#1: Can you describe your movie and why somebody should see it in less than 140 characters?

Based on a true story, Ruta Madre is a funny road trip dramedy about a young American singer who travels to Mexico to regain his lost roots.

#2: What do you want the Borrego Springs Film Festival audience to know about your film that isn’t obvious from its title?

Ruta Madre is not only very funny and entertaining, but it is also very rich in its visual beauty, in how the story is told, amplified through the eyes of a young kid who has never been to Mexico.  It is weaved in such a way, that the dramatic part of the story creeps in slowly and silently, creating a very heartfelt moment at the end.  It also has a powerful message about how important it is to know your cultural and family roots in order to be a well-grounded individual.

The talented cast features a blend of new up-and-coming talent including David Castro, William Miller and Paulina Gaitan, coupled with some of Mexico’s most legendary actors such as Carmen Salinas and Angelica Maria.  Ruta Madre features a captivating score and all original songs from both sides of the border that are guaranteed to leave a melody in your ear, long after the credits have rolled.

The magnificent production design of Marco Niro (Master and Commander, The 33, All is Lost) captures the colors, essence, and magic of Baja that will resonate with an ever growing Latin American audience. Ruta Madre conveys a resounding message of love, family and a celebration of culture that will charm people of every nationality regardless of what side of the border you call home.

#3: What is your movie making background?  Tell us about yourself.

As a child and all the way through high school, my biggest passion was movies.  I remember spending long hours in middle school with my friend Rodrigo Prieto making films with my Super 8 Beaulieu camera.  Rodrigo went on to become an Academy Award-nominated cinematographer whose work I greatly admire.  In my last year of high school I had two great passions, movies and technology.  I continued my studies in Computer Science and after that started a technology company.  After 33 years I thought it was time to pick up where I left off.  Ruta Madre is my first film and has been an amazing journey. 

#4: What was the biggest lesson learned in getting your film made?

There are so many lessons learned in this project.  We worked with a bi-national, bi-lingual and bi-cultural cast, crew and musicians who all worked together passionately to deliver the best film possible.  To see them all come together and put so much faith and love into this project and to see how hard they worked every day was a truly humbling experience.

#5: What does the future hold for your film and you?

We are submitting the film to a few festivals and are currently seeking distribution with hopes of getting it to a wider audience.   We are also working on a couple new projects in film.