In AFTER DARK, I tell my story in my own word. Words that naturally spoke to me during the creative process and were kept in the film as they were expressed regardless the language to maintain the authenticity of the piece. This is my way to bring into the piece my struggles as a Spanish speaking immigrant living in the US who, despite having a “language barrier”, found my voice to speak up.
This pandemic has shown us that we are all in this together because anyone, regardless of race, mother language, ethnicity, gender, age or sexual orientation has been and will continue to be affected by Covid-19. And AFTER DARK is my personal way to fight against racism and discrimination.
This short-film is about bringing the light of a new day, a new beginning, a new opportunity after the pandemic to become better humans who will make this world, a better place to live.
AWARDS
- Los Ángeles Film Award, Los Ángeles: Award Winner “Best Dance on Camera”
- IndieX Film Fest, Los Ángeles: Finalist
- Indie Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Semi-Finalist
- Venice Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Official Selection
- New York Short Film Festival, New York City: Official Selection
- European Short Film Festival, Berlin : Official Selection
- Asheville Fringe Arts Festival: Official Selection
- InShadow: Official Selection, Lisboa 2020
WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT AFTER DARK
“What a powerfully challenging, penetrating, uplifting film! Amazingly lived, felt passages moving through anger, frustration and despair to deeper connection with self through looking inward and outward; through permission to feel, explore and imagine; through allowing feelings and expressions of hope, trust in oneself and the unknown future to emerge and be genuinely felt and experienced. The unfolding images, words, movements at the end were especially moving to me.”
Woman, Arlington, MA.
“Es increíble ver, y de primera mano, el poder del arte, en concreto de la danza y el movimiento, para conectar plenamente con aquellas emociones que muchas veces no conseguimos sacar por otros medios más tradicionales, como el uso de la palabra. gracias a proyectos como este, poco a poco se le irá otorgando la importancia que se merece a esta forma de expresión y crecimiento personal”
Mujer, 31 años, Madrid. España
“After dark can leave no one indifferent…
This short film reflects our own pandemic self-experience,
translating human feelings into a poetic and universal
visual language that transcends limits and crosses borders.
A film that soothes the soul and distills truth in these dark times…
deeply moving, timely and necessary”
Woman, 45 years old. Boston, MA
“It’s challenging to transform pain into art, mostly because we need to tap into what hurts to be able to look at it honestly and translate it into movements, sounds, words. And “After Dark” accomplished it with a beautiful display of raw emotions, music and silence, movement and stillness. And it resonated so much with me, with the disturbing idea of quarantining, loneliness, love, and the discoveries that only happen when we see the scary part of ourselves. Little by little… It was disturbing, raw, and soothing at the same time. I cried and smiled at the screen. It was like when a friend holds your hand and says: “I know it hurts, but it will pass”
“É desafiador transformar dor em are, principalmente porque é necessário acessar a dor para olhar para ela honestamente e traduzí-la em movimento, música, palavras. E “After Dark” cumpriu esse desafio com louvor, com um lindo retrato de emoções viscerais, música e silêncio, movimento e quietude. E ecoou em mim, com a ideia perturbadora da quarentena, a solição, o amor, e as descobertas que acontecem somente quando vemos a parte mais assustadora de nós mesmas. Pouco a pouco… Inquietante, bruto, e ao mesmo tempo acolhedor. Chorei e sorri assistindo. Foi como quando uma amiga segura nossa mão e diz “eu sei que dói, mas vai passar”.
Woman, 35 Years. Brazil
