Hollyshorts Filmmaker Interview: HERO THE GREAT

An Interview with Juan Caceres (director) and Tracy Perez (producer) of Hero the Great


What is your short film about?

A day in the life of 14 yr old Hero, a good intentioned, misunderstood soul.



How did you get the idea?

Juan: I have a missing part of the jigsaw of my childhood so it was lovely to explore the stage between childhood and adolescence where kids are trying to find their way home and discover who they are.



What are some of the films and filmmakers that inspire you?

Juan: I’m more inspired by story tellers like Charles Dickens and Mark Twain… the beauty in creating characters who live through generations.


Tracy: A mix of Michel Gondry, Cassevetes, Mira Nair, Charles Burnett, Godard, Truffaut, Todd Solondz, Julie Taymor, Personal Velocity, Memories of Underdevelopment, Do The Right Thing, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Hours, the Coen bros., Adaptation, The King of Comedy, Rodrigo Garcia, some Todd Haynes, Guillermo Del Toro, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu...in no particular order, ever.


What made you originally want to get into film?

Juan: It was either film or a life of crime… and i don’t drive.
Tracy: Film kept all my sense awake.


What was the most challenging thing about making your short?

Juan: Money. always money. at the end of the day it’s about the ability to make the most with the least.
Tracy: Feeling pressed for time/money, accepting limitations.


How did you go about selecting your cast?

Juan: I knew them - I wrote the film for them. it made the process easier.
Tracy: Dennis (Hero) and I were in a short film together, St. Paul. Rey (Biscuit) is everywhere so it was a matter of catching him and Glendy (Belkis) I met at a reading. Doris (Abuela) was a referral and Juan knew Lawrence.


What do you hope your short film achieves?

Tracy: I come from theater and song remains the same - that people enjoy the journey and take a piece with them. I hope it achieves an afterlife, perhaps a metamorphosis into a feature.


What is your next project?

Juan: Produce the feature of the novel, Soledad. Write a feature.
Tracy: Writing my first short and looking forward to acting again.


HERO THE GREAT screens on Saturday, August 9th as part of Show Program #2 which starts at 1:00 PM. Order tickets at hollyshorts.com Special weekend pass is available for $40 or day passes for $20. Use promo code:  hsffESFPZ

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