“This is not a cinema that needs to put its audience in the front row, instead, we sit and wait alongside, part of the nameless mystery of our own passing. “Not Yet” is a miracle of economy and restraint.”
Mike Hoolboom for Panorama-cinéma.
Not yet (trailer)
Director, cinematographer and editor. Sound design by Zita Leemans / 20 min
The dead invite us for a walk: the Son of the Forest and an elderly woman with the gift shed light on our path guided by nature, destiny and santería rites. Those who have been on the other side come back to welcome us on our own departure.
I understand documentary filmmaking as a drive to an initial approach that, with the proper attention, sensitivity and deep respect, can become an honest encounter in which the portrayed and the portraitist converge. An encounter that, in addition to being ethical, allows the filmmaker to rethink himself by analyzing the position from where, what and how he looks at himself in order to transform his perspective and to act in consequence of the infinite human diversity. For this reason I appreciate when the structure or production of a film behaves in a plastic way, molding itself to the unique circumstances and characteristics of the people who inhabit the stories. In this way, I believe that a more horizontal order of priorities is established in which the clumsy and anxious machinery of cinema manages to work as a genuinely listening device.
In the case of "Not yet", this transformative encounter came about gradually as a result of my daily relationship with María and Ismael. The colloquial chats, as the months went by, ended up orbiting around some very particular experiences that we shared and that meant a before and after in the way in which each one of us related to death. Those initial sensations and conversations continued to transform into constant dialogue with their protagonists in an attempt to outline what it means to inhabit a limbo while trying to maintain a respectful distance with a culture, beliefs and private experiences of great complexity.
“Not yet” is my final thesis for the Alternativo Masters in the EICTV of Cuba. Currently in distribution at festivals.
Black grass
Director, cinematographer, editor and sound designer / 7 min
Self-sabotaged self-portrait.
Undefined definition.
A presentation?
A prelude?
Definitely a question.
Hopefully a greeting.
Black Grass is an essay in which drift, intuition and some recurring images encapsulate sensations of a very specific moment in my life. In this short film I chose to flee from my usual way of working more structured and with clear searches to prioritise impulsivity and the present moment as a guide to reach a more subconscious and visceral result.
To reinforce that sense of presence and intimacy I used a very basic handycam that I carried with me everywhere. Editing and sound were worked on by imposing track limitations and deadlines on myself in order to continue deriving the cohesion of the film in abrupt and intuitive decision-making.
The leap (trailer)
Director, cinematographer and editor. Sound design by Nathalia Quimbay / 15 min
Two children wander into the darkness of the Cuban countryside. An adult paddles them silently to the other side of the lagoon where they live. They have gone out to confront the mystery that the elders talk about in secret: at night the cattle disappears, as do those farmers who dare to confront the “monster” they live with.
I feel an attraction and infinite curiosity for the passage states, limbic moments and vital transitions. I understand that these hinge moments contain us with what we used to be and with what we are about to become, so they have a complexity and a richness that helps us to revisit ourselves over time with all our nuances in constant transformation. Sometimes these vital flows are motivated, accompanied or catalysed by the figure of a medium who accompanies and guides us; a Charon who helps us cross over to the other side to discover a new inner territory.
With these concerns in mind, I heard the story of Jíbaro, a remote village that had to be reached by crossing the dam in a boat. There I met Ashley, the boatman who takes care of the passage of the villagers to both banks. Eventually I also met the rest of his family, where I appreciated one of those limbic states: that of his grandson Fabián, an eleven year old boy who is leaving behind his childhood and innocence as he is influenced by the rough social and political circumstances around him.
The film was shot during a week for the documentary chair at EICTV with the collaboration of the family and neighbours of the protagonists Fabián and Christian. The direct sound was recorded by filmmaker Mónica Torregrosa. The film is currently in distribution at festivals.
Now he is in the truth (trailer)
Director, cinematographer and editor. Sound design by Saulo Adrián / 11 min
What awaits us when we cross a limbo?
Who inhabits it?
What memories do we encounter inside it?
‘Now he is in the truth and we stay in the lie’ is the sentence that triggered this film. The friend who said it was referring to a relative of his who had just been buried. Those words, pronounced calmly and naturally, mobilised an erratic search around the contrast between the lightness and unpredictability of the ‘lies’ of everyday life and the absolute presence of the ‘truth’ around us.
The film was shot in digital, pushing the sensitivity of the sensor to unhealthy limits. All effects and textures are worked in-camera.
ABOUT
My full name is Roberto Botella Tarazona. I was born in Spain in 1992 and until this date I’ve broken my nose twice.
I also studied Cinematography in the European Film College in Denmark and specialised in Alternative Cinema and Documentary in the EICTV of Cuba.
Currently I’m developing a new shortfilm alongside an expanded cinema installation while working as a director of photography for other filmmakers and artists.
My interests and ventures also extend to photography, painting and apparently breaking my nose from time to time.
Over the years I have directed and photographed projects as diverse as documentaries with minimal equipment to industrial commercials. I feel that this seemingly contradictory experience helps me to adapt different techniques and strategies when facing the challenges of a shoot. I see these predominant practices complemented by my work as an editor and sound designer on several of my short films. More and more frequently I realise that in my decisions or proposals a more holistic vision of cinema is present in which pre, post and production reflect the infinite ways of articulating its elements.
I believe in a close, warm and meticulous way of working in which the care during the research and development process nurtures the final result. I see creating as both a responsibility and a game, something that with enough honesty allows us to come closer to understanding who we are and to portray a fraction of the beauty of our differences.
If you have any questions about my work or simply want to get to know me a bit better I'll be happy to talk to you so don't hesitate to contact me.
Take care and a big hug!
Roberto
