5Q's w/Sophia Nino "Valley of Flowers" co-Director

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

Valley of Flowers follows a small town coming together to save a dying farming community in the face of a global pandemic.

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

The film takes a look at an industry that is often overlooked especially during the pandemic. However, the film goes beyond that to look at how networks are created in small communities to support one another. The town of Valley Center takes the idea of hometown pride to a whole new level.

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

I’m a recent graduate from Chapman University and studied documentary film production. During my time at Chapman I created a lot of student projects learning all aspects of movie making and found a passion for stories that focused on community and the arts. I was also lucky enough to intern for HBO’s Fake Famous which helped me sharpen my skills in production. Working on Valley of Flowers was a labor of love, Valley Center means a lot of me because I spent a lot of time there growing up (and Jenelle happens to be my aunt). I’m so proud to have created a film about this special little town.

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

Making this film taught me that patience is key. This was my first multiple character and co-director film and getting everyone’s schedules, ideas, and paperwork together at the same time isn’t always the easiest. Having trust and patience for the process was vital to get everything done.

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

Valley of Flowers will be continuing on the festival circuit for the next few months and after that who knows where it’ll go. As for myself I’m currently doing festivals with my thesis film Lost in the Shuffle and am on the hunt for a new project to be apart of.